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I need to know how to do usability testing with people with disabilities

Spencer Ball edited this page Mar 2, 2017 · 10 revisions

User need

As a user researcher, I need to know how to do usability testing with people with access needs, so that I can test my service confidently and with the right users.

User groups

User researchers.

What the content needs to include

MVP

  • knows who to include in their research and how to recruit them
  • understands it can take longer to recruit people with access needs and can plan for it
  • can draw up criteria for recruitment
  • knows the implications of using a charity to recruit users (eg bias and expected payment)
  • knows how to get the most out of recruitment agencies
  • knows how to write a good screener
  • knows how to recruit when they're not using an agency
  • knows what to do if they can't find any participants
  • knows how to run and manage research sessions (including etiquette and language to use)
  • knows where best to run research sessions e.g home, lab, particular location
  • knows that people may need to use their own equipment
  • knows how to communicate with people with different access needs so both parties get the best out the research
  • knows how to hire third parties, eg interpreters
  • can make the research materials and environment accessible
  • knows the basics about assistive technologies so they can ask appropriate questions
  • knows key accessibility challenges that different groups face
  • knows the pros and cons of using the same participants to test during the different phases
  • knows the range of human capability
  • knows how to find the right participants if it's an internal service

Out of MVP

  • knows the pros and cons of doing usability testing with people with access needs [SB - seems to conflict with the accessibility standard, where we tell teams they have to test with users with disabilities]

What type of content might meet this need? (eg content types and scope)

  • flat content guidance
  • template or sample screeners
  • template or sample requirements doc (if you're using a recruitment agency or charity)
  • checklist: things to look for when doing usability testing
  • checklist: preparing for a usability testing session

Is there any related content in Service Manual?

There's a whole section on user research which includes information about user research in the different design phases, choosing a location for user research, finding user research participants, and writing a recruitment brief. There's no information specifically about user research for accessibility.

Is there any other related content on GOV.UK (eg the blog)?

Related content from the card sort exercise (Dec 2016)?

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