Accessibility Testing - 5 Tricks You Can Do Right
Tags: testing, a11y
Published: 2020-05-26 11:04:24

Accessibility Testing is one of the important software testing practice that is performed before planning to launch the application for the end-users. Enterprises ensure to practice this because it is one of the important factors to grant the quality of the application. 

Accessibility testing ensures that the developed application is accessible for all the users, including the ones with disabilities too. Also, this testing practice benefits in increasing the volume of the users and enhances the business. However, to ensure this, it is important to consider certain accessibility testing tips that can benefit the overall accessibility testing and assure you to achieve an accessible web application.

There are many factors considered to determine the quality of the application such as its performance, usability, security, privacy, etc. In addition to all of these, there is even another important factor, which effectively contributes to increasing the usage of the application among the users, i.e. accessibility. Accessibility is one of the most crucial factors needed for applications to be successful. This not only helps to make the application accessible for all the people, but it even assures to expand the scope of the application and business.

Also, by considering the need for accessibility for the users with disabilities, several accessibility standards have been created and teams are required to follow these guideless to make the web application accessible. This way of validating the accessibility of a web application is known as web accessibility testing. Before planning to move the app for production, enterprises perform this web accessibility testing by considering all the accessibility standards. To make this accessibility testing practice efficient, it is important for the teams to follow the best methods and as well as consider the tips that can enhance the web accessibility testing practice.

<h2><b>What are the 5 tips to make accessibility testing successful?</b></h2>

<b>Always Make Sure to Follow Web Accessibility Standards:</b> There are a number of accessibility standards introduced by governments to ensure a web app is accessible for all people. Among the many standards, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is one of the very well-known standards from W3C. However, there are even more standards such as BBC Mobile Accessibility Guidelines, BBC HTML Accessibility Guidelines, Game Accessibility Standards, etc. and the usage of these depends on the type of application you are framing. Hence, always make sure to follow the right web accessibility standard to ensure that your application is accessible.

<b>Ensure to add labels to Form Fields:</b>
In order to help the screen readers, it is essential to use the HTML label element as it can label or prompt in identifying which label is associated with the form field. 

<b>Always plan for site navigation through the keyboard:</b>
The purpose of accessibility testing is to ensure barrier-free and error-free navigation for all of its users including the ones with disabilities. Hence, verify that your website is completely navigated with tab and arrow buttons.

<b>Make sure to turn dynamic content to accessible:</b>
When planning to embed gifs or videos, it is very essential to provide test alternatives or closed captions to benefit the users having visual or hearing problems. Also, it is good to opt for ARIA properties as this can automatically refresh the web page whenever new content is added.

<b>Ensure accessible design patterns:</b>
While building a web application, it is important for the interface components to be accessible for the users. The ARIA Authoring Practices Guide (APG) is a useful resource that can help in making the design patterns accessible for all the users.

<b>Conclusion:</b>

Applications that can assure to provide satisfying experience are always the first preference for any user. <a href="https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/Why-Accessibility-Testing-is-Important">Accessibility testing</a> is the testing practice that can assure to achieve this. With the practice of accessibility testing, enterprises are able to make the application accessible for the users having disabilities. Also, this helps in increasing the number of users too. However, to achieve the best results with accessibility testing, consider the above-mentioned tips. Leverage accessibility testing services from a next-gen testing services provider to achieve a quality-ensured application.

<b>About the Author:</b>

I am a technical content writer, interested in writing articles on the latest IT related topics. In this article, I tried to share my views on the tricks that can help to make your web application accessible.