Usability Testing: The Key to True Digital Accessibility
On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reinforced a foundational truth: digital accessibility is a civil right, cementing specific standards for websites and mobile applications operated by state and local governments under ADA Title II. This landmark rule, mandating conformance to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, provides a crucial legal framework, guiding public entities towards more inclusive digital services.
But here’s a critical insight for digital product managers, directors, and program leads: while WCAG compliance is non-negotiable, it’s just the starting line. Meeting technical specifications doesn’t automatically guarantee a truly usable, equitable, or intuitive experience for everyone. For digital services that genuinely serve all citizens, especially the millions of Americans with disabilities, we must go beyond the checklist.
The ultimate measure of digital accessibility doesn’t lie solely in code audits or automated scans. It rests with the people who actually use your services. User research and usability testing with people with disabilities is the definitive method for validating true accessibility, revealing real-world friction and ensuring your digital products truly deliver.
The limits of the checklist: Why WCAG alone isn’t enough
Our previous discussion on ADA Title II highlighted that automated tools like Axe, WAVE, or Lighthouse can only catch a fraction of accessibility issues—typically 20-30%. The vast majority require human judgment. This limitation points to a deeper truth: WCAG conformance is a technical baseline, but not a guarantee of usability.
Consider this: a website might technically conform to all WCAG success criteria, yet still be a frustrating, inefficient, or even impossible experience for a person using a screen reader, speech recognition software, or switch device. Why? Because the most critical accessibility barriers often stem directly from code quality issues and design implementation choices, not from inherent limitations of assistive technologies.
Common culprits include:
- Non-semantic HTML: Using generic
<div>tags instead of semantic elements like<nav>,<button>,<header>, or<footer>can strip context and navigation cues from screen reader users. - Misuse of CSS features: Re-ordering visual content with CSS in a way that conflicts with the underlying source order can completely disorient keyboard and screen reader users who navigate sequentially.
- Improper ARIA attributes: Incorrectly or unnecessarily applying ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes and values can introduce more confusion than clarity, often doing “more harm than good” by overriding native semantics or creating false expectations for assistive technologies.
While a technical audit might confirm the presence of a label or an alt attribute, it can’t tell you if that label is clear in context, if the alt text is meaningful, or if the interactive elements are understandable within a complex workflow. These are the nuances that define a truly accessible experience, and they are precisely what human-centered testing uncovers.
The power of direct engagement: What usability testing with people with disabilities reveals
In the pursuit of creating truly inclusive and accessible products and services, the role of user research and usability testing is paramount. However, when it comes to ensuring accessibility for everyone, particularly individuals with disabilities, these practices transcend mere suggestions to become the ultimate arbiter. They are not just an important step in the development process; they are the definitive measure of whether a digital product, a physical space, or a service truly meets the diverse needs of its users.
This is because theoretical understanding of accessibility guidelines, while crucial, cannot fully anticipate the myriad ways in which individuals with varying disabilities interact with technology and the world around them. What might seem like a minor design flaw to a non-disabled person could be an insurmountable barrier for someone who relies on assistive technologies, has cognitive differences, or experiences sensory impairments.
In essence, while guidelines provide a framework, the real test of accessibility lies in the hands of the very people we aim to serve. Their feedback, their successes, and their struggles during usability testing serve as the unequivocal judge, dictating whether a product is merely compliant or truly usable and equitable for everyone. There is no substitute for observing real people, with their diverse abilities and preferred assistive technologies, interacting with your digital services in real-world scenarios. This direct engagement reveals “experience gaps” that no automated tool, nor even an expert manual review, can fully anticipate.
At its core, involving people with disabilities directly reflects a fundamental principle that has long been a rallying cry for the disability community: “Nothing About Us Without Us.” This powerful slogan acknowledges a history of systemic neglect where decisions and policies were made for people with disabilities without their input or lived experience. In the digital realm, this means moving beyond assumptions and inviting the very individuals impacted by accessibility to lead the way.
These tests don’t just find bugs; they uncover fundamental usability friction related to:
- Cognitive load and flow: Is the information architecture intuitive? Is the language clear and concise? Can individuals with cognitive disabilities easily follow complex processes like permit applications or benefit enrollments?
- Workflow efficiency: Can a keyboard-only user complete a multi-step form efficiently and without getting trapped? Are error messages clear and actionable for all users?
- Assistive technology compatibility: How does your service actually perform with various screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver), magnification tools, or speech input software? These tests expose underlying code quality issues—like non-semantic HTML or conflicting CSS—that manifest as a broken or confusing experience for users relying on these technologies.
- Perceptual challenges: Beyond automated color contrast checks, is the visual design genuinely easy to parse for users with specific visual impairments? Is the layout overwhelming or easy to navigate for users who are neurodivergent?
By engaging directly, teams gain invaluable empathy, moving accessibility from a compliance task to a core value rooted in providing truly equitable public services.
Practical steps for inclusive user research
Integrating user research with people with disabilities into your digital product lifecycle is a strategic move that enhances quality and reduces long-term risk.
- Integrate early and often: Begin testing prototypes and wireframes, not just finished products. Iterative testing allows you to catch issues when they are cheaper and easier to fix.
- Ethical & equitable recruitment: Recruit a diverse range of participants representing various disabilities, assistive technology usage patterns, and demographics. Crucially, ensure fair and equitable compensation for participants’ time and lived experiences. This recognizes their expertise and the invaluable insights they provide.
- Create an accessible environment: Ensure your testing environment (whether remote or in-person) is accessible and comfortable for all participants.
- Focus on scenarios, not just features: Design tests around common user journeys and tasks (e.g., “Find information about local park events,” “Apply for a business license”) to simulate real-world usage.
- Translate insights to action: Work closely with your product, design, and development teams to translate research findings into concrete, prioritized remediation tasks and feature enhancements.
The broader benefits: Beyond accessibility
The impact of inclusive user research extends far beyond compliance:
- Improved usability for all: The “curb cut effect” is real. Solutions that make a digital service more accessible for people with disabilities often simplify and enhance the experience for everyone.
- Reduced risk & complaints: Proactively identifying and addressing barriers through user testing significantly minimizes legal risks and reduces user complaints, fostering public trust.
- Enhanced public trust & reputation: Delivering truly inclusive services demonstrates a deep commitment to equity and civic participation, building a stronger relationship with your community.
- Innovation: Insights from diverse users can spark unexpected innovations, leading to more robust and adaptable digital products that serve a wider audience.
Conclusion: Making accessibility a human success story
While ADA Title II and WCAG provide the essential framework, the true measure of a digital product’s accessibility lies in the hands of the people it aims to serve. By embracing user research and usability testing with people with disabilities, State and Local governments, enterprises, and tech organizations can move beyond mere compliance to deliver digital services that are truly intuitive, equitable, and effective for every citizen. This approach embodies the spirit of “Nothing About Us Without Us,” ensuring that digital experiences are designed with and for everyone.
Ready to build digital services that genuinely work for everyone? Partner with A11y Is, LLC to integrate meaningful user research and transform your accessibility strategy into a human success story.
