Transcript Making Websites Usable For PWDs And More…

Making Websites Usable
For PWDs And More…
Lessons for disability marketing
George Spohn
www.sitecues.com
(802) 367-6161
[email protected]
@gnspohn
World leader in vision accessibility and
accommodation for 40 years
• World’s best-selling computer screen reader and
screen magnifier (JAWS and Zoom Text)
• Provider of magnifiers and braille displays
• Distributed in over 70 countries worldwide
• Most Fortune 1000 companies use our products
Demographics
US Population With Print Disabilities
Blind &
low vision
9%
21 M
Includes blind and non-correctable low
vision
Learning
disabilities
15% 46 M Includes dyslexia, ADHD, autism
Low literacy
21% 65 M Individuals reading below 5th grade level
Non-native
speakers
5%
Seniors &
boomers
39% 127M
13 M English-as-a-second language (ESL)
Includes the 50% of seniors with one or
more diagnosed disability
All percentages based on US population
Source: US Census, American Community Survey, National Institute of Health, National Adult Literacy Survey, National
Health Interview Survey
Web usability research
Survey objectives and methodology
Survey Methodology
• Conducted November 2015 and
September 2016
• 400+ online respondents from
the US
• Online survey
• Our survey population:
o Desktop & laptop users, age
50 and older
o Smartphone users, age 30 and
older
o Representative mix of gender,
income, and geography
Survey Focus
• Questions on 4 topics
o Challenges experienced during
web use
o Frequency of challenges
o Use of built-in accessibility
tools
o Reactions once challenges are
experienced
Research objective: To understand challenges among
seniors and the general population when using the web
Usability challenges are common for web users over 50
25% experience regular and consistent challenges
Website usability challenges on a computer
(age 50+)
Never, 9%
Occasionally,…
Regularly,
22%
Other, 3%
Most of the
time, 3%
Question:
How regularly do you find it difficult to read or use
a website because of the way it was designed or
the way it appears on your computer screen?
Comments
• Only 9% claim to never
experience challenges with
websites
• 25% experience regular or
consistent challenges
• Website designs and the
tools that older web users
employ result in frequent
usability challenges
Source: Sitecues web user survey (2015)
There is a significant unmet need to improve website usability
Mobile website challenges are common
26% of smartphone users experience regular or consistent challenges
Website usability challenges on a smartphone
Share of older adults
(agewith
30+)website challenges
Comments
• In addition to the large population
with regular challenges, 2/3 of
adults experience situational
challenges with mobile websites
Frequently,
23%
Always,
3%
Occasiona
lly, 66%
Never,
9%
Question: How regularly do you find it difficult to read or use a website because of the way it was designed or the
way it appears on your computer screen?
Source: Sitecues mobile user survey (2016)
There is a significant unmet need to improve web usability for BOTH desktop and mobile
Many more cite physical challenges than self-identify
as having a disability
Reason for website challenges using a computer
(age 50+)
Eye
fatigue,
35%
Learning
disability,
1%
Other
factors,
32%
Comments
• Only 19% self-identify as
having a disability
• Situational conditions, such as
eye fatigue, have important
impact on website usability
Vision,
25%
Dexterity, 7%
Question:
Do you ever have difficulty using a computer
because of:
Source: Sitecues web user survey (2015)
Accessibility isn’t only about disability
Many factors cause mobile challenges: environment, device,
design, ability
Reasons for website challenges on a smartphone (age 30+)
Small screen size
40%
Website controls not working
33%
Lighting / glare
28%
No physical keyboard
24%
Tired eyes
15%
Poor vision
13%
Noise around you
Color blindness
9%
4%
Question: How often do the following make it more difficult to use websites on your smartphone?
Source: Sitecues mobile user survey (2016)
A greater number of factors impact mobile website usability
Website usability challenges are diverse, and experienced
by a considerable fraction of older web users
Website challenges on a computer (age 50+)
Page layout
56%
Page navigation
39%
Reading text
Finding the mouse
Perceiving colors
I never felt that way
34%
10%
6%
Comments
• Top-tier issues impact >1/3 of
web users
o Page layout
o Page navigation
o Reading text
• Second-tier issues impact 510% of web users
o Finding the mouse
o Perceiving colors
22%
Question:
In cases where a website is difficult for you to
read or use, what particular aspects of the website
do you find most challenging? (click all that apply)
Source: Sitecues web user survey (2015)
Websites need improvement in multiple areas
Challenges with mobile websites are varied,
and experienced by many
Website challenges on a smartphone(age 30+)
Filling out a form
47%
Clicking buttons or links
Reading a web page
Finding info on a website
Completing a transaction
Comments
• The frequency of challenges on
mobile is equivalent or higher than
on computers
34%
27%
26%
21%
Question: How often do you find it difficult to perform these activities on websites with your smartphone?
