Summary
In this interactive session, Sam Proulx, accessibility evangelist at Fable, will draw from experience as a person with a disability, and from Fable’s thousands of hours of research experience, to answer all of your questions about conducting prototype reviews with people with disabilities. What design systems work best? What disabilities can participate in prototype reviews out of the box, and what types of disabilities might need special adaptations? What information should a prototype contain, to get the best feedback and engagement from people with disabilities? How can you and your organization learn to better shift left, and involve people with disabilities as early as possible in the design process, and why should you? We’ll also have plenty of time for your own questions! If you’ve been wanting to conduct prototype reviews that involve people with disabilities, but weren’t quite sure where to begin, don’t miss this session!
Key Insights
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Start with screen magnification users for early prototype feedback as they face fewer barriers.
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Understand the specific needs related to assistive technologies for participants.
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Adapt prototypes to accommodate physical challenge users, focusing on click targets and control labels.
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Avoid overwhelming screen reader users with graphical prototypes; include semantic code instead.
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Prototype adaptations can significantly improve the inclusivity of the design process.
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Tools like Microsoft Excel and Google Docs can be useful for creating accessible prototypes for screen reader users.
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Color contrast and white space play critical roles in user experience for magnifying users.
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Hover interactions need careful consideration for users with physical disabilities.
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The use of headers and appropriate labeling is crucial for screen reader compatibility.
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Continuous improvement in tools is expected, making accessibility easier in the future.
Notable Quotes
"Including people with disabilities in prototype reviews can be a little bit different based on the assistive technology that someone is using."
"If you look at the actual statistics, being completely blind is less common than having some vision and using some sort of screen magnification technology."
"Once you've begun involving users of screen magnification, then it's time to expand that circle."
"Prototypes will contain a lot of the information that users with physical challenges need."
"Hover is very difficult for assistive technology users; they may not be able to operate your clickable prototype."
"Screen readers need semantic structure to understand graphics; the visual layout isn’t enough."
"Building an entirely new prototype for screen reader users may be necessary for effective feedback."
"The current state of prototyping tools allows for improving accessibility, but it's still a work in progress."
"It's important to note where magnifying a prototype may differ in clarity from the original design."
"The conversation about accessibility should always continue; it's a journey, not a destination."
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