Patrick Garvin
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patrickmgarvin.bsky.social
Patrick Garvin
@patrickmgarvin.bsky.social
1.1K followers 580 following 280 posts
Accessibility enthusiast and UX/UI front-end developer. Creator of @a11yawareness.bsky.social. Occasional MU J-school lecturer. Former Boston Globe graphics reporter/developer.
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patrickmgarvin.bsky.social
I apparently shared this meme on Facebook six years ago today.
Bart Simpson in a classroom, holding a piece of chalk while writing on a chalkboard. The chalkboard shows that he's written the same phrase over and over, line after line: "I will not respond to angry people on social media." He looks determined, focused, and angry.
July 25, 2025 at 4:12 PM
patrickmgarvin.bsky.social
This was one of my favorite tools in the toolbox, and I took inspiration from John Telford, then of the Post-Dispatch, and Javier Zarracina, who I later got to work for at The Boston Globe. These explainer graphics are important because they break down concepts in a way that people can digest.
How Kryptonite Bike Revolution works 1. Register the bike online. This step shows a blocky character sitting at a computer. 2. Place a special bar code tag that identifies your bike. This step shows a the blocky character putting Bike Revolution sticker with a QR code on his bike. And his bike is not just any bike, but a stylish red bike that is a detail-for-detail reconstruction of Pee-Wee Herman's bike from "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." 3. Use a bar code reader application on your smartphone to link the tag to your bike registration. This shows our blocky friend standing next to his bike, holding up a smartphone above the bike. 4. If your bike is stolen, go to the Kryptonite Bike Revolution web site and report it as stolen. This step shows the same previous scene, but the bike is now missing and our blocky friend looks tense and alarmed. 5. Bike Revolution uses Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to alert bike owners about the theft. This step shows a similar blocky person of a different gray color. The person is holding a smartphone over the bike. The person says, "Hey, this is stolen!" At the bottom are credits, saying, "Source: BikeRevolution.org" and "Patrick Garvin/Globe Staff"
April 4, 2025 at 4:12 PM
patrickmgarvin.bsky.social
I have thought a lot about this week about this information graphic I did explaining how bills are paid at The Mayo Clinic. I think we need to have some similar plain and direct process graphics explaining tariffs, both conceptually and the current ones.
Information graphic showing how bills are paid at The Mayo Clinic versus other places. The graphic uses stick figures to represent the various people involved in the process. A teal stick figure represents the hospital, a pink stick figure represents the patient, and a yellow stick figure with a red-white-and-blue-colored top hat represents Medicare. In the chart, the transactions of money and who pays whom is shown by the different-colored stick figures. The text is as follows: Billing: The Mayo Way The Mayo Clinic handles Medicare bills differently than other clinics do, putting Mayo in the crossfire of some critics during the current health care reform debate. How a bill gets paid at Mayo 1. The patient sees the Mayo doctor. The Medicare-approved amount for the visit is $100. At "nonparticipating" facilities like Mayo, Medicare lowers its "allowed" amount, in this case from $100 to $95. 2. Mayo sends the bill to Medicare. Because Mayo does not accept Medicare for physician visits, it can charge up to 15 percent more on its end. In this example: $109.25. 3. Medicare writes a check to the patient, covering 80 percent of the allowed amount, or $76. 4. The patient pays Mayo $109.25, which includes Medicare's $76 plus $33.25 from his or her own pocket. Those with supplemental insurance may end up paying less out of pocket. How a bill gets paid at other clinics 1. The patient sees the doctor. The Medicare-approved amount for the visit is $100. 2. The doctor sends the bill to Medicare. 3. Medicare pays 80 percent, or $80. 4. The patient pays out an out-of-pocket expense of $20 to the medical provider, or less if he has supplemental insurance. At the bottom are credits, saying, "Source: Staff research" and "Patrick Garvin/The Times-Union"
April 4, 2025 at 4:12 PM
patrickmgarvin.bsky.social
Despicable, evil, horrendous.
Screen shot, reading, "But in Monday’s court filing, attorneys for the government admitted that the Salvadoran man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was deported accidentally. “Although ICE was aware of his protection from removal to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error,” the government told the court. Trump lawyers said the court has no ability to bring him back now that Abrego Garcia is in Salvadoran custody."
April 1, 2025 at 3:28 AM
patrickmgarvin.bsky.social
The 17 states suing to end Section 504 are If you live in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

#a11y #accessibility
United States map showing 17 states colored in a dark color with a white dotted pattern, indicating the 17 states suing to end Section 504: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
February 12, 2025 at 4:04 PM
patrickmgarvin.bsky.social
Having a great time with the crew at IRE's Access Fest, showing journalists how to add alt text to images on social media.
Black text on a white background, reading, "Today is a great day to learn how to add alt text to images shared on social media."
October 17, 2024 at 7:06 PM