Inclusive UX research methods make a big impact

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve already bought into the value of doing accessibility research early in the product development process and repeating it often. Here’s why that mindset – often referred to as “shifting left” – will set your organization up for success:

Prioritizing accessibility in the early stages of product design isn’t some futuristic ideal state. UX research teams at well-known enterprises like CVS Health, are doing it right now to great success.

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You already have the skills to succeed

You don’t have to spend months gaining a whole new skill set before you can start doing accessibility research. The fundamental user research methods you already use still apply, including observing behaviors, asking questions, and analyzing insights.

There are some nuances to be mindful of when conducting research with assistive technology users:

Accessibility research doesn’t have to be a separate endeavor. All research will benefit from incorporating insights from people with disabilities, including traditional “gen pop.” An easy way to do this is to take your target number of participants and commit to a percentage that includes people with disabilities (e.g., if your target is 2% and you’re planning to talk to 10 participants, at least 2 should be people with disabilities.)

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Get up to speed on assistive technology basics

Assistive technology (AT) refers to any device, software, or system that enhances, maintains, or improves the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. It encompasses things like captions, magnification, screen readers, and any technology that replaces the traditional mouse or keyboard.

There are a multitude of assistive technologies each offering different configurations. This is why conducting research with a variety of assistive technology users unearths such diverse perspectives and insights.

Accelerate meaningful skill building with expert training

You can flatten your accessibility research learning curve by tapping into expert accessibility training. It’s not about understanding how to be compliant or even becoming an accessibility expert. It’s about quickly building practical skills you can apply to your accessible research projects to optimize results.

• Build your team’s knowledge with courses designed by experts and people with disabilities.
• Seek out training and guidance that is tailored to your unique needs.

Put learning into action with practical tutorials, like how to build accessible forms or tips for testing digital products with assistive technology users.

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Getting started with (and without) a product to test

First things first: you don’t need a fully baked product or even a working prototype to conduct research with people with disabilities. For example, holding informational interviews with assistive technology users can uncover insights like common barriers in current solutions, preferred interaction patterns, and even emotional drivers around solution adoption. The answers can also help you to frame questions for additional follow-up sessions.

Once you have even a minimum viable product you can expand your research. Automated tools are handy for performing quick smoke tests and uncovering things like code-level errors or other obvious compliance issues. But remember that automation alone can’t give you insights into the human experience of using your product.

Products that “pass checks” can still fail users

Once the automation identifies issues, including people with disabilities in research will layer in critical nuance and context around what it feels like to use your product. The most effective accessibility processes don’t choose between tools and humans: they leverage both.

Software automation identifies what’s technically broken. Human insight tells you what it’s like to actually navigate your products.

Here’s how that can come to life in the enterprise: Andrew Gosine, Principal Product Designer at Slack, follows a process he calls “prototyping the path.” His team designs and builds the first versions of features and puts them in front of testers, including Fable’s pre-qualified community of people with disabilities. The Slack team uses the insights uncovered to address accessibility issues early in the process to ultimately make the final product usable for everyone.

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Determine the design

There are multiple ways to approach your research design.

Finally, choose a format

The format will depend on your resources and goals. Regardless of which way you go, it’s important to approach every research project with genuine curiosity and respect.

With Fable, you can conduct both moderated and unmoderated research sessions with our Community of testers with disabilities.

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Where do you go from here?

With the right scaffolding in place for launching research with assistive technology users, you’ll be ready to recruit and screen participants and prep for your interviews.

You don’t need to be an expert or wait around for the “right time” to get started. Instead, build confidence with quick wins. You’ll gain firsthand exposure to different assistive technologies and configurations. You’ll get immediate feedback on what’s working (and what isn’t) in your digital products. And you’ll start gathering meaningful data that demonstrates to both company leadership and other teams that truly inclusive research makes a difference to business success.

Do you still have questions on how to get started? The Fable team is here to help. Book a call to learn more. You can also source answers to your most pressing questions using our accessibility research FAQs.

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