Beyond Gestures: Accessible (SVG) Maps for Compose Multiplatform

Gestures aren't accessible to everyone. Learn how to extend your SVG-based Compose Multiplatform maps with keyboard, voice, and button-based controls—without sacrificing the gesture experience.

Talk topic
KMP

So you're building an app that includes an SVG map. It could be a conference app with a venue map, an app for a mall, or an app for healthcare services with a map showing how to find the room where the appointment happens. You add the map with pan and zoom gestures, and then start thinking, "How do I make this accessible for all users?"

You might wonder how to make it accessible for keyboard users, those who use a voice interface, or those who control their device with a switch. And what about users who need button-based controls instead of precise gestures?

This talk explores how to make SVG maps accessible with Compose Multiplatform by extending (not replacing) gesture interactions with alternative input methods. We'll focus on keyboard navigation as the foundation, then show how the same patterns scale to voice control and switch access, as well as for users who need button-based alternatives to gestures.

We will cover Android, iOS, Desktop, and Web, and the special considerations for each platform with concrete examples. If the demo gods are kind, there will also be some live coding on stage.

By the end, you'll have patterns and code you can apply directly to your own Compose Multiplatform projects, making them accessible to users with different abilities and input preferences. And these principles are not just for maps - they can be used with any kind of similar implementations, such as data visualizations.