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Accessibility Tester - Accessibility User Testing

Personal Web-site of Mark Faben - freelance Web-Accessibility Tester

Accessibility guideline analysis (such as conformance testing to WCAG 2.0 guidelines), cannot on its own ensure a web-site is accessible by all users under all conditions (such as with different assistive technology and web-browsers).

Although good web-design practises and meeting accessibility guidelines is essential to ensure a site moves towards true, real world accessibility, the only way to ensure a website is truly accessible is to conduct user-testing with real disabled users.

Reports such as the DRC report into web-accessibility highlight the importance of conducting user-testing with a range of disabled individuals using a range of methods of accessing the internet.

I have conducted an extensive range of user-testing, both using protocols I have developed myself, and whilst working for third party companies and universities.

With my experience I am able to either design my own test procedures specifically for a given project, or conduct user-testing for external companies within their own procedures and guidelines.

When designing a testing procedure myself for your web-site I create a bespoke testing procedure aimed specifically at the website being examined:

Discussion with you regarding the specific requirements and aims you want to achieve from user-testing
Identification of key tasks specific to the website;
- Using search
- Browsing via navigation menus
- Use of any shopping cart software
- Completing forms present on the site
Conduct user testing with JAWS
Include multiple web-browsers
Include open source and freeware screen readers if deemed appropriate
Detail user testing in a report
Include expert evaluation of the user testing and its implications for the website

Once I have designed a test procedure for your specific website and its specific requirements, I conduct user-testing;

Completing key tasks as identified
Navigating throughout the site
Testing how easy it is to navigate
Testing how easy it is to perform functions on the site.
Ensure forms and applications present on the site work
Use Firefox and Internet Explorer (other browsers on request)
Perform any other testing as identified through discussions with client

As I am a disabled computer user, I can report on issues that similar individuals using the same assistive technology as myself would encounter. However, I can additionally report on any other issues I can see within the way the site operates (and its underlying HTML/CSS/XML), and use my expertise to determine potential problems that other user's may experience.

Accessibility user testing will not only identify issues specific to the types of disabled users involved in the testing, but highlight issues which may be faced by all users of the website weather disabled or not.

For example, whereas a non-disabled user may find a certain way of organising navigation on the site only mildly annoying, a disabled user may quickly identify this as a specific problem they have with using the site. However, this would feed back to the non-disabled user, as a site which is easier to navigate and use will hold every user's attention for longer and improve their subjective experience on the site and encourage their continued and ongoing use of the site and the services it offers.

Deliverables

On completion of user testing, a full report, showing the extent and nature of the testing conducted, as well as the results of the user-testing will be presented. This report will include user experience of attempting to complete tasks on the site, as well as expert descriptions of the nature of any problems encountered, and how any such problems may be addressed.

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Page last modified: Wednesday, 22 September 2010 18:14