Accessibility testing addresses critical issues for businesses by ensuring that their digital products, such as websites, applications, and software, are usable by all individuals, including those with disabilities.
With accessibility testing, businesses can ensure their product, whether it is a website, app, or software, can be used by all and identify and remove any barriers to people with visual, auditory, motor, or other impairments.
Read this blog to learn more about the importance of accessibility testing in digital product development.
What is Accessibility Testing?
Accessibility testing refers to evaluating digital products, such as websites, applications, and software, to ensure they are usable by people with disabilities. It involves testing for compliance with accessibility standards and guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), to identify and rectify barriers that could hinder access for individuals with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.
The goal of accessibility testing is to ensure that all users, regardless of their abilities, can access, navigate, and interact with digital content effectively and equitably.
Examples of Accessibility Testing
Accessibility testing encompasses various methods and tools to evaluate digital products for inclusivity and compliance with accessibility standards like WCAG. Here are some examples of accessibility testing:
Manual Testing
Testers with disabilities or specialized training use the product and assistive technologies like screen readers, magnifiers, and keyboard navigation to navigate websites, apps, or software and identify accessibility barriers.
Automated Testing
Automated tools scan the code and UI of a digital product to detect common accessibility issues programmatically. The tools can check for such attributes, for example, whether the alt text for an image is missing, whether headings are correctly used, and whether the contrast ratio is sufficient.
Functional Testing with Assistive Technologies
Testers simulate disabilities or use assistive technologies during functional testing. This approach ensures that interactions like form submissions, menu navigation, and content reading are accessible.
Color Contrast Checking
Tools and manual checks verify that text and background colors have sufficient contrast to be readable for visually impaired users.
Keyboard Accessibility Testing
Verifies that all functionalities can be accessed and operated using only a keyboard, ensuring users who cannot use a mouse or touchscreen can navigate effectively.
Screen Reader Testing
Testers use screen readers to assess whether content, including headings, links, and interactive elements, is properly read aloud, ensuring that visually impaired users can understand and navigate the interface.
Mobile Accessibility Testing
Ensures mobile apps and websites are accessible on various devices and operating systems, considering factors like touch targets, zooming capabilities, and compatibility with mobile screen readers.
What Are the Benefits of Accessibility Testing?
Accessibility testing offers several significant benefits to businesses and organizations:
Inclusivity and Reach
By ensuring accessible digital products, businesses can reach a broader audience, including individuals with disabilities who may have been previously excluded. This expands their customer base and improves overall user engagement.
Compliance and Risk Mitigation
Accessibility testing helps businesses comply with legal requirements and standards such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This reduces the risk of legal actions, fines, or reputational damage associated with non-compliance.
Enhanced User Experience
Accessible design typically results in a better user experience for everyone, not just users with disabilities. Clear navigation, readable text, and intuitive interfaces improve usability, reduce user frustration, and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Improved SEO and Search Rankings
Websites and digital products that are accessible often perform better in search engine rankings. Accessibility features such as descriptive alt text for images and well-structured content can improve SEO, driving more organic traffic to the site.
Positive Brand Image
Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility enhances brand reputation. It shows that a company values diversity, inclusivity, and social responsibility, which can foster trust among customers, partners, and stakeholders.
Cost Savings
Addressing accessibility issues early in development is generally more cost-effective than fixing them later. It reduces the need for costly redesigns or retrofits and minimizes the risk of delayed product launches or updates.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Many countries and regions have regulations mandating accessibility for digital products. Compliance mitigates legal risks and ensures alignment with global accessibility standards, facilitating international market expansion.
Innovation and Market Leadership
Prioritizing accessibility can drive innovation by encouraging creative solutions to meet diverse user needs. It positions businesses as leaders in inclusive design, setting them apart from market competitors.
What Are the Types of Accessibility Testing?
Accessibility testing encompasses various evaluations to ensure digital products are inclusive and compliant with accessibility standards.
Here are the primary types of accessibility testing:
Manual Testing
Involves human testers who evaluate digital products using assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnifiers, or voice recognition software. Testers simulate disabilities to identify accessibility barriers and assess overall usability.
Automated Testing
Uses software tools to scan digital product code, user interface, and content for accessibility issues. Automated tests can check for attributes like alt text for images, proper heading structure, color contrast ratios, and keyboard accessibility.
Functional Testing with Assistive Technologies
Testers with disabilities or specialized training use assistive technologies during functional testing to ensure that all functionalities, interactions, and content are accessible. This method validates real-world accessibility for users relying on assistive devices.
