Key Insights

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  Starting prototype reviews with screen magnification users is easiest because they can interpret visual designs without extensive adaptations.

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  Users with physical challenges may use voice control, switch systems, eye tracking, or head tracking, requiring prototypes to clearly mark hover states and control labels.

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  Screen reader users require prototypes that include semantic markup like headings, landmarks, alt text, and keyboard focus management, often necessitating entirely new non-visual prototypes.

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  Accessibility must be integrated early in prototype reviews to avoid costly and ineffective retrofits later in development.

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  White space can cause difficulties while magnified, leading to excessive scrolling and disorientation for low vision users.

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  Minimizing clicks and increasing click target sizes improves accessibility for users with physical challenges and older users with reduced coordination.

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  Prototypes often lack critical accessibility information like semantic structure and proper labeling, requiring deliberate planning to include them.

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  Involving diverse users across multiple platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android) ensures broader accessibility coverage due to varying assistive technologies.

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  Technology like Webflow allows building coded prototypes accessible to assistive technologies, but requires technical expertise beyond common prototyping tools.

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  An iterative, layered process of involving accessibility users—from low vision to full screen reader users—helps uncover and fix issues progressively and effectively.

Notable Quotes