How can you effectively test IA design for screen readers?

1 Understand screen reader basics

Screen readers are software applications that convert text and other elements on a screen into speech or braille output. Screen reader users rely on keyboard commands, gestures, or braille devices to navigate and access content. They also use different modes, such as browse mode or forms mode, to switch between reading and interacting with elements. Screen reader users often scan a page by headings, landmarks, links, or lists to get an overview of the content and structure.

3 Recruit representative users

To test your IA design for screen readers, you need to recruit users who are familiar with using screen readers and have different levels of vision impairment. You should also consider other factors, such as age, education, goals, tasks, and context, that may affect how users interact with your IA design. You can use online platforms, such as UserTesting, UserZoom, or Loop11, to find and recruit screen reader users for your testing.

4 Conduct usability testing

Usability testing is a method of evaluating how well users can complete tasks and achieve goals using your IA design. You can conduct usability testing remotely or in-person, moderated or unmoderated, depending on your resources and objectives. You should prepare realistic scenarios and tasks that reflect the main functions and features of your IA design. You should also ask users to think aloud as they perform the tasks and provide feedback on their experience. You should record and analyze the user's actions, comments, errors, satisfaction, and suggestions.

5 Use automated testing tools

Automated testing tools are software applications that check your IA design for common accessibility issues and compliance with standards and guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Automated testing tools can help you identify and fix errors, such as missing or inappropriate headings, labels, landmarks, or alt text, that may affect how screen readers interpret and present your content. Some examples of automated testing tools are WAVE, axe, Lighthouse, and Siteimprove.

6 Review and iterate your IA design

Based on the results and insights from your testing, you should review and iterate your IA design to improve its accessibility and usability for screen reader users. You should prioritize the most critical and frequent issues and implement the best practices and recommendations from the WCAG and other sources. You should also test your IA design again after making changes to ensure that you have solved the problems and not introduced new ones.