Is There a Difference Between Usability and Accessibility Testing?

Usability Testing 

Accessibility Testing

Usability testing is a black box software testing type that is performed to check the user-friendliness of the software. This type of testing helps in identifying and fixing any usability issues and helps businesses deliver a seamless user experience. It typically assesses the software’s interface in terms of how easy it is to use, along with the ease of navigation of the app’s flow.

Accessibility testing method is performed to ensure that the web applications or mobile applications are accessible to one and all, including people with certain disabilities such as hearing, colour blindness, and other physical or cognitive conditions. This test checks the businesses follow certain accessibility standards such as WCAG 2.0/2.1/2.2, BITV 1.0, Section 508 & Stanca Act, etc. to ensure inclusivity to the different abled sections of the society.

Website usability 

Website accessibility 

It means that the available website is easy to use and also have an intuitive user interface.

It means that the website is available and can be easily accessed by normal and disabled people. It measures the ease of access of website to the differently-abled section of society

Usability Testing

Accessibility Testing

The main goal of this testing is to test the user-friendliness of the software. It checks how easy-to-use the software is for the user. It also improves the UX 

The main goal of this testing is to ensure the software is accessible by all sections of society including people with certain disabilities such as hearing loss, impaired vision, moto vision, cognitive disability, etc.

Usability Testing

Accessibility Testing

There are four elements of usability – functionality, learnability, flexibility, industry design

There are four principles of accessibility – Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust

Usability Testing

Accessibility Testing

1. Plan: This step involves careful planning of test objectives. Set achievable goals and define the scope of the project so that it helps in building a prototype in further steps.

2. Build a prototype: This test is done at a very early stage in the product development lifecycle, therefore companies build a prototype and perform the test on it. The built prototype should have all the functionalities that are required in the end product. One should be very clear regarding the prototype to build and the functionalities needed in the final product to ensure a smooth testing process. 

3. Select your target users: This is the most crucial step, selecting the right set of people who will represent the software’s target audience. Make sure to not recruit people as users who are working on the same project as it can create biases towards the product. Recruit those people for the test who can be a part of your target audience and understands the problem you are trying to solve. For enterprises, it is comparatively simple, as the target audience is pre-defined, but make sure you select users from every set to have a variety of end-users. 

4. Conduct the test: Now you need to conduct the test in a distraction-free environment. Make sure you do not influence the user in any way, let them check the software and give opinions. Try, not to ask any questions which influence their answer in any form. Make sure you record the testing process and take keynotes of it.

5. Document the results: Documentation of test results is very essential as it will help in the analysis of results. Proper documentation of opinions and feedback received during the test should be done so that it can further be worked upon. 

6. Take corrective measures: In this step, you need to work on the feedback received from end-users. Fix the bugs and enhance the user experience based on feedback that you have received throughout the test process. Make sure that you develop multiple solutions to the problem with the help of developers and designers, so that you can choose and prioritize the solution according to the expectation of your audience.

This test can be done in two ways – Manual or automated. 

Manual accessibility testing can be done in the following ways:

• Use high-contrast mode

• Turn off image access

• Check for captions

• Turn off the cascading style sheet (CSS)

• Access the software only with a keyboard

• Use field label

• Change the font size to large

• Skip navigation

• PDF document

• Disable the style

• Content scaling

Automated accessibility testing is done with the help of automated testing tools. 

Usability Testing

Accessibility Testing

It can be automated using tools like :

• Userlytics

• Crazy Egg

• Optimizely

• Qualaroo

• Usabilla

• UserFeel

• TryMyUI

It can be automated with the help of the below-mentioned tools:

• AChecker –Accessibility Checker: 

• Tota11y

• Wave

• Google Lighthouse

• Axe Chrome plugin: 

• Dynomapper: 

• Automated accessibility testing tools (AATT