We must understand that not all users have the same abilities, but we must treat them all equally. This applies to basic concepts such as the application of colors. For instance, there must be a sufficient level of contrast between white and darker colors for those who may be visually impaired to be able to make sense of our materials without any unnecessary strain.
Accessibility takes many forms. They can be sense-related, including sight and hearing, but they can also be motor-skill driven. Some users may have trouble using a mouse, so focusing on keyboard-driven solutions can help many, not just those with permanent disabilities but also those who may be suffering from broken limbs or other temporary ailments.
Users should be able to see without effort what basic information is being displayed on a page, and also should be able to understand and execute specific calls to action.
Regardless of the ability of the user, the site should be able to provide the same functionality. There should be no failures in execution regardless of physical ailment.
It is important to have specific procedures in place for people with clearly defined disabilities, such as being able to navigate without a mouse, or for automatic text readers to be able to recognize textual alternatives to images.
Here are some rules of thumb regarding usability.
When users understand where they are on a site and what the current state of the site is, they feel considerably more comfortable using it. The way to make sure this occurs is to always let users know what is occurring. Provide clear breadcrumbs for navigation, and continually interact with them at all stages of any process.
When creating a system, try to think like the user. The more it feels to them like their usual experiences, the more likely they are to be able to use the site.
Provide customers with a sense of understanding about what actions they can take to navigate around the site. If they are intentionally brought into a set of sequential steps (e.g. with any POS system), they should always be able to navigate their way out and back into where they were before. This breeds confidence that they are still in control over their actions and not being coerced.
As we have mentioned throughout this guide, keeping a consistent style and standard helps with understanding. Don’t overload people’s experiences with trying to learn to do something new. Their experience should feel like their experience in other places outside Heartland’s site.
First and foremost, try to avoid creating situations where errors occur. Mistakes are, of course, human and inevitable but they don’t need to be overwhelming. Use plain language for error handling, and not jargon.
Design your systems so people will intuitively understand what it is they are doing. Don’t require them to have to learn how to do something which they will need to recall at a future date. They should be able to retrace their steps without having to think too hard.
Allow for alternate methods for completing a task or navigating the site. Provide shortcuts for advanced users so that they may more efficiently manage what they need.
Don’t overdesign the site. Keep it simple, with plenty of whitespace. There’s a reason why Google is so successful as a search engine. Try and keep tasks to their basic roots, and don’t provide too many options on a page.
Always, if possible, provide methods for people to self-educate with a wide array of help files and documentation. Provide many alternative ways of learning information. This can include everything from basic glossaries, to to full tutorials, and how-to manuals. Include video demonstrations if possible.
Usability specifically refers to how “usable” a site is for end users. This encompasses several areas.
To identify whether a site is usable, we recommend running several tests on a design. While there are a number of different types of testing methods, they all typically involve observing users interact with a website.