Source: Sitecues mobile user survey (2016)
Challenges extend to the general user population, and include many mobile power users
Built-in accessibility tools are generally known,
but seldom used on computers
Use of built-in accessibility tools on a computer
(age 50+)
Aware
but do
not use,
60%
Not
Aware,
33%
Use
regularly,
7%
Question:
Have you ever used the built-in accessibility tools
(e.g., Browser Zoom, Large Fonts) included in your
computer’s operating system or web browser?
Comments
• Built-in accessibility tools
include all functionality built
into the operating system or
browser to make content and
applications more accessible
o Zoom / magnifier
o Font size
o Mouse size & color
o Line thickness
o Colors & contrast
• Use of pinch zoom in mobile
has greatly increased
awareness of built-in
accessibility tools
Source: Sitecues web user survey (2015)
Web users need better tools
Mobile users want better accessibility features
Interest in accessibility features on a smartphone
(age 30+)
Improved zoom
62%
A simplified view of the website,
or a text-only version
48%
Ability to change text or
background color
Comments
•Most mobile users want improved
zoom and a simplified / text-only view
•A sizeable minority want better font
size, colors or audio output
capabilities
19%
Ability to adjust the contrast
17%
Ability to have the page read
aloud
14%
Question: Which of these would make websites more usable on your smartphone?
Source: Sitecues mobile user survey (2016)
Mobile web users need better tools
Website users react strongly to poor website usability,
both on computers and on smartphones
Reaction after experiencing a website challenge
on a desktop (age 50+)
Use the website less or
not at all
62%
Go to the website of a
different company
Call the company by
phone
Get help from a friend or
family member
53%
15%
7%
Question:
When you find a website to be difficult to read or
use, what alternative approaches do you use?
(click all that apply)
Comments
• For a majority, poor website
usability translates to lost
page views and/or loss of
patronage
• Only a small faction employ
alternatives – either calling by
phone or getting help to use
the site
• Smartphone users behave
similarly (not pictured)
Source: Sitecues web user survey (2015)
Website owners cannot afford poor website usability
Summary
• Many adults have print disabilities – more than are
counted in “traditional” disability statistics
• Website usability is a major issue – due to the size of
the print disabled population PLUS situational needs
• Mobile devices and mobile websites haven’t “fixed” the
problem
• Existing tools are insufficient -- users want better tools
• Organizations pay a high price for poor website usability in
the form of lost business and higher support costs
Recommendations for disability marketing
• Website & digital compliance is a critical first step,
but it isn’t enough
• Focus on usability to improve the effectiveness of your
marketing and customer engagement
• Use PWDs and accessibility principles to identify fixes
that could benefit a much larger audience
• Raise awareness – the #1 obstacle to accessibility -among management, design, and development teams
For More Information
George Spohn
Regional Sales Manager,
Eastern Region, USA
+1 (802) 367-6161
[email protected]
@gnspohn
www.sitecues.com
@sitecues
[email protected]
857-259-5272
If you give us your business card, we will get you this presentation
Best practices for
disability marketing
on the web
Create a WCAG compliant website
as an important first step
Tool #1
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are technical
standards set forth by the W3C (Worldwide Web Consortium)
to promote website accessibility
Compliant websites help web users
with the most significant challenges,
including web users who are:
•
•
•
Compliant websites provide limited
assistance to:
•
Users who do not self-identify as
having a disability
•
People who do not use assistive
technology
•
Users with minor impairments
Blind
Deaf
keyboard-only
More is needed to make a website usable for most seniors
Best practices in website design
Follow inclusive design
principles for
Color + Contrast
Font + Thickness
Simplicity + Consistency
vs
Proximity + Separation
vs
Tool #2
Use a vision simulator to better
understand what your visitors see
NoCoffee; bit.do/coffee0
• Free Chrome extension
• 5000+ users
– Used at Amazon
• Build awareness & empathy &
• Made during a snowstorm by
our Chief Architect Aaron
Leventhal
• Caveats:
– Not medically
accurate
– Mouse not affected
Tool #3
User personas should include
different user abilities
Cognition
Vision
Hearing
Motor
Tool #4
What impacts user ability:
• Age –
e.g., vision loss,
diminished dexterity
• Education –
e.g., low literacy, nonnative English
• Disability –
e.g., learning disabilities,
low vision
• Device Type –
e.g., smartphone, tablet
• User Situation –
e.g., low light, high noise
Personas should go beyond device type and user situation
Test for both compliance AND usability
Compliance
… evaluated based on adherence to
guidelines and standards
Usability
… measured based on user impact
and feedback
Speed to
complete task
Section 508
Task error
rate
Information
retention
Accessibility projects can benefit from usability measurement
Tools for website accessibility & usability
Font resizer
Alternative View
www.readability.com
Speech
www.readspeaker.com
Tool #5
Multifunction
www.sitecues.com
www.reciteme.com
www.usablenet.com
www.captivoice.com
www.essentialaccessiblity.com
www.texthelp.com
www.audioeye.com