Disabled Users to Test Websites

Published: Jun 22, 2007

People with a disability are being drafted in to help ensure websites are usable by all. The pool of disabled surfers has been brought together by the Usability Exchange, which aims to give instant feedback on Website navigation.

The BBC report about Website managers that can use remote viewing software to watch how easily the surfers are able to move through a site as it is tested. “The service launches as new guidance is issued calling on websites to involve disabled people in the user-testing. The idea for the service came to Stefan Haselwimmer, also managing director of the Phone Anything website, in 2004, during talks with local authorities about access to their Websites.”

“We were surprised by how few had tested their websites with disabled users,” he said. “Most councils wanted to carry out disabled-user testing but didn’t know how to get hold of disabled testers or how to conduct usability tests,” Mr Haselwimmer explained. “At the same time, we knew lots of people with a disability are happy to test Websites.” Through the Usability Exchange, Website operators will be able to create a variety of user tests and submit them to a range of users with different disabilities.

Continue to read article at BBC UK.

Thanks Michael for the tip!

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