Software Development & Testing

How and Why Website Accessibility Testing can Boost Your Online Sales

2/3 of transactions are abandoned by people who are blind, attempting to buy online. Here's how website accessibility testing can help.


Accessibility testing can help you make the design and development decisions regarding your website that accommodates individuals with disabilities. According to Nucleus Research, while disabled people comprise over one billion users and a $6.9 billion market globally, 70% of websites are inaccessible to individuals with disabilities. For the sake of your information, Nucleus Research is a global provider of ROI-focused technology research and consulting services.   

According to Deque:

  • two thirds of transactions are abandoned by people who are blind, attempting to buy online
  • 70% of websites are inaccessible
  • eCommerce websites can get one service call per week by people who are blind and need to get help or report accessibility issues.

 

$6_9B lost to accessible ecommerce competitors annually-2

 

Importance of Website Accessibility Testing

To start with, everyone, including individuals with disabilities, should enjoy the same access to information. From the business point of view, there is good news that people with disabilities are very loyal customers and that improved website accessibility becomes more useable and ranks higher in search results. In recent years, accessibility guidelines have also ramped up, such as WCAG guidelines recommended and promoted by W3C (World Wide Web Consortium).

Subsequently, it all paves the way to go with website accessibility testing. Thankfully, we have technologies to eliminate the hurdles to digital access for everyone, allowing people challenged with physical and mental capabilities to leverage the internet with a good web experience.

 

Methods of Accessibility Testing

Along these lines, here we see two methods of accessibility testing that can help you maintain compliance and get your website accessible to disabled people. 

 

Remote Accessibility Testing For Disabled Individuals

Investing in remote testing is the best option, provided that your organization wants a user-centric design. Moreover, it allows people to interact with your website from the comfort of their homes while using their technology (you also might not have all the tools to test in your lab). It is handy in particular when testing with users with disabilities because it gives them the freedom to access your website through their familiar software and hardware configurations. On top of it, it produces natural results, while it contains costs. 

Here we see how you can conduct remote accessibility testing:

  • design and prepare tasks for participants after taking input from your team. 
  • recruit users with a variety of disabilities based on the product. It may include low vision, blindness, deaf, speech & mobility impairment, and mental and learning difficulties.
  • To identify any problems with the testing protocol, run a pilot test.
  • Once everything is under control, conduct the remote testing.
  • If you put UNGUESS in charge of the Accessibility testing, we will also provide recommendations for you after analyzing and prioritizing the findings.

 

Tech Review and Real user review

Tech review or Expert review is an approach is based on bringing experienced professionals in the field to evaluate product performance on whether it is compatible with disabled individuals or not.

Keep in mind that tech reviews can be automated, and they provide accessibility tests but through application programs provided for good design rules and heuristics. While automated updates may not provide as much detail and understanding as reviews from experts, they can be completed very quickly and continuously.

Tech review can give an objective assessment of your technology along with recommendations to help achieve your goals. For all intents and purposes, it uncovers the weaknesses and strengths of the IT framework of a company.

Do you operate a business that has to comply with data regulations, such as PCI-DSS or HIPAA? Tech review can also identify IT practices and solutions that do not comply. Besides, it devises a strategy that ensures the integrity, privacy, and availability of your data.

Remember that, while the code review ensures that your site meets WCAG, user reviews allow real people with real disabilities - such as those who use screen reader technology every day - to make sure your site is useful to them.

UNGUESS brings accessibility experts and technicians in the field as well as real end users that can help you assess your product performance on whether it is compatible with accessibility regulations in force.  

Final Words 

UNGUESS's mission is to create effective human-centred business solutions leveraging the power of the crowd. That’s why we remain at service to businesses who need optimization and consistency of their customer experience. Do you want to make your website accessible to everyone? Feel free to contact us and start testing with Accessibility Experts and real end-users.

Get to know more about our Accessibility Testing Service. 

References

Deque

Awa-digital.com

Infragistics.com

Interactiveaccessibility.com

Nucleus Research

Techadvisory.org

Tpgi.com

Monsido.com

Wikipedia.org

Similar posts