meetup · Monthly
Building without barriers: a11y for backend engineers
Backend accessibility: building inclusive systems without hidden barriers
When
Wednesday 20 May
Time
17:30
Venue
AutoProtect Offices
South Bank
Price
Free
Leeds PHP Meetup's May session puts accessibility on the backend engineer's desk. Andy Carter gives two talks covering the parts of a11y that server-side developers typically ignore or assume belong to someone else.
The first talk, Building without barriers, runs through real backend scenarios where the systems engineers build create hidden barriers for people with disabilities. That means API responses, error handling, data structures and the decisions made long before a frontend developer touches the output. The second talk, Toast-mortem, takes a narrower focus: toast notifications. Carter examines how they perform across different assistive technologies and asks whether backend engineers should take ownership of the UX components their users depend on.
The format is a standard LeedsPHP evening: arrive from 18:30, grab pizza, hear two talks with a break between them, then walk to The Adelphi afterwards. The event is free and open to everyone — you don't need to be a PHP developer to get something out of it. The accessibility questions raised apply across languages and stacks.
LeedsPHP is one of Leeds's longer-running language meetups, bringing together PHP developers and adjacent engineers from across the city. Estrato Cloud are sponsoring this particular event; AutoProtect are providing the space at their South Bank offices on Leeds Dock.
Why attend
Accessibility is usually framed as a frontend or design problem. Andy Carter's talks make the case that backend decisions — data shapes, notification patterns, API contracts — have real consequences for users of assistive technology. If you've never thought about a11y from the server side, this is a practical introduction grounded in concrete examples.
After the talks there's a walk to The Adelphi, which is a reasonable place to carry on the conversation. The crowd will be mostly PHP and web developers, but the subject matter is relevant to anyone building systems that real people use.
Agenda
- 18:30 – Arrive, pre-talks networking and pizzas
- 19:05 – Intro to LeedsPHP and sponsors
- 19:15 – Building without barriers (a11y for backend engineers) — Andy Carter
- 19:50 – Break
- 19:55 – Toast-mortem — Andy Carter
- 20:25 – Tidy up and walk to The Adelphi
Speakers
- Andy Carter — giving both talks; covers backend accessibility scenarios and an examination of toast notifications across assistive technologies
Organiser
Leeds PHP Meetup
Leeds PHP Meetup is a free monthly gathering for PHP developers and web engineers in Leeds. They host talks, networking and the occasional trip to the pub, and have been running long enough to be a fixture on the Leeds tech calendar. Find them on LinkedIn or their own website.
Venue
AutoProtect Offices, South Bank
AutoProtect's offices sit at 6 The Dockside, LS10 1EG on Leeds Dock — part of the South Bank regeneration area that has become home to a cluster of tech and digital businesses over the past few years.
FAQs
- Is this event free?
- Yes. It's free and open to all, with no ticket price stated on the Meetup listing.
- Where exactly is the venue?
- AutoProtect Offices, 6 The Dockside, LS10 1EG, Leeds — on Leeds Dock on the South Bank.
- Do I need to register in advance?
- The event is listed on Meetup.com. RSVPing there is the standard way to let the organisers know you're coming.
- Is this in person or online?
- In person only. No hybrid or remote option is mentioned in the listing.
- Will the talks be recorded?
- The source listing makes no mention of recording. Assume not unless LeedsPHP announce otherwise.