Rosenverse

This video is only accessible to Gold members. Log in or register for a free Gold Trial Account to watch.

Log in Register

Most conference talks are accessible to Gold members, while community videos are generally available to all logged-in members.

Mobile Accessibility: Why Moving Accessibility Beyond the Desktop is Critical in a Mobile-first World
Gold
Thursday, November 17, 2022 • Civic Design 2022
Share the love for this talk
Mobile Accessibility: Why Moving Accessibility Beyond the Desktop is Critical in a Mobile-first World
Speakers: Sam Proulx
Link:

Summary

You may be familiar with desktop screen readers like JAWS, and desktop voice control like Dragon Naturally speaking. You might know about WCAG, and popular automated testing tools for your websites. But what about mobile apps? How do accessibility techniques apply on the touch screen? As the entire world moves mobile first, your accessibility strategy needs to adapt. In this talk, we’ll introduce you to some of the changes that managing mobile-first accessibility correctly requires. We’ll cover some of the most popular assistive technologies on mobile, give you tips for automated and manual testing of your mobile apps, warn you of some of the pitfalls to watch for, and help you bring your mobile accessibility strategy to the next level.

Key Insights

  • Mobile accessibility should be prioritized over desktop accessibility in a mobile-first world.

  • Mobile platforms have built-in, free screen readers (VoiceOver, TalkBack), unlike desktop, which requires separate installed tools.

  • Mobile's smaller screen encourages simplified yet functional interfaces, aiding users with cognitive challenges.

  • Mobile hardware features like GPS, biometric authentication, and cameras enhance accessibility beyond desktop capabilities.

  • Mobile accessibility tools are integrated with OS updates, providing consistent and replicable experiences for testing developers.

  • Many users with disabilities rely solely on mobile devices, making mobile accessibility essential for inclusive design.

  • Voice control and live captioning on mobile are mature accessibility features rarely matched on desktop.

  • Developers and designers benefit from testing accessibility on mobile since tools are freely available and easier to use immediately.

  • Mobile apps provide more detailed and accessible user feedback, including crash metrics, compared to desktop web.

  • Starting accessibility work with mobile reduces complexity and improves chances to build accessible products from the start.

Notable Quotes

"If you focus on desktop accessibility, you’re leaving out some of your most important users who may have mobile-only access."

"Apple premiered mobile accessibility in a very exciting way with the iPhone 3GS and VoiceOver announcement at WWDC."

"The smaller screen makes it easier to angle the device for adequate viewing, which computers just can’t replicate."

"Mobile devices not only have built-in screen readers but also pitch-to-zoom and magnification settings out of the box."

"Voice control on mobile goes beyond digital assistants and can fully control the device for users who cannot use touch."

"Mobile live captions can caption any sounds around the user in real time, making it a powerful accessibility tool."

"On mobile, the version of the screen reader matches the OS version, making it easier to test and replicate issues."

"Mobile browsers are typically updated with the OS, reducing variability compared to desktop browser versions."

"You can just pick up your phone and start testing accessibility instantly without procurement or licensing hurdles."

"Accessibility is an ongoing process where we iterate, improve, and expand, and mobile-first makes the journey easier."

Ask the Rosenbot
Shahrzad Samadzadeh
What Is My Value? Two Takes and Some Mistakes
2024 • Enterprise Experience 2020
Gold
Clemens Janssen
Efficiently Scaling Research as a Team of One
2023 • Advancing Research 2023
Gold
Mackenzie Cockram
Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Research from Discovery to Live
2022 • QuantQual Interest Group (Rosenfeld Community)
Susan Weinschenk
Evaluating the Maturity of UX in Your Organization (Videoconference)
2020 • Enterprise Community
Lada Gorlenko
Theme 1: Discussion
2024 • Enterprise Experience 2020
Gold
Michelle Morrison
Practice What You Preach
2024 • DesignOps Summit 2020
Gold
Corey Long
Hiring in DesignOps: A Critical Study on How to Hire and Get Hired
2024 • DesignOps 2024
Gold
Research Operations at Scale
2017 • DesignOps Summit 2017
Gold
Bria Alexander
Day 2 Welcome
2024 • DesignOps 2024
Gold
Mike Oren
Design Research Strategy & Strategic Design Research (Videoconference)
2022 • Advancing Research Community
Nicole Bergstrom
AccessibilityOps: Moving beyond “nice to have”
2024 • DesignOps Community
Bria Alexander
Opening Remarks
2023 • Advancing Research 2023
Gold
Robin Beers
Research as a Catalyst for Organizational Transformation
2021 • Advancing Research 2021
Gold
Jeff Ephraim Bander
Eye Tracking Gamechanger: Why Smartphone Eye Tracking will Revolutionize Your UX Research
2022 • Advancing Research 2022
Gold
Jose Coronado
From Zero to Hero
2022 • DesignOps Summit 2022
Gold
Cheryl Platz
Merging Improv with Design (Videoconference)
2019 • Enterprise Community

More Videos

Alex Hurworth

"Innovation in conservation practices is desperately needed to keep pace with environmental changes."

Alex Hurworth Bonnie John Fahd Arshad Antoine Marin

Designing a Contact Tracing App for Universal Access

October 23, 2020

Laine Riley Prokay

"Mentors are wonderful partners for feedback, collaboration, and setting employees up for success."

Laine Riley Prokay Lisa Gordon

Carving a Path for Early Career DesignOps Practitioners

September 9, 2022

Eniola Oluwole

"Everyone wanted to know what was the official pattern and who was accountable for it."

Eniola Oluwole

Lessons From the DesignOps Journey of the World's Largest Travel Site

October 24, 2019

Nathan Shedroff

"Rather than aiming for the chief strategy officer directly, build relationships with junior strategists who are more accessible."

Nathan Shedroff

Double Your Mileage: Use Your Research Strategically

March 31, 2020

Sam Proulx

"Apple premiered mobile accessibility in a very exciting way with the iPhone 3GS and VoiceOver announcement at WWDC."

Sam Proulx

Mobile Accessibility: Why Moving Accessibility Beyond the Desktop is Critical in a Mobile-first World

November 17, 2022

Feleesha Sterling

"Documentation and making findings visible even without a dedicated research librarian helps maintain program momentum."

Feleesha Sterling

Building a Rapid Research Program (Videoconference)

May 18, 2023

Neil Barrie

"Triple win cultural roles speak to what a company commits to, what users need, and wider cultural tensions."

Neil Barrie

Widening the Aperture: The Case for Taking a Broader Lens to the Dialogue between Products and Culture

March 25, 2024

John Devanney

"A well framed project is a rare thing — it’s also a creative exercise that unleashes teams’ possibilities."

John Devanney

The Design Management Office

November 6, 2017

Katy Mogal

"Small experiments that fit into existing structures make it easier to involve collaborators and reduce resistance."

Katy Mogal

But Do Your Insights Scale?

March 12, 2021