It doesn’t do “what I want”, it’s completely unsuitable for most of the use cases I’ve run into. Additionally, this sort of response will never work with a product manager or ux designer.
It's your job as the engineer to tell the product manager or UX designer "no" when they ask you to build interfaces which lock disabled users out of the product. Take some responsibility for the code you write. And if you really cannot use <select multiple>, then have the discipline to read the AIRA guidelines and make sure that whatever you come up with works for everyone.
Not really, the point of having these people is for them to make product and ux decisions. It’s my job to implement the use case they come up with (or quit): I can provide technical advice and suggest easier/better ways to solve their problems but, ultimately, it’s their call.
That's a really shitty way to think about your job. If you don't have the courage to advise your peers (which is what the product manager and UX designer are, your peers), then you aren't worth your salary as an engineer. Thinking for yourself and pushing back against bad designs is part of your job. Do your job.
