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Achieving Accessibility through User-Centered Design at the South Carolina Web Conference

This presentation, delivered by Scott Stroud at the South Carolina Web Accessibility Conference, highlights the vital role of user-centered design (UCD) in achieving not just accessibility but also usability in web design. It discusses the responsibilities of web designers, developers, and managers in creating accessible sites that truly serve their users. Key concepts such as usability, user personas, and real-world scenarios are explored, emphasizing the importance of understanding diverse user needs and implementing iterative design processes. Effective techniques, tools, and the necessity of collaboration with the disability community to improve web accessibility are also covered.

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Achieving Accessibility through User-Centered Design at the South Carolina Web Conference

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  1. Achieving Accessibility through User-Centered Design South Carolina Web Accessibility Conference July 28, 2005 Scott Stroud Idea Integration

  2. Technology should make our lives easier. Too often,: • We can’t find what we need, when we need it • We get lost because of too much information • We never gain access to content ... the site was never correctly coded for accessibility

  3. Who’s responsible for making web sites work for us, not against us? • Web Designers • Web Developers • Web Managers/Owners • Executives • End Users (*through Usability Testing and feedback)

  4. What is “Usability”? • Usability is the measure of how well products that are intended to help us actually help us ... WITHOUT unexpected frustrations, errors, and roadblocks ...

  5. What is “User-Centered Design” (UCD)? • A design process where the ACHIEVEMENT OF REAL HUMAN GOALS is the measure of success • UCD helps create web sites that • Allow people to SUCCEED. • DO NOT make people FEEL STUPID. • DO NOT FRUSTRATE people.

  6. The Relationship between Usability, User-Centered Design, and Accessibility • Usability is a component of Accessibility • Even if a product is accessible, it still may CONFUSE THE HECK out of someone who’s trying to perform a task • User-Centered Design is the process that can help us achieve accessibility AND usability.

  7. Know your USERS • Diverse Backgrounds • Various Ages • Wide Range of Computer, Internet Experience • Different Disabilities • Variable Use of Assistive Technologies (AT) Interview your real users; Observe them using your existing sites.

  8. Develop “User Personas” • Write 1-Page Fictional Representations of your Audience • List their real-world GOALS • How many Personas do I need? • Depends on your site (typically 3-10) • Enough to fully represent the user base • Include Personas that represent users with disabilities

  9. Example of a “User Persona” • William Johnson, • Small Business Owner • Goals: • Understand state tax laws affecting his business • Prepare for any Workers Compensation situations that may come his way • Develop awareness of any environmental laws affecting his business • Benefit from Small Business assistance programs • ... etc.

  10. How do User Personas help? • Your developers understand who needs your web site • Your whole organization (management, executives) clearly knows WHO they serve and WHY • You can measure how well your site does its job • How easily can people meet their goals using your site?

  11. Understand Real-World Scenarios Now that we know the users ... • What are the scenarios they find themselves in when they need to use your site? • What information will they need? • What information do they already have?

  12. Train your Developers • For each of the 508 standards, document code examples • Demonstrate how Screen Readers work for your Developers • Help them understand how their good coding practices help real people • Coding standards will help keep your sites accessible into the future

  13. Tools and Techniques • www.Usability.gov (National Cancer Institute site with usability and accessibility information) • Download JAWS (Freedom Scientific) or demo versions of other Assistive Technologies • Card Sorting Exercises • Navigation Design and Content Organization • Use Vocabulary that is natural for your users

  14. Design and Develop Now that we know the users and the scenarios ... • Design so that users can fulfill their goals • Start with low-fidelity mock-ups or wireframes • Follow standards and code examples for Accessible Design • Use templates and CSS to ensure consistency • Incorporate Accessibility and Usability Testing to make sure newly developed code is accessible and usable

  15. Conduct Usability Tests with Helpfrom theDisability Community • Test early using mock-ups or wireframes • Partner with groups who can supply disability advocates to help test your site • Observe what the users are saying as they work through real-world scenarios • You’ll learn where your site fails

  16. Iterate, Iterate, Iterate • Plan for multiple iterations to improve the usability and accessibility of your site • You’ll learn more and more with each usability test as you gradually improve the site • Make UCD part of your process so your site stays accessible and usable. • Quality Assurance is critical for CLEAN CODE

  17. Accessible Design is GOOD Design for ALL • Since Accessible Web sites work well through Assistive Technologies, they also work better for: • Handheld & Mobile Devices • Low-bandwidth (modem users) • Designing for Accessibility often cuts through the clutter that gets in the way of all users

  18. Reality Check • You can meet the 508 standards and STILL NOT have a web site that is easy to use • Concerned about making large sites accessible under tough deadlines? • Spend time on Accessibility Standards and Templates to keep your site accessible into the future • Train your developers AND your whole team • Gather executive support • Consider that it may take less time and money to rework a site following a User-Centered Design process than it will to fix a site.

  19. Final Thought • Focusing on the goals of your users, especially those with disabilities, will help your agency or organization meet its strategic goals

  20. Questions?

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