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One important message is: avoid Cobra Effects

The unintended consequences of over-simplistic approaches to complex problems.

I played two roles in a very costly Cobra effect in the development of regulations– because the Web Content guidelines referenced by Canadian federal legislation for government websites were not updated, the Common Look and Feel accessibility regulations required that Web sites not depend on scripts at a time when the government mandated that services be moved online, which required the use of scripts – the majority of the discussion of accessibility by federal employees was therefore on how to seek exemptions from accessibility requirements -- federal Web developers were in a double bind: obey (outdated but mandated) accessibility requirements or do your job – this was finally resolved in the federal case of the Common Look and Feel and Donna Jodhan

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