Author: Eyal Bar, Head of accessibility, Allyable.
The only people who can decide if your site is available are your website users. Though, it doesn’t specificA11y mean that you have no word while doing the accessibility check. Availability testing is a multiple-level process that requires an evaluation from different people. Who has the right to decide whether your website is accessible or not? Here we’re going to explain basic things about availability and whose decision will be final!
Is it the developer’s decision?
Well, of course, the developer will be the first person to check out the web accessibility of their site. Moreover, they will do most of the work – starting from creating the website to adding all the necessary accessibility tools.
The main demands of web accessibility are proclaimed in WCAG and ADA. Therefore, most developers and even automated testing tools stick to these rules. And, though, the creator plays a significant part in making the website as available as possible, there is still a big chance that something will be missed. Sometimes, it is important to open your site as a simple user, so you walk in your user’s shoes.
Is it an automated testing tool decision?
Automatization of many processes significantly facilitated our life, yet it is only a part of availability testing. Indeed, proper accessibility checking automated tools can help you avoid a lot of small and big mistakes that we tend to miss. Also, it saves your time by performing the most routine work. But not every accessibility tool is a great choice, as most of them tend to make obvious mistakes due to the machinery intelligence.
If you don’t know which program to choose, we advise you to use A11yAudit. This program is built with artificial intelligence, which helps to adapt the functions and tools for every user’s situation. That’s what makes it one of the best accessibility checking tools. Moreover, A11yAudit ensures you with precise analytics of user’s experience with your site, relying on the:
- Type of device;
- Browser;
- Geo-location;
- Permissions;
- Public Pages;
- Pages that require login.
The key to a successful web accessibility check is understanding that it is not about how many functions your site offers, but the way the user interacts with it. And you may be sure that your site is available when the users are completely comfortable when they use it.
Is it a person making a manual check decision?
Even with high-quality AI accessibility checking tools, a manual test is still prevalent in the whole testing process. Though hardly anyone doubts the quality of the automated programs, still AI still can’t see and understand the world the way we do. That’s why manual checking is a necessity.
A person will see and use the website as an ordinary user. Therefore, there are more chances to get an accurate accessibility check. Besides, it helps to reduce some mistakes an automated tool possibly has made. Although, a person who performs a manual check, their word can’t be final.
Is it a website user’s decision?
FinA11y, we got to the key point of our article. Yes, the user is a final tester of your website approachability. Even if you used the best tools for web accessibility check, even if there was precise manual testing and the results were great on each checkpoint level, the final word is by the user.
Of course, no one can truly understand and guess the behavior and situation of the user. Even the smartest developer can’t predict what person will visit their site; therefore, they can miss out on some essential points. Providing a user web accessibility check will be a great solution in such a case. Thereby, you will see exactly what tools your site lacks or which ones are unnecessary.
FAQ’s
- Who is responsible for web accessibility ?
The developer is the first one to be responsible for providing website users with enough level of availability. The next is probably other CEOs of the project.
- How do you know if a website is accessible?
Well, you can do a multiple accessibility check. But the main results are given by your users. Through their interaction on your website, you will understand the level of its availability.
- Why is accessibility important for a website?
It is crucial because in this way you will make your site convenient to more people, which will significantly increase your traffic.
- Is website accessibility a legal requirement?
Yes, digital content accessibility is a common human right, which is regulated by Section 508. Non-compliance with this can lead to lawsuits.
Conclusion
On the whole, an accessibility check is a multiple-level process that involves, at least, two individuals. All of those levels are essential to complete, yet the final results are always given by common users who visit your site. That’s why you can’t fully rely on AI or manual checkouts, as they can’t give you the complete picture.