Summary
Did you know that the SUS creates biases in your research, affecting one in five people? That’s right! People with disabilities, especially those who use assistive technology, are not considered by most of the questions in the SUS. As a designer for the public sector, this could lead to you making design decisions that don’t take into account 20 percent of the visitors to your website.
Key Insights
-
•
Screen readers allow users to navigate web pages quickly by jumping through well-structured headings and content.
-
•
Low vision users often rely on system-wide screen magnification and color inversion settings to reduce eye strain.
-
•
Alternative navigation methods like head mice and voice dictation are selected based on task and user condition, not used exclusively.
-
•
Traditional lab-based usability research often prioritizes convenience over real assistive technology configurations, leading to inaccurate results.
-
•
Assistive technology users rarely use default settings; they extensively customize tools over time for optimal use.
-
•
The System Usability Scale (SUS) includes questions that confuse assistive technology users and do not capture their true experience.
-
•
Fable’s Accessible Usability Scale adapts SUS questions to better reflect the experience of assistive technology users.
-
•
Initial data shows screen reader users report significantly lower usability scores (mid-50s) compared to screen magnification users (low 60s).
-
•
Users’ lowered expectations after years of experience may mask the true severity of usability issues in assistive technology contexts.
-
•
Measuring accessibility usability accurately enables benchmarking and progress in improving digital products for all users.
Notable Quotes
"I’ve been using screen readers for 30 years and accessibility has always been a passion of mine."
"Screen readers let us jump from one heading to another, replicating the experience of skimming a page visually."
"Low vision users often invert colors and use magnification levels as high as 400 percent to reduce eye strain."
"Alternative navigation users pick different tools based on the task and how they feel at that moment, not just one technology."
"In a usability session, the biggest challenge is not to talk at the same time the screen reader is talking."
"No assistive technology user uses default settings; we spend years customizing everything to work for us."
"The System Usability Scale’s question about needing a technical person to use the system is confusing and inaccurate for screen reader users."
"Most people with my assistive technology might learn to use the system at a different pace than non-disabled users."
"Screen reader users scored significantly lower in usability tests, reflecting the most effort in interpreting content."
"If you’re doing research with people with disabilities, consider using the Accessible Usability Scale to get more accurate insights."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Management consultants sell solutions to problems, not just research data, which is why they command high fees."
Nicole Aleong Michaela Mora Prayag Narula Brianna SylverWhat UX research can learn from other research practices [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
September 14, 2023
"People don’t actually hate innovation; they like their jobs and feel threatened by change."
Laura KleinUnique challenges of innovation in enterprises
April 23, 2020
"An accessible product is not only the right thing to do, it’s also good for business."
Erin WeigelReal-world lessons to improve your conversion rates
June 26, 2024
"Once we treat AI as intelligence, we face questions about trust, collaboration, and decision making."
Changying (Z) ZhengNavigating Innovation with Integrity
September 25, 2024
"Teams openly said they didn’t know how to ask questions before and discovered research is cool afterwards."
Dagmara KukawkaTiny team, moonshot impact: Democratizing research across continents
March 10, 2026
"If you’re not doing anything about accessibility, you’re discriminating against your future self."
Elana Chapman Li Wen Huang Divyen Sanganee Annabel WeinerGetting started with accessibility research
February 20, 2025
"When product says no to design, it’s not personal—it’s about prioritization and what’s most urgent right now."
Iain McMaster IHan ChengDesign and Product: from Frenemy to Harmony
November 29, 2023
"People care about titles way too much. I had a guy whose business card said star-bellied sneak—love that."
Ian SwinsonDesigning and Driving UX Careers
June 8, 2016
"Habit changes sometimes must happen, but measuring and designing to respect them avoids mortifying changes."
Paula BachImproving Legacy Software: How Much Better Does it Have to Be?
March 11, 2022
