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[DRAFT for discussion]
Requirements and Changelog for "Involving Users in Web Accessibility Design and Evaluation"
[(@@ "Involving Users in Web Accessibility Development")]

Supercedes "Requirements and Changelog for 'Involving Users in Web Accessibility Evaluation'", the predecessor to this document.

About Involving Users in Web Accessibility Design and Evaluation

Purpose, Goals, Objectives

• [Introduce designing for Web accessibility with users with disabilities and older users]
  • [Briefly introduce Web-design lifecycle, and where to involve users (concept > maintenance)]
  • Briefly clarify levels and types of designing and evaluating with users
    (some people have misconception that "usability testing" is only formal, task-based, site-wide evaluation and that "evaluation" is undertaken at the end of the development process)
• Encourage people to do whatever they can
  • don't need to do formal, thorough usability testing
    • [test early and often]
    • can get lots from cheaper, quicker stuff
• [Encourage inclusion of older people along with people with disabilities in user testing]
• Address a few of the most serious common problems or cautions (see Archive below)
• Not be a comprehensive resource for usability testing with participants with disabilities (scope way too big)
  • [More to encourage designers and developers to consult with users throughout the development lifecycle]
• [Move resource from "Evaluating" to "Implementing" during redevelopment and expansion to ensure users are incorporated earlier in the design and development process ]

Audience

• Audience:
  • Primary audience: Web developers (designers, content authors, etc.) who want to create accessible Web sites and comply with Web accessibility standards
  • Secondary audiences: decision makers, professional evaluators, and accessibility researchers
• Note: usability testing professionals might also "land" on this page

Notes

• Size: [@@ less than 3/4/5 printed pages]
• [Incorporate into Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility on completion]
• see Archive below for previous wish-list and considerations (may need expanding with respect to older users)

References

WAI-AGE task force and EOWG Discussions:

• xx Meeting dd Month yyyy

Related documents:

• Involving Users in Web Accessibility Evaluation - http://www.w3.org/WAI/eval/users.html
• Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility - http://www.w3.org/WAI/impl/Overview.html
• WAI-AGE project - http://www.w3.org/WAI/WAI-AGE/
• WAI-AGE deliverables - http://www.w3.org/WAI/WAI-AGE/deliverables.html#involve

Changelog

Note: See "Previous Changelog" for 2005 meeting minutes and e-mail comments.

dd Month yyyy

Archive (for consideration from 2005 development)

Consider for revision or related documents or other (from 2005)

• Reduce spacing before top of list with previous paragraph
• Add image of green magnifying glass & look for other graphic opportunities
• consider change:
  location: "Introduction" section, second paragraph
  current wording: example of screen reader user
  suggested revision: example of screen magnification
  rationale: screen readers are mentioned elsewhere in the document (for example in "Involving Users Effectively") and often not an obvious AT to Web developers.
• Link to when done:
  • in For More Info section: [selecting consultants] with the blurb organizations that can help
  • in For More Info section: How People with Disabilities Use the Web describes how different disabilities affect Web use and accessibility requirements for people with different kinds of disabilities, and includes scenarios of people with disabilities using the Web.
  • in Terminology section: Basic Glossary (formerly known as (fka) Lexicon)
  • document addressing issues of usability & accessibility & "basic accessibility" and "usable accessibility"
• consider if want to tweak to meet additional "requirements"
  • side goal: creating evangelists
  • audience: includes tool developers
  • scope: including throughout design & development, not just eval [already cover that some...]

Important messages from 2005:

• one user not representative, don't do everything one user says
• distinguish between usability vs. accessibility issues
• distinguish between issues of user agent, Web site, assistive technology, user knowledge, ...
• more than just people who are blind
• Since this is part of the Evaluation Suite, focus on user involvement in accessibility testing; however, since ideally users are incorporated throughout the process, mention getting them involved from the start and throughout
• Carefully clarify that usability testing is not a requirement to ensure comply with WCAG
• level of user expertise (depends on target audience) - too advanced might know uncommon work-arounds, not advanced enough may not know thinks like links lists, headings nav, etc.) - people often mis-state their own level
• issues with non-PWDs using AT - false negatives, 'cause don't know how to use screen reader, think it's hard 'cause they don't know how to use them...
• stakeholders - live observation!!! (or at least highlight tapes), rather than dry report...
• issue: terminology. does "usability testing" conjure up formal testing through complete tasks too much? if so, should we use something else, such as "user involvement in accessibility testing" or "testing accessibility features with users" or ?? that is not too awkward?

Document Information

Content last updated: $Date: 2008/10/19 13:43:49 $
Editors: @@ Shawn Lawton Henry and participants of the Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG).

[Contacting WAI] Feedback welcome to wai-eo-editors@w3.org (a publicly archived list).

File (not content) last updated on $Date: Friday 02 September 2005 - 09:29:23$ by $Author: andrew $