The Role of QA in Accessibility (a11y)?

Understanding Accessibility?

The term "a11y" is a numeronym for "accessibility." In the case of most software deliverables, this pertains to the design of products, services, and environments to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible, especially those who have different types of disabilities/abilities. Accessibility is a broad field that aims to cater to the needs of various cohorts, each with its unique accessibility needs. It’s important to understand how broad this list of cohorts is.?

The cohorts include:?

People with Visual Impairments:?

• Example: Users might rely on screen reader tools or prefer high contrast modes due to color blindness or low vision.?

People with Hearing Impairments:?

• Example: Users would benefit from subtitles or transcripts for video or audio content, and visual cues accompanying important sound alerts.?

People with Mobility or Physical Disabilities:?

• Example: Users might rely solely on keyboard navigation or voice controls due to difficulties with using a mouse.?

People with Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities:?

• Example: Users might require more time to process information or prefer clear, simple navigation due to conditions like dyslexia or ADHD.?

Elderly People:?

• Example: Users might prefer larger text sizes and simple design layouts, and less reliance on memory for navigation.?

Individuals with Temporary Impairments:?

• Example: Users with a temporary injury might require one-handed usage features or voice controls.?

People with Situational Limitations:?

• Example: Users in noisy environments might benefit from captions, or users on the move might require offline accessibility.?

?The goal of accessibility is, to the very best of our ability, to provide an equivalent user experience for all, no matter their abilities or circumstances.

Compliance Rules for Accessibility Worldwide and an organization's internal process

Within a lot of tech companies there are a lot of in-house a11y guidelines designed to help meet broader compliance regulations worldwide. Most of these in-house guidelines? take into account the most stringent requirements from across global accessibility compliance governing bodies.? At the bottom of this document I have provided links to those global compliance requirements if you are interested.? Quite frequently you see a three pronged approach to a11y within a tech company.

1. Systems Approach. Build systems components and tools that will improve accessibility generally overall, an approach that gives teams more flexibility (e.g. product teams tackle whichever accessibility-themed products are relevant to their surface).
2. Features Approach. Pick a feature and make it robust, to help ensure that a particular feature is usable for all users (e.g. video playback is fully usable for folks of every cohort: with vision, auditory, mobility, speech, and/or cognitive-based conditions).
3. Cohort Approach. Select a disability cohort and unlock the end-to-end experience, which provides users within the selected cohort access to product features and functionality, and creates a more equitable and coherent story (e.g. make physical interaction with the product accessible for people with conditions such as Parkinson's, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, and stroke).?

Most of these in house approaches are based on WCAG 2.1 AA, the recognized industry standard for how to design accessible digital products and surfaces. Given various U.S. and international regulations’ reliance on WCAG 2.1 AA as a compliance standard, products and surfaces that demonstrate minimum viable accessibility also position themselves well for accessibility legal compliance.

The Role of Quality Assurance in Accessibility?

Quality Assurance (QA) teams can, and I argue should, play a significant role in ensuring the accessibility of? products. QA are tasked with testing the products to verify that they meet required quality levels, customer expectations, standards and guidelines, this needs to include a11y as part of compliance. This involves understanding the applicable standards and guidelines, developing and implementing comprehensive test plans, conducting manual and automated testing strategies and plans, performing device and browser testing, conducting continuous testing, and reporting and documenting issues. Additionally, QA teams often, and again should, play a role in training and advocacy to promote a culture of accessibility and compliance within an organization.?

How I have approached a11y testing?

With my primary customer base over the years being the Enterprise customer, I needed to take a firmer stance on a11y than had been true in the past with some of the product deliverables.? To that end I made a decision to hire a dedicated team of a11y testers.? To do this, in the past, I have partnered with an a11y experienced Vendor Company and have a team that includes people with disabilities (PWDs).?

In addition to hiring a dedicated team, I also made the decision to have our primary test suite mirror the compliance testing process for a11y so that we would always have an updated read on how we are doing relative to compliance. This allows us to file bugs with the correct priority relative to the compliance level and cohort it falls into.??

Along with the above, we also established strong relationships with our Eng and PM partners to ensure we are all working from the same playbook regarding deliverables and expectations, with weekly syncs across product areas.?

QA testing for each cohort involves a specific approach. Some simple examples include:?

• Web: We might use screen reader tools like JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver for the visually impaired cohort, ensuring that captions and transcriptions are provided for the hearing-impaired, and navigate using only a keyboard for those with mobility disabilities. WCAG guidelines provide a comprehensive list of recommendations for web testing.?
• Device: QA can test on various mobile devices with different screen sizes, operating systems, and accessibility features. For instance, we can test voiceover capabilities on iOS devices or TalkBack on Android devices.?
• Desktop (Windows & Mac): QA can test with built-in tools like Narrator for Windows and VoiceOver for Mac for those with visual impairments. We can also test sticky keys and toggle keys features for users with motor disabilities.

For cognitive and neurological disabilities, plain language and clear navigation should be tested. Elderly users might require larger, clickable areas and simple layouts, while situational limitations could necessitate offline accessibility and responsiveness tests.?

Some Common Misconceptions about Accessibility Testing?

Despite its importance, there are common misconceptions about accessibility testing. Some believe it only benefits a small group of users or is the sole responsibility of developers. Others think that accessibility testing can be fully automated or that it's only about compliance. Some also mistakenly believe that accessible designs are less attractive, that implementing accessibility is too costly and time-consuming, or that once a product is accessible, it stays accessible. These misconceptions can act as barriers to effective accessibility testing, underscoring the need for continuous education on the importance of accessibility.?

Final Thoughts

In an increasingly digital and connected world, accessibility has never been more critical. By understanding and catering to the unique needs of each cohort, recognizing and debunking common misconceptions, and upholding the standards set out by global compliance rules, QA teams play an essential role in ensuring everyone, regardless of their abilities or circumstances, can interact with digital products effectively. Testing must be done comprehensively, taking into account different platforms and devices, to ensure the broadest possible accessibility. Ultimately, the responsibility of achieving and maintaining accessibility is a collective effort that requires a shared commitment across an organization.?

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Compliance Rules for Accessibility Worldwide?

There are multiple governing compliance rules for accessibility worldwide, including:?

• WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)?
• European Accessibility Act (EAA) in Europe?
• ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) in the U.S.?
• Section 508 in the U.S.?
• AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) in Canada?
• EN 301 549 in Europe?
• DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) in Australia?
• JIS X 8341 in Japan?

Understanding and adhering to these guidelines is a critical part of the QA role in accessibility testing.?