On November 14, 2024, people worldwide will celebrate World Usability Day (WUD). WUD is a time to promote digital inclusivity through forward-facing web design that maximizes effectiveness, satisfaction, and usability.
In the rest of this blog, I'll share examples of technically accessible but not very usable experiences, highlighting why usability and WUD matter so much in the disability community. As with my previous content, the focus is on screen reader accessibility.
Understanding the Importance of Usability
It's essential to understand how usability impacts the experiences of individuals with disabilities in today's evolving digital world. While a digital product may be accessible, it doesn't guarantee usability.
Accessibility vs. Usability: My Perspective
First, it may help to distinguish accessibility from usability. Accessibility means a person using assistive technology can engage with digital content as an ordinary web user would. Technically, accessibility refers to how well a digital product—like a website or app—meets standards designed to streamline design requirements. Accessibility compliance is closely tied to code structure.
On the other hand, usability focuses on how easily, efficiently, and effectively a person dependent on assistive technology can complete tasks online and the perceived quality of that experience. While automated tools can help measure accessibility to a degree, usability is usually qualitative and confirmed only through manual testing. For more on this distinction, read this blog on accessibility versus usability here.
Why Accessibility Isn't Enough
Not all accessible websites are usable. A site might meet all technical standards but still be challenging for assistive technology users like myself. Tight accessibility standards improve user satisfaction but don't guarantee a positive experience. Companies serious about accessibility should go the extra mile to ensure usability aligns with accessibility.
User testing is a powerful way to achieve this. Real-world assistive technology users are often best positioned to identify accessibility and usability issues that automated testing may miss. This on-demand webinar on setting up user testing provides insights into making user testing an essential part of accessibility programs.
In the rest of this blog, I'll share examples of technically accessible but not very usable experiences, highlighting why usability and WUD matter so much in the disability community. As with my previous content, the focus is on screen reader accessibility.
Real-World Examples of Usability Gaps
Text Navigation
I'll start with a simple example. Recently, I was on an e-commerce site searching for window shades. As I navigated the search results, my screen reader only read one word at a time with each press of the cursor key. For instance, instead of hearing "Cordless Blackout Cellular Shade," I'd listen to each word individually, needing a tab press for each word. The process was long, clunky, and tedious.
If the site owners had run it through an automated test, no issues would likely have appeared with the search results text. However, manual testing with a screen reader would reveal serious usability problems due to text structure, underscoring the value of manual usability tests.
Button Troubles
Another time, I tried to place an order on a restaurant website but struggled to add items to my cart. The "Add To Order" button was labeled correctly, but my screen reader read it as part of the item's description. For example: "Classic American Cheese Burger, $13.99, 1 Quarter Ounce Patty, Melted American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Brioche Bun, Add To Order."
My screen reader detected the button as part of the description so I couldn't access it. Only by trial and error did I find that activating the menu listing as if it were a button worked to add items. Technically, the button was labeled so that it might pass an automated scan. However, it severely hindered the site's usability. A person using a screen reader can easily detect this issue.
Image Descriptions
Alternative text descriptions often show the gap between accessibility and usability. An image may pass an automated test if it has any description, but that doesn't mean it's helpful. For instance, I recently encountered an e-commerce site where every product image was labeled "A Picture Of A Webpage." While technically compliant, these descriptions missed the mark entirely.
This company likely saw image descriptions as a box to check. It didn't verify if the descriptions were helpful to blind users. While this is an extreme case, vague or irrelevant descriptions are unfortunately common.
A good description clearly and concisely conveys the image's meaningful content. Poor descriptions can result in a frustrating user experience, detectable only through human testing. Read more on balancing accessibility and usability in design.
The Role of AI in Accessibility and Usability
Now that I have given specific examples of when accessibility and usability are not necessarily in sync, I wanted to briefly touch upon a subject gaining steady traction in the digital world: Artificial Intelligence (AI).
AI is quickly replacing countless digital activities that humans previously performed. While AI has its place regarding accessibility and usability, there are significant limitations that I genuinely believe are impossible to overcome. AI can be very useful in forming a framework for accessibility defect detection at a level of speed and efficiency that cannot be replicated by manual processes, especially as web code becomes increasingly complex and AI continues to get more powerful.
However, on the flip side, AI cannot consistently or definitively detect usability shortcomings like the ones I discussed above. No matter how advanced AI becomes, it can never fully replace people in the accessibility and usability testing and remediation process.
The bottom line is that AI will continue to be a viable tool for accessibility. However, people must always be part of the process to ensure maximum usability and satisfaction.
"Designing for a Better World" Through Inclusive E-Commerce
The 2024 theme for World Usability Day, "Designing for a Better World," highlights how thoughtful design can drive positive change. In public spaces, features like ramps and tactile paving improve accessibility for all. The inclusive design ensures that technology only works seamlessly for diverse users in the digital realm. Across industries, the shared goal is clear: to create experiences prioritizing usability, inclusivity, and sustainability.
This focus is especially important in e-commerce, where accessible design can make shopping easier and more enjoyable for everyone. If you want to combine usability and accessibility in your digital strategy, I encourage you to watch UsableNet's webinar recording, "Accessible Design for E-Commerce." This session offers actionable insights and practical guidance for designing inclusive and effective e-commerce platforms.
---->>>Watch the On-Demand Webinar, 'Accessible Design for E-Commerce.'<<<----
Usability Starts with People
The biggest takeaway should be that a digital experience will only be fully inclusive if humans are involved in testing. The examples here likely wouldn't exist if this company had prioritized usability.
As we celebrate WUD in 2024, I hope this begins a deeper usability conversation. People with disabilities like myself won't be on equal footing until companies prioritize usability as an essential part of accessibility. Usability is often an overlooked part of accessibility, and WUD is the perfect time to start changing this perspective. Remember, usability begins with people.
Editor's Note: Our frequent contributor, Michael Taylor, wrote this post. This post reflects his opinions and experiences. Read more about Michael and some other posts on his experience online here.