Usability Testing
Involves observing users, including those with disabilities, as they interact with digital products. Usability tests assess how easily users can navigate, understand, and complete tasks, providing insights into accessibility barriers and user experience issues.
Compatibility Testing
Ensures digital products are accessible across devices (e.g., desktops, tablets, smartphones) and operating systems. Compatibility testing considers screen size, resolution, touch interfaces, and compatibility with screen readers or other assistive technologies.
Performance Testing
Evaluates the performance of digital products when accessed by users with disabilities. This includes testing load times, responsiveness, and reliability of accessibility features under various conditions to ensure consistent accessibility performance.
Regression Testing
Ensures accessibility features and fixes implemented in updates or new releases do not reintroduce previously resolved accessibility issues. Regression testing maintains accessibility standards across product versions and updates.
How to Do Accessibility Testing?
Here are the steps for conducting accessibility testing:
Step 1: Understand Accessibility Standards and Guidelines
Familiarize yourself with relevant accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and legal requirements that may apply to your region or industry.
Step 2: Plan Your Accessibility Testing Approach
Define the scope of testing, including which parts of the digital product (e.g., website, mobile app) will be evaluated. Select appropriate tools and techniques for automated testing (e.g., Axe, WAVE) and manual testing (e.g., screen readers, keyboard navigation).
Step 3: Formulate Test Cases
Develop test cases that cover different disabilities (e.g., visual impairments, motor disabilities) and key accessibility principles (e.g., keyboard accessibility, alternative text for images).
Step 4: Conduct Accessibility Evaluation
- Automated Testing
Use automated tools to scan the digital product for accessibility issues such as missing alt text, improper heading structures, and insufficient color contrast.
- Manual Testing
Test with assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers, and voice recognition software) to evaluate accessibility from the perspective of users with disabilities. Then, navigate through the product using keyboard-only navigation to ensure all functionalities are accessible.
- Functional Testing
Perform functional tests with assistive technologies to validate the accessibility of interactive elements, forms, and multimedia content.
- Usability Testing
Conduct usability tests with users, including those with disabilities, to observe how easily they can navigate, understand content, and complete tasks.
Step 5: Document and Report Findings
Document accessibility issues identified during testing, including their severity and user impact. Provide clear recommendations for remediation strategies or alternative accessible solutions.
Step 6: Prioritize and Implement Fixes
Prioritize accessibility issues based on their criticality and impact on users. Collaborate with developers and designers to implement accessibility improvements based on testing findings and recommendations.
Step 7: Verify and Validate Fixes
Conduct follow-up testing to verify that accessibility issues have been addressed effectively and validate the functionality of implemented fixes.
Step 8: Iterate and Improve
Integrate accessibility testing into the development lifecycle to ensure ongoing compliance with accessibility standards. Stay informed about evolving accessibility guidelines and user needs to enhance accessibility features and usability continuously.
Why Should Companies Focus On Accessibility Testing?
Accessibility testing is something that the companies should not ignore for the number of reasons. Firstly, ensuring its accessibility functions, businesses enlarge their target audience – persons with disabilities who would not be using the products or services in case they are not accessible. It can lead to the growth in user satisfaction, developing the image of a company socially responsible and always thinking about its users.
Secondly, ensuring accessibility saves businesses from getting into the legal trouble by not complying with the requirements of Americans with Disabilities Act, for instance, or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. In case of non-compliance, the companies can be pursued legally which is rather expensive; moreover, the issue has a negative influence on the reputation of the company.
Moreover, accessible design often improves overall usability for all users, not just those with disabilities. By eliminating barriers such as confusing navigation or illegible text, companies can enhance the user experience, reduce bounce rates, and increase conversion rates.
Final Words
Accessibility testing ensures that digital products are inclusive and compliant with accessibility standards. By following a structured approach—from understanding guidelines and planning testing strategies to conducting thorough evaluations and implementing fixes—businesses can enhance the usability and reach of their products.
Qatalyst is an integrated user research platform powered by Insights AI. The platform analyzes user interactions using facial coding and eye-tracking. This can reveal users' difficulties navigating the interface, which could be due to accessibility issues like poor color contrast or unclear layout. Through surveys and screen recordings, Qatalyst gathers customer feedback. Users might express frustration with elements that are difficult to use, which could be related to accessibility barriers like missing keyboard shortcuts or unclear screen reader instructions.
