Re: Remote usability testing with disabled people

I’m not arguing that you should not test the usability of solutions with a wide range of users with and without disabilities, with and without assistive technologies and with and without the proper skills to use their technology optimally.

I am arguing that if we are strictly limiting the scope of the test to accessibility compliance – does a solution comply with a format set of accessibility requirements, can a solution be used without a mouse, can a solution be used with magnification or a screen reader – you probably want to involve only users with proficient IT and AT skills. Otherwise, you will not be able to determine whether a particular test case fails because of non-compliance or because of lack of skills. 

In my opinion, the purpose of format accessibility assessments, including those involving user testing, is to determine whether a solution can – in theory – be used by as many people as possible, including people with a variety of disabilities. The purpose is not to determine the usability of the solution and/or to which extend the solution can be used and/or makes sense to people without the proper IT/AT skills.

Venligst/Kind regards

Lars
----
Lars Ballieu Christensen 
Rådgiver/Adviser, Ph.D., M.Sc., Sensus ApS
Specialister i tilgængelighed/Accessibility Consultants 
Tel: +45 48 22 10 03 – Mobil: +45 40 32 68 23 - Skype: Ballieu
Mail: lbc@sensus.dk – Web: www.sensus.dk <http://www.sensus.dk/> & 
www.robobraille.org <http://www.robobraille.org/>

Vi arbejder for et tilgængeligt og rummeligt informationssamfund
Working for an accessible and inclusive information society

D. 26/02/17 05.34 skrev "accessys@smart.net" <accessys@smart.net>:

    
    question was why only use people who are proficient in IT and AT skills..
    
    thay are not the most common users
    
    Bob
    
    
    On Sun, 26 Feb 2017, Beranek, Nicholas wrote:
    
    > Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2017 04:28:22 +0000
    > From: "Beranek, Nicholas" <Nicholas.Beranek@capitalone.com>
    > To: "accessys@smart.net" <accessys@smart.net>,
    >     Lars Ballieu Christensen <lbc@sensus.dk>
    > Cc: Wayne Dick <waynedick@knowbility.org>,
    >     Juliette <piazza.juliette@gmail.com>,
    >     "w3c-wai-ig@w3.org" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
    > Subject: RE: Remote usability testing with disabled people
    > 
    > We want to make things better. The best way to do that is get real users to test your product. I see no problem with wanting to use remote usability testing specific to those with disabilities.
    >
    > The face-to-face interviews: have you gone to them? That seems to be the best to satisfy both worlds: effective user testing and convenience for the tester.
    >
    >
    >
    > Sent with Good (www.good.com)
    > ________________________________
    > From: accessys@smart.net <accessys@smart.net>
    > Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2017 5:42:31 PM
    > To: Lars Ballieu Christensen
    > Cc: Wayne Dick; Juliette; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
    > Subject: Re: Remote usability testing with disabled people
    >
    >
    >
    > Why????
    >
    > they won't be the only ones using it
    >
    > Bob
    >
    >
    > On Sat, 25 Feb 2017, Lars Ballieu Christensen wrote:
    >
    >> Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2017 23:29:56 +0100
    >> From: Lars Ballieu Christensen <lbc@sensus.dk>
    >> To: accessys@smart.net
    >> Cc: Wayne Dick <waynedick@knowbility.org>,
    >>     Juliette <piazza.juliette@gmail.com>,
    >>     "w3c-wai-ig@w3.org" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
    >> Subject: Re: Remote usability testing with disabled people
    >> Resent-Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2017 22:30:39 +0000
    >> Resent-From: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
    >>
    >> Talking strictly about accessibility, it would probably make sense only to involve users with proficient IT and AT skills for these kinds of user tests.
    >>
    >> Kind regards,
    >>
    >> Lars
    >>
    >> Sendt fra min iPad
    >>
    >>> Den 25. feb. 2017 kl. 23.14 skrev accessys@smart.net:
    >>>
    >>>
    >>> another item that must be considered is the braod spectrum of people, disabilities, platforms and adaptive equipment being used. also the level of skill that various users have.
    >>> on this list we have many who could probably plow their way thru just about any old hack but will the new user. or person using odd software that may be generations old be able to use the sites.
    >>> hard to know with remote or any kind of testing that is not controlled.
    >>>
    >>> X number with this disability
    >>> Y using this software
    >>> etc etc etc.
    >>>
    >>> Bob
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>> On Sat, 25 Feb 2017, Wayne Dick wrote:
    >>>>
    >>>> Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2017 12:22:08 -0800
    >>>> From: Wayne Dick <waynedick@knowbility.org>
    >>>> To: Juliette <piazza.juliette@gmail.com>
    >>>> Cc: "w3c-wai-ig@w3.org" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
    >>>> Subject: Re: Remote usability testing with disabled people
    >>>> Resent-Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2017 20:48:22 +0000
    >>>> Resent-From: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
    >>>> This is a critical enterprise. There are others that are similar. In all
    >>>> these cases I have started to worry about the ethical treatment of human
    >>>> subjects. How do you address this?
    >>>> Sincerely, Wayne Dick
    >>>>
    >>>>
    >>>>> On Saturday, February 25, 2017, Juliette <piazza.juliette@gmail.com> wrote:
    >>>>> Hello,
    >>>>> I launched,  Inclusight, a startup that provides disabled participants
    >>>> for user testings. After providing for a while, disabled participants for
    >>>> face-to-face user testing, I figured out this was not the best solution.
    >>>> It's not convenient at all for disabled people as they need to travel and
    >>>> to plan the session a long time in advance. And when they start the
    >>>> testing, they figure out they cannot use their own familiar configurations.
    >>>> It's also a pain for user researchers who, on top of that, are not always
    >>>> aware of how is it to work with disabled people.
    >>>>> That's how I came up with the ambition of offering remote usability
    >>>> testings for disabled people. At this stage, I am looking for professionals
    >>>> willing to share with me their experience in doing remote user testing with
    >>>> vulnerable or disabled people. I want to understand how you could make the
    >>>> most benefit from Inclusight.
    >>>>> I am looking forward to hearing from user researchers, web accessibility
    >>>> experts or any other professionals.
    >>>>> Kind Regards,
    >>>>> --
    >>>>> Juliette
    >>>>>
    >>>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >
    >
    >
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Received on Sunday, 26 February 2017 09:09:41 UTC