How can you ensure accessibility in user interface testing?

1 Know the standards and guidelines

The first step to ensure accessibility in user interface testing is to familiarize yourself with the standards and guidelines that apply to your software domain, target audience, and market. Some of the most common and widely adopted standards are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA), and the Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. These standards provide criteria and best practices for making web and mobile applications accessible to people with disabilities, such as visual, auditory, cognitive, motor, or speech impairments. By following these standards, you can ensure that your software meets the minimum requirements for accessibility and usability.

2 Use the right tools and methods

The second step to ensure accessibility in user interface testing is to use the right tools and methods to evaluate and improve your software's accessibility. There are many tools and methods available, such as automated testing tools, manual testing tools, assistive technologies, user feedback, and expert reviews. Automated testing tools can help you identify and fix common accessibility issues, such as missing alt text, color contrast, keyboard navigation, and semantic markup. Manual testing tools can help you check and simulate how your software works with different browsers, screen readers, magnifiers, and keyboards. Assistive technologies can help you experience and understand how your software is perceived and used by people with disabilities, such as voice recognition, switch control, and braille display. User feedback can help you gather insights and suggestions from real users with different abilities and preferences, such as surveys, interviews, and usability tests. Expert reviews can help you validate and enhance your software's accessibility, such as accessibility audits, evaluations, and certifications.

3 Apply the principles of universal design

The third step to ensure accessibility in user interface testing is to apply the principles of universal design to your software. Universal design is a concept that aims to create products and environments that are usable and accessible by all people, regardless of their age, ability, or situation. Universal design is based on seven principles: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use. By applying these principles to your software, you can ensure that your user interface is inclusive, adaptable, understandable, clear, forgiving, efficient, and comfortable for all users.

4 Test early and often

The fourth step to ensure accessibility in user interface testing is to test early and often throughout the software development lifecycle. Testing early means that you start testing your software's accessibility as soon as you have a prototype or a mockup, rather than waiting until the end of the development process. Testing often means that you test your software's accessibility regularly and iteratively, rather than once or twice before the launch. Testing early and often can help you identify and fix accessibility issues before they become costly and complicated, as well as involve and engage users and stakeholders in the design and development process.

5 Learn and improve

The fifth step to ensure accessibility in user interface testing is to learn and improve from your testing results and feedback. Testing is not a one-time activity, but a continuous process of learning and improving your software's accessibility. You should always analyze and document your testing results and feedback, as well as track and measure your software's accessibility performance and progress. You should also always seek and implement feedback and suggestions from users and experts, as well as keep up to date with the latest accessibility trends and technologies. You should also always celebrate and share your accessibility achievements and successes, as well as acknowledge and address your accessibility challenges and gaps.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?