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We would recommend that at least two rounds of an internal 19accessibility audit is carried out for both iOS and Android platforms.</p><p>This should enable us to identify the bulk of the accessibility issues that 20people who make use of text scaling/display scaling and screen readers could 21encounter.</p><h2><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="anchor enhancedAnchor_2LWZ" id="why-do-it"></a>Why do it?<a class="hash-link" href="#why-do-it" title="Direct link to heading">#</a></h2><p>In <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/articles/nearlyoneinfivepeoplehadsomeformofdisabilityinenglandandwales/2015-07-13#:~:text=In%202011%2C%20nearly%201%20in,exists%20across%20England%20and%20Wales." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2011, nearly 1 in 5 people (17.9%) in England and Wales</a> 22reported a disability that limited their daily activities. People living in 23deprived areas and working in routine occupations were more likely to be 24disabled, showing the inequality that exists across England and Wales.</p><p>With so many people reporting a need for some accessibility adjustments in their 25everyday lives it is highly likely that we will see a number of these people use 26the apps that we work on.</p><p>It is also of note that, in recent years more directives have been passed (and 27more proposed in future) in order to ensure that web and mobile services are 28accessible by all, like, the <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/policies/european-union/#web-and-mobile-accessibility-directive" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">EUâs 2016 Web and Mobile Accessibility Directive</a> 29as well as the UKâs 2010 Equality Act requires businesses to provide access to 30everyday services.</p><p>Both of these require digital services to meet a WCAG 2.0 AA standard. Ignoring 31directives like these can lead to litigation, as seen by this <a href="http://karlgroves.github.io/a11y-lawsuits/lawsuits.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">large list of such cases</a> 32and in recent years this has to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jan/04/beyonce-parkwood-entertainment-sued-over-website-accessibility" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">beyonce.com</a>, <a href="https://www.nad.org/2011/06/16/nad-files-disability-civil-rights-lawsuit-against-netflix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Netflix</a>, <a href="https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/827895-nike-class-action-says-blind-online-shoppers-cant-use-site/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nike</a> being 33litigated.</p><p>Finally, accessibility improvements benefit everyone, not just those with 34accessibility needs.</p><h4><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="anchor enhancedAnchor_2LWZ" id="how-to-do-it"></a>
34How to do it<a class="hash-link" href="#how-to-do-it" title="Direct link to heading">#</a></h4><p>We recommend running at least two rounds of accessibility testing throughout a 35private beta phase. Use a checklist based on more established internet 36accessibility standards such as the <a href="https://www.a11yproject.com/checklist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A11y checklist</a> 37and the <a href="https://www.wuhcag.com/wcag-checklist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WCAG checklist</a>, aim to meet 38<a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/quickref/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WCAG 2.1 AA standards</a>.</p><p>Aim to identify issues associated with text scaling/display sizes, and separately 39test to identify issues associated with using screen readers. We recommend running 40these tests separately as the problems and solutions are very different.</p><p>Try to focus on one discreet journey at a time so that work can be broken 41out into one or more sprints. Identify which bugs are affecting 42reused components to have a better understanding whether a fix could benefit 43multiple journeys.</p><p>Begin with the most important journeys like registration and login to ensure 44users can easily and successfully access the rest of the the app. Once you know 45users can get into the main app, then identify the most pressing accessibility 46issues, i.e. focus or keyboard traps, missing content descriptions, inaccessible 47elements, broken or unreadable UI etc. Once the most grievous issues have been 48corrected, try using an impact effort matrix to prioritise the remaining issues.</p><p>You can try mapping problems on a Miro board that shows all the screens from a 49discreet journey. Review the problems so that the team fully understand them and 50their implications and classify them using a red, amber green system. Relevant 51tickets can then be written and prioritised into sprints.</p><p>Once a ticket has been completed and merged into production we should then 52re-test. Any new accessibility UI (hints, content description, grouping etc.) 53will be added to designs.</p><p>You may also want to think about adding an accessibility statement to the app. 54This may mention our accessibility rating, accessibility features, known issues, 55workarounds, (legally binding) dates when we expect to have fixes in place.</p><h2><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="anchor enhancedAnchor_2LWZ" id="when-to-do-it"></a>When to do it<a class="hash-link" href="#when-to-do-it" title="Direct link to heading">#</a></h2><p>If the project is already being developed then we should test when we can get 56production builds on physical devices.</p><p>When the bugs for the first discreet journey have been resolved, work can begin 57on testing the next section or journey within the app. This process will repeat 58until the entire app has been tested.