Complete Beginner Guide on Accessibility testing

 There are many countries where it has become a law that a business developing its own website or web application needs to comply with the accessibility standards, otherwise the neglect of which will take them down, because they have to pay hefty fines for disobeying the law. On a brighter note, an accessible website or application will only scale up the credibility of the website, as it will be able to reach a wider audience, which, in turn, can help the business grow. In this article, you will get a brief idea about the significance of accessibility testing.

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What is accessibility testing?

It is a testing method that makes sure that the newly developed website, web application or mobile application can be easily accessed by disabled users. This testing method incorporates assistive technologies as and where required in the website or application to further improve the accessibility.


The significance of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) in accessibility testing:

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has created the WCAG that is based on four core principles as follows:

1. Perceivable: The senses (hearing, touch and vision) should be the focal point while developing the web application or website, either through assistive technologies like screen enlargers, screen readers or through the browser.

2. Operable: This means that users should be able to interact with interactive elements and controls using either an assistive device or the keyboard, mouse etc. If it is impossible to navigate the content, then it is inaccessible.

3. Understandable: The web content should be concise and easy to understand. Spelling mistakes and complex grammar need to be reduced as much as possible. 

4. Robust: Consistency needs to be maintained across the web. This means that compatibility with the tools should be maximized. The web application or website that is being built should function in the same way across all devices, operating systems and browsers.  


The five stages of accessibility testing:

1. Initiate with developing a strategic plan: The scope and time taken for testing need to be identified. The specific areas that have a huge impact on users need to be determined. 

2. Analyze what needs to be tested: What needs to be tested and how it will be tested should be analyzed by the QA team. Understand the specific requirements from a user’s standpoint. Eventually, based on the requirements, test cases and test approaches can be designed. For the purpose of testing, specific techniques such as static analysis, black box testing can be used.

3. Test case execution: In this stage, test cases are created and executed in a specific sequence that is planned according to the project specific needs. For test execution, using accessibility assessment tools is considered to be a viable option. These tools will provide knowledge about issues relating to absent button/links names, missing translations, missing labels, color contrast etc. 

A problem description will be provided along with the specific solutions to fix the problem. When it comes to screen readers or keyboard navigation, manual testing can be used.  

4. Exit criteria should be evaluated: The test level needs to be studied to ascertain whether enough testing has been performed or more testing needs to be done. The risk assessment that has been performed in the earlier stages is where the exit criteria should be based upon. The project timelines should also be considered. Conformity with WCAG 2.1 guidelines should be used.

5. Concluding the test activities: When the testing process has been successfully completed, the testware needs to be archived, metrics need to be gathered and also check whether sufficient summary reports for stakeholders have been created or not. All the test scripts and plans should be finalized.  

Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing accessibility testing for your specific project, then do get connected with a premium software testing services company that will provide you with a comprehensive testing strategy that is in line with your project specific requirements.

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