Accessibility Testing
Evaluating digital products for usability by people with disabilities.
Definition
Accessibility testing evaluates whether digital products can be used by people with various disabilities including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. Testing combines automated tools that check for common issues with manual evaluation using assistive technologies and human review.
Comprehensive accessibility testing goes beyond compliance checklists to evaluate actual user experience for people with disabilities.
Why It Matters
Accessibility is both an ethical imperative and legal requirement for many organizations. Beyond compliance, accessible products reach broader audiences and often improve usability for everyone.
Identifying accessibility issues early prevents expensive remediation and potential legal liability while demonstrating organizational commitment to inclusion.
Examples in Practice
Accessibility testing revealed that color choices made key information invisible to color-blind users, an issue automated tools flagged but designers hadn't considered.
Screen reader testing uncovered navigation issues that made a seemingly accessible site frustrating for actual users, despite passing automated checks.
Early accessibility testing integration reduced remediation costs by 90% compared to addressing issues after launch.