Download - 12 Designing Mobile Applications For All: Accessible Contact Manager

FOSS-AMASatellite event

Jon AzpirozVodafone Spain Foundation

Spain

Designing Mobile Applications for All:

Accessible Contact Manager

27-28 March 2010, Paphos, Cyprus


Accessibility for mobile devices is still way behind compared to desktop computers

Difficulties integrating accessibility in a very fragmented market

Few and expensive solutions available Time urgency: Increasing number of mobile

applications (Apple App Store: Over 100,000,000 downloads in just 60 days)

Motivation, Problem area



Identify the barriers in the use of mainstream ICT applications

Identify the specific Restrictions of mobile devices

Research Objectives



Research Approach, Methodology

Identify the barriers in the use of mainstream ICTs

Specific Mobile restrictions

Design guidelines for accessible mobile applications

Example application: Contact Manager

Validation and Refinement



Barriers for:◦ Visual impairment users:

Screen readers and/or screen magnifiers incompatibility with dynamic or graphical apps

Not emotional voices Lack of sufficient contrast

◦ Motor impairment users: Not able to use keyboards and/or mouse Difficulty to work with dynamic interfaces Poor quality of voice recognition

Barriers of mainstream ICTs



Barriers for:◦ Cognitive impairment users:

Need for constant adaptation and learning Complex and overloaded menus Confusing or not standardized icons

◦ Hearing impairment users: Poor quality of sound and/or interferences Poor quality of images in video calls Lack of subtitles and sign language adaptations

◦ Speech / Communitation impairment users: Difficulties typing messages Complex menus and constant learning required

Barriers of mainstream ICTs



Screen size◦ Very limited but increasing◦ Orientation: Square, landscape, portrait,…◦ Not standardized aspect ratio

User input◦ Not standardized. Different methods available:

T9 keypad Extended QWERTY keyboards Touch-screen virtual keyboards Voice commands

◦ Can be improved with spell checkers and predictive text

Limited Processor speed and memory available to run applications and ATs

Mobile Restrictions



Two fundamental factors:◦ Target a mobile platform that is capable of

running ATs◦ Adaptability, personalization and customization of

mobile applications

Designing Accessible Mobile Applications



Targeting mobile platforms that are capable of running ATs:◦ Without accessibility APIs:


“Name:” label +text box

ATs should replace or chain the video driver

Off-screen model

On-screen



Targeting mobile platforms that are capable of running ATs:◦ With accessibility APIs:


Accessible slider:◦ Name: Age_slider◦ Role: Slider◦ Current Value: 30◦ Minimum Value: 0◦ Maximum Value: 100◦ Background Color:

White◦ Foreground Color: Light

Gray

ATs

User presentation




Mobile platforms with accessibility APIs: ◦ BlackBerry OS◦ Android OS◦ iPhone OS◦ (Next year) JavaFX

Mobile platforms without accessibility APIs: ◦ Symbian OS◦ Windows Mobile OS




Optimization of user experience◦ Input of information:

Design of menus Text prediction Spell-checking Short-cuts (when possible)

◦ Output of information Provide visual alternatives: text, icons, audio Make it configurable

◦ Naming and labeling Unique and meaningful names

◦ Theme support




Optimization of user experience◦ User preferences

Look and feel Font adjustment Number of options or icons

◦ Compatibility with accessibility services◦ Documentation and help menu



Example Application

Example application: Accessible Contact Manager and Phone Dialler



Validation and Refinement

Accessible solutions should always be validated by the end users

What do first users think about it?◦ Cognitive impaired users:

Satisfaction with the redundant information: text + image + voice

◦ Visual impaired users: Text-only vertical contact list Translate UI frequently used settings to the home page

(image and font size adjustment) Separate applications for Contact Manager and the phone

dialler◦ Motor impaired user:

Search field Scroll bar with alphabet letters shortcutsVisual impairment

users feedback



Conclusion and outlook

Accessibility is more than providing compatibility with ATs

User needs are quite different: Adaptability and configuration are key parameters

Application design should focus on each accessibility group, looking for specific solutions

Continuous refinement and validation of the solutions should by the users is required to obtain a “design for all”

Download - 12 Designing Mobile Applications For All: Accessible Contact Manager

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