</p><p>Expect there to be fewer problems identified as bugs are fixed and passed on to 59other areas of the app.</p><p>When the app has been fully tested and a public beta build is ready we should 60repeat the testing process again. As before we should expect there to be even 61fewer bugs to focus on.</p><h2><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="anchor enhancedAnchor_2LWZ" id="improving-the-process"></a>Improving the process<a class="hash-link" href="#improving-the-process" title="Direct link to heading">#</a></h2><p>Ideally we should consider accessibility implications and requirements when 62defining and designing work. It is important to consider accessibility and be 63vigilant when developing a test for accessibility when new features are added 64and the UI is changed.</p><p>Accessibility is the responsibility of the whole team. Ingraining as much as we 65can into the whole process and considering accessibility will significantly 66reduce the effort required to make the app accessible. This should further 67reduce the bugs that are identified in future audits and eventually remove 68the need for internal auditing.</p><h2><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="anchor enhancedAnchor_2LWZ" id="possible-further-testing"></a>
68Possible further testing<a class="hash-link" href="#possible-further-testing" title="Direct link to heading">#</a></h2><p>When we think we have addressed most of the bugs we will want to think about 69getting an external audit. Given that we have 2 apps we will need to find a 70budget for 2 tests. Previously when I have used the Digital Accessibility Centre 71for a website audit it was around £3000.</p><p>We may consider using:</p><ul><li><a href="https://digitalaccessibilitycentre.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://digitalaccessibilitycentre.org/</a></li><li><a href="https://abilitynet.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://abilitynet.org.uk/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.rnib.org.uk/rnib-business/website-and-apps/app-accessibility" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.rnib.org.uk/rnib-business/website-and-apps/app-accessibility</a></li></ul><p>Some of these like the Royal National Institute for the Blind can also provide 72observed user testing which would give us more confidence and the insight that 73only real user testing can provide.</p><p>We would then need some time to address any fixes. This would give us the 74confidence to really start advertising our accessibility credentials.</p><h2><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="anchor enhancedAnchor_2LWZ" id="more-reading"></a>More reading<a class="hash-link" href="#more-reading" title="Direct link to heading">#</a></h2><p>Check out the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/helping-people-to-use-your-service/making-your-service-accessible-an-introduction" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">gov.uk guidance on accessbility and assited digital</a></p></div></article><div class="margin-vert--lg"><nav class="pagination-nav" aria-label="Docs pages navigation"><div class="pagination-nav__item"><a class="pagination-nav__link" href="/resources/activities/6-3-5-brain-writing"><div class="pagination-nav__sublabel">Previous</div><div class="pagination-nav__label">« 6-3-5 Brain Writing</div></a></div><div class="pagination-nav__item pagination-nav__item--next"><a class="pagination-nav__link" href="/resources/activities/consequence-scanning"><div class="pagination-nav__sublabel">Next</div><div class="pagination-nav__label">Consequence Scanning »</div></a></div></nav></div></div></div><div class="col col--3"><div class="tableOfContents_35-E thin-scrollbar"><ul class="table-of-contents table-of-contents__left-border"><li><a href="#what-is-it" class="table-of-contents__link">What is it?</a></li><li><a href="#why-do-it" class="table-of-contents__link">Why do it?</a></li><li><a href="#when-to-do-it" class="table-of-contents__link">When to do it</a></li><li><a href="#improving-the-process" class="table-of-contents__link">Improving the process</a></li><li><a href="#possible-further-testing" class="table-of-contents__link">Possible further testing</a></li><li><a href="#more-reading" class="table-of-contents__link">More reading</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div></main></div></div><footer class="footer footer--dark"><div class="container"><div class="row footer__links"><div class="col footer__col"><h4 class="footer__title">AND Digital</h4><ul class="footer__items"><li class="footer__item"><a href="https://and.digital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="footer__link-item">Corporate</a></li></ul></div><div class="col footer__col"><h4 class="footer__title">Social</h4><ul class="footer__items"><li class="footer__item"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/and_digital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="footer__link-item">LinkedIn</a></li><li class="footer__item"><a href="https://twitter.com/AND_Digital" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="footer__link-item">Twitter</a></li><li class="footer__item"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/and.digital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="footer__link-item">Instagram</a></li></ul></div><div class="col footer__col"><h4 class="footer__title">Contribute</h4><ul class="footer__items"><li class="footer__item"><a href="https://gitlab.com/ANDigital/murray/murray-playbooks/ux-playbook" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="footer__link-item">GitLab Repository</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="footer__bottom text--center">
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