Re: for content review: Involving Users in Evaluating Web Accessibility

Hi folks,

Here're my very first impressions in reading the document "Involving Users
in Web Accessibility Evaluation":


2.1. 
Good job, this version of the document has fixed most pending issues, and I
do like "Including Diverse Users" section. 

2.2. 
* priority: [editor's discretion]
* location: Introduction, 1st paragraph
* current wording: "Broadening evaluation to involve people with
disabilities can help better understand accessibility issues and implement
more effective accessibility solutions."
* suggested revision: remove the word "can" and give a clearer message:
"Broadening evaluation to involve people with disabilities is the best way
to better understand accessibility issues and implement more effective
accessibility solutions."
* rationale: the document tries to convince the developer not to refer only
to normative guidelines and to involve users, that's why this concept should
clearly present since the beginning.


* priority: [editor's discretion]
* location: Introduction, end of 3rd paragraph
* current wording: "Including people who are target "users" of your Web site
throughout the development process helps Web developers implement
accessibility more effectively, thus maximizing your investment in
accessibility."
* suggested revision: add the word "can": "Including people who are target
"users" of your Web site throughout the development process can help Web
developers implement accessibility more effectively, thus maximizing your
investment in accessibility."
* rationale: I think that generally including target users has the primary
goal to test usability issues; some of the issue raised can be accessibility
issues, but not always.


* priority: [editor's discretion]
* location: "Drawing Conclusions and Reporting", 2nd paragraph
* current wording: "When the evaluation is being used to improve a Web site,
it is rarely necessary to distinguish between usability and accessibility
issues."
* suggested revision: remove paragraph
* rationale: I think that is always necessary to distinguish between
usability and accessibility issues.


2.3. 
This document works fine for the first three audiences, but with usability
professional who know nothing about accessibility there may be some problem:
the document doesn't explain in any way the difference between usability and
accessibilty. 
Moreover, the phrase "When the evaluation is being used to improve a Web
site, it is rarely necessary to distinguish between usability and
accessibility issues" that I've already pointed out as a potential problem,
may lead this professional to a wrong conclusion.


My best regards,

Roberto Castaldo
-----------------------------------
www.Webaccessibile.Org coordinator
IWA/HWG Member
rcastaldo@webaccessibile.org
r.castaldo@iol.it
Icq 178709294
------------------------------------

Received on Thursday, 29 September 2005 14:09:28 UTC