WIREDGOV

Blog posted by: Alistair Duggin, 20 June 2018 – Categories:Accessibility.

Across the UK Government accessibility should be a part of everything we make and we design. Our sixth design principle reflects its importance - “accessible design is good design”.

Equipment in the accessibility lab

We want to make sure there are no barriers preventing someone from using something.

However, user research conducted in 2016 showed that we could improve awareness of accessibility and assistive technologies. Angela Collins Reespreviously blogged about it.

To help do this, we created an accessibility empathy lab at GDS, which is open to any government or public sector employee.

The lab began a year ago - when GDS first moved to Aldgate - and has been through several transformations already. 

What is an accessibility empathy lab?

We were inspired in part by Facebook’s empathy lab which shows how people with impairments may interact with Facebook using assistive technology.

However, when building our accessibility empathy lab, it was important to us that it had a dual purpose: To raise awareness about accessibility, but also be an assistive technology testing space.

What’s in the lab?

The lab contains the following equipment. A screen reader converts text into speech so blind and partially sighted people can read web content:

• Windows 7 and Windows 10 laptops with JAWS and NVDA screen readers, Dragon Naturally Speaking (voice recognition and activation) and ZoomText (screen magnification)
• iPhone and iPad (for using the VoiceOver screen reader and other accessibility settings)
• Android phone and tablet (for using the Talkback screen reader - being setup)
• Mac (for using VoiceOver and other accessibility settings)
• 2 switch devices (for demonstrating keyboard-only access on both an iPhone/iPad and Mac - being setup)
• A set of goggles that simulate different visual impairments
• Magnifying glass
• 2 sound defender headphones to simulate loss of hearing
• Television screen playing a visual impairments film

Our experience with empathy exercises has been a positive one, with other government departments borrowing equipment. We have seen an increased awareness of the diversity of users and needs.

Click here for the full blog post