Conducting Mobile Accessibility Research with Screen-Reader Users
Summary: Use word of mouth to recruit research participants who rely on screen readers. Conduct the study in person to help participants feel comfortable, and plan to record the screen-reader output.
Digital-product designs do not become accessible by accident. It takes diligent planning and testing to improve the experience for users relying on assistive technology (there is a difference between accessibility and usability for users with disabilities). Unfortunately, it can be difficult to demonstrate a strong return on investment for accessibility improvements than for broader usability efforts because users with disabilities often make up only a small percentage of the product’s target audience. However, it’s exciting to see effort being put into accessibility because it is the right thing to do , not simply because it can make companies more money.
One of the most important steps to make sure any design works well is to test it with real users, who are representative of the intended audience . In the case of accessibility, this means testing with users with disabilities who rely on assistive technology. However, testing with users with disabilities can be intimidating for teams who do not feel they have the expertise or budget to conduct these types of tests. This article outlines a few suggestions for planning and conducting mobile-usability research with users who are blind or have low vision. These suggestions were inspired by a recent round of in-person user testing with these users. Although accessibility testing can be challenging in some ways, it has been some of the most insightful and rewarding research we have ever conducted.
Recruiting Screen-Reader Users
Although there are thousands of people who are blind or have low vision and who rely daily on assistive technology, these users are not well-represented in common recruiting databases and can, thus, be difficult to find. (The same problem occurs while recruiting minors or high-income participants.) Regardless, many users with disabilities are excited about opportunities to improve the accessibility of technology because it is such a constant challenge in their lives.
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