Thread by @feather, I've heard this often: "But we CAN'T do any testing with people [...]

I've heard this often: "But we CAN'T do any testing with people with disabilities at this stage... it's a prototype and you can't use it with a screen reader"

For your consideration:

1. This statement assumes that the only reason to include people with disabilities is to test.

2. This assumes that the only feedback you should be getting is from people that use screen readers.

3. This assumes that because it doesn't work with a screen reader one can't get valuable feedback on it from a person that does use a screen reader.

How can you still get valuable feedback, even at a prototype stage or earlier?

You could sit with someone that uses voice recognition software and ask them how they might accomplish a task.

You'll learn what commands they'd use and you can use that to direct how you build and what text you use for calls to action.

You could share the prototype with someone that has low-vision to see if the colours in your prototype provide the right contrast for them. You could see if the designs of your icons work for them - are they recognizable? are they distinguishable from each other?

You could see if that prototype has any proximity related issues -- is the interface feedback (think spinners, add to cart notices etc) close enough to the activated element to be in their field of view? is it noticeable?

You could work with someone that uses a switch to see if the size of the controls in the prototype work for them. Are the controls too close to one another? are they in an optimal location on the screen?

You could even work with someone that uses a screen reader with that prototype interface and describe the screen to them... describe its layout. Ask them what they'd expect to hear from their screen reader when they're using the interface. Ask them about what may be confusing.

You could do many many things with a prototype... don't go saying all the things you CAN'T do with people with disabilities with a prototype... Start figuring out what you CAN do.

Adding in another couple:

You could consider sharing the prototype and working with people with different reading/literacy related disabilities to see if your instructions and labels and error messages and other guidance/help make sense.

You could work with people with focus/attention related accessibility needs to determine if you’re meeting them, or if your interface is actually making it harder for then to focus on the task at hand.

You could literally work with people with any disability and better understand the accessibility needs of the problem you’re trying to solve and the solution you’re proposing.

You could work with someone that is Deaf to ensure that the language and grammar of the interface works well for them.

You could work with Deaf and hard-of-hearing people to determine which tasks may be most difficult so you can prioritize the creation of help for those areas.

You could work with any and all people with a variety of disabilities to co-create the prototype.

Bottom line: engage, invite, include, co-create, work with people with disabilities.

"It's not accessible to screen readers" is not a reason to not engage.

(Also, you could/should investigate prototyping with HTML so that you CAN make an accessible prototype)

Yes, you should also hire people with disabilities to be on your team(s). Yes it helps. Yes it provides a different perspective.

HOWEVER a disabled designer, developer, product manager knows THEIR disability/ies and THEIR lived experience.

They aren't usually the right target audience unless you're building an internal tool that they'll use.

But, yes... hire more people with disabilities. Just respect that they have their own job to do, and may not be AT ALL interested in allowing you to "pick their brain"

Because as the designer... YOU are the one that has to do the work.

Ok, really, that's it now... it's Friday night and I'm taking a break from the computer

/FIN

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