12 Designing Mobile Applications For All: Accessible Contact Manager
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The document discusses the challenges and barriers to accessibility in mobile applications, particularly for users with various impairments such as visual, motor, cognitive, hearing, and speech difficulties. It emphasizes the need for designing accessible mobile applications by addressing these specific barriers and incorporating user feedback for continuous improvement. The aim is to create a more inclusive mobile experience across different platforms through adaptive and customizable designs.
12 Designing Mobile Applications For All: Accessible Contact Manager
- 1. Jon Azpiroz Vodafone Spain Foundation Spain Designing Mobile Applications for All: Accessible Contact Manager
- 2. 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
- 3. Identify the barriers in the use of mainstream ICT applications Identify the specific Restrictions of mobile devices Research Objectives
- 4. 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
- 5. 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
- 6. 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
- 7. 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
- 8. Two fundamental factors: Target a mobile platform that is capable of running ATs Adaptability, personalization and customization of mobile applications Designing Accessible Mobile Applications
- 9. Targeting mobile platforms that are capable of running ATs: Without accessibility APIs: Designing Accessible Mobile Applications “ Name:” label + text box ATs should replace or chain the video driver Off-screen model On-screen
- 10. Targeting mobile platforms that are capable of running ATs: With accessibility APIs: Designing Accessible Mobile Applications 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
- 11. Mobile platforms with accessibility APIs: BlackBerry OS Android OS iPhone OS (Next year) JavaFX Mobile platforms without accessibility APIs: Symbian OS Windows Mobile OS Designing Accessible Mobile Applications
- 12. 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 Designing Accessible Mobile Applications
- 13. Optimization of user experience User preferences Look and feel Font adjustment Number of options or icons Compatibility with accessibility services Documentation and help menu Designing Accessible Mobile Applications
- 14. Example application: Accessible Contact Manager and Phone Dialler Example Application
- 15. 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 shortcuts Visual impairment users feedback Validation and Refinement
- 16. 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” Conclusion and outlook