Let's talk about usability

Every day we use digital technologies to work, shop, communicate, entertain, do paperwork, and more. Being able to access these technologies makes our world easier for everyone. And this is why today having digital products that are usable is very important.

So, what is usability? It is the extent to which people can use a product with ease and achieve their goals.

But what happens if you are a person who functions differently than most people? For example, because you have poor vision, poor hearing or cannot control your movements. Are digital technologies appropriate for you? Do you find it easy to use them and achieve your goals?

People function in the most diverse ways, and this is also so, in the usage of digital products. And that is to be celebrated! But in both, the physical and digital worlds, when a barrier appears that prevents a person from accessing, a disability appears. Disability exists at the intersection where people and their environment interact.

These disabilities can be permanent, temporary, or situational. If we take this into account, 99% of people have disabilities at some point in their lives.

Talking about usability makes us think about web accessibility. Accessibility is the practice of making products without barriers, and usable to as many people as possible, regardless of their functional diversity. Making a product accessible improves usability for everyone.

Many people use assistive technologies such as screen readers, braille bars, and keypads to use digital products. Also, most devices such as cell phones and computers, include accessibility options: one-handed operation, expanded fonts and high contrast mode among others.

In the digital world, there are guides to building products that are accessible to everyone. The most widespread are the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

99% of people have disabilities at some point in our lives.

How do we approach web accessibility at EGO?

The practice of accessibility is closely linked to the values of our culture. We like to stand up for what's right, seek inclusion, and celebrate diversity.

We have a goal to reach: not only comply with accessibility guidelines, but also design experiences supposing, that part of our audience, are people with functional diversities and users of assistive technologies.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step: today we are learning, becoming aware and putting into practice everything we learn about accessibility. We learn in community; we are always open to receiving feedback and improve. And we are guided by the maxim, "progress before perfection".

We have weekly work sessions where we analyze our designs so that they are developed in an accessible way. We document the use of high-contrast colors, the use of readable fonts, and keyboard navigation.

We seek to make accessibility part of our acceptance criteria. And little by little we aim to assure that accessibility is considered in the early stage of the creative process of our products.

We are starting, becoming aware and learning. If when reading this article, you have accessibility suggestions to give us, they are more than welcome.

What are the next steps on this path?

Start including the voice of the people who no matter what, need accessibility options to use digital products. Test products with screen reader users. Include people with reduced mobility in our discovery processes. Test the experiences we design with older adults.

We know that there is a long road ahead, and that universal accessibility is far away. But we are convinced that this is: a way with a heart.

And what do you think about this issue? Let´s talk and keep in touch!

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