how to improve ux by implementing accessibility - webexpo 2013 edition

How to improve UX by implementing accessibility

Radek PAVLÍČEK, Blind Friendly Web

Do you like CAPTCHA?

CAPTCHA is one of the accessibility issues which is struggling for everybody.

Accessibility is for the majority, not the minority

Accessibility

≠handicapped people

only

Although a lot of people have accessibility connected to handicapped people only…

…accessibility is not just about them. Accessibility is beneficial to a lot of other users (elderly, children, user of mobile

devices, etc.).

Some adaptations are useful only for users with special

needs

Sign language

Audio description of movies

Hidden headings

Skip to links

But the rest of accessibility adjustements is useful for

vast majority of users

Real life examples

State of the art in certain areas - accessibility is a part of design.

Low floorAudio information

From accessibility adjustment of this tram profit also those, who travel with pram, or passengers, who use audio information about particular stops to be informed where they are and where they must get off.

Subtitles are useful not only for people with hearing impairement, but also for those, who do not

understand spoken language very well.

What can I do to help my users?

Very often, the difference is

in details

#1Focus on

the core message

#2How can I upgrade without a button?

Missing text alternative

There is no button which I can click on.

#3Bigger area, better

user experience

Explicit association of controls with their labels

When you create explicit association of form element and its description/label, the

clickable area is larger, because you can click also on the label.

#4Fast and furious

Keyboard shortcuts – you can operate the web in very efficient way.

#5Money, money,

money…

Do you know when you refuse money from your potential customers?

When your payment gateway is inaccessible to some of them.

Proof & Reason

Time is an important quantity of accessibility.

Better accessibility, faster task completion.

AccessibleInaccessible

Proof, that accessibility is beneficial to all users, can be found in this report.

Duration

On low accessibility sites both groups were slower and they need more time to complete their tasks. In other words, on high accessibility sites they were able to complete their tasks faster and easier.

What can I do when I want to offer my

users a better experience?

Have accessibility in mind

Integrate accessibility into all parts of your developement process.

Accessibility

There are a lot of methodologies and guidelines which could help you.

Accessibility is nota feature.

It represents how you think about

people.

Smartphones with iOS or Android have many built-in accessibility features and are accessible

out of the box.

Accessibility is an integral part of developement process at Seznam.cz

Benefits

Accessibility can bring you more money,

…positive feedback…

…and more satisfied users and customers.

Contact info

pavlicek@blindfriendly.cz@radlicek

Photo credits• www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-415742494 • www.flickr.com/photos/11407072@N03/2194359747/• www.flickr.com/photos/60207590@N00/2344734563• http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brno,_Mendlovo_n%C3%A1m%C

4%9Bst%C3%AD,_%C5%A0koda_13T_%C4%8D._1923.jpg

• www.flickr.com/photos/nationaalarchief/4025536029/• www.flickr.com/photos/cornelluniversitylibrary/3678984206/• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__1B7eTIn3jM/SoMylQ_RqWI/AAAAAAAAAAw/

F8u_jtyp3IA/s400/Learn-Hiragana.jpg• http://www.sons.cz/docs/bariery/sons_inet1_01_2010.pdf