top of page

Accessibility Audit

Designing for Equity: Real User Feedback, Real Impact

Overview

I've had the opportunity to facilitate and perform a comprehensive usability test that was specifically focused on participants with low vision and those who are completely blind. This testing was designed to assess and enhance the user experience for these individuals when interacting with cobranded journeys. Participants were tasked with reviewing various aspects of the application process, and we had several clear objectives in mind for this study:

  • First and foremost, we aimed to evaluate how seamless the application experience is for these participants. We wanted to understand how easily they could digest and comprehend the key information presented to them throughout the process.

  • Secondly, we sought to benchmark the cobranded experiences against those of other credit issuers, particularly focusing on how American Express's offerings measure up in terms of usability and accessibility.

  • Another crucial objective was to analyze how the elements identified in the Deque audit, which had been remediated prior to the testing, impacted the overall experience of the participants.

  • Lastly, we were interested in uncovering any unforeseen ways that participants were using the website, which could lead to insights for further improvement.

User Tasks

The usability test consisted of three specific tasks designed to assess various aspects of the application process:

  1. Navigation Journey: Participants were asked to fill in test data for the application, which included successfully selecting card designs that appealed to them.

  2. Terms and Conditions Review: Participants needed to effectively review the terms and conditions, as well as the information provided on the right-hand rail of the page.

  3. Site Navigation: Participants were tasked with navigating Delta's website to locate American Express's card application banners successfully.

A total of 10 participants were involved in this study, with a diverse representation of 8 individuals using screen readers and 2 participants with low vision.

  • The screen readers used included NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, and Fusion, showcasing a range of technologies and preferences among the participants.

  • The participant demographics were balanced, consisting of 50% female and 50% male, ensuring a well-rounded perspective on the experience.

Findings

Overall, participants found the site to be usable and accessible, although they did encounter some friction points. Notable areas of concern included the progress bar, the right rail, and the labeling of various elements. Many participants relied heavily on keyboard navigation techniques, such as tabbing, using the enter key, and arrow keys to move through the site. This highlights the importance of designing the user experience in a way that prevents users from getting stuck in navigation loops while completing the application process.

  • Following the testing, discussions were held with various business units regarding the decision to decommission tooltips throughout American Express's user journeys. These tooltips were identified as creating significant difficulties for all users of screen readers, leading to a consensus that their removal would enhance overall accessibility.

  • We also focused on improving the clarity of the language used for card design options and material choices, such as differentiating between plastic and recycled airplane material, to ensure participants understood their options fully.

  • The progress bar was redesigned to improve its hierarchy, allowing it to better orient participants and ensuring that the segmented progress was read correctly by screen readers.

  • It was essential to clearly label which fields were optional and to identify which components functioned as buttons. This clarity extended to the Preferred Name field, which was redefined to describe its purpose and the ability for users to personalize the first name on their physical cards.

  • To further enhance the experience for users with low or no vision, we added a "skip to content" anchor link. This feature allows users to navigate directly to the application form without having to go through unnecessary content.

  • The right rail was reorganized to ensure that it was not the last item read by screen reader users, thereby improving the logical flow of information.

  • Ample white space was incorporated into the design to assist users with low vision in reading content without strain.

  • Additionally, the pre-fill capability was made clear and user-friendly, providing helpful prompts for participants.


Pending Approval

One area still pending approval involves the legal and compliance signoff to remove the double dagger symbol. This symbol was not universally recognized by participants, as many did not associate it with a "learn more" function. In fact, numerous participants mistakenly interpreted the double dagger and single dagger as directional icons pointing towards an element. The recommendation is to replace all such symbols with footnotes to enhance clarity and understanding. Also, it is worth mentioning that initially, only 3 out of 10 participants were able to locate the American Express banner on the Delta website, however since our discussions with stakeholders, the banner placement has been updated to enhance visibility and accessibility for users.

Conclusion

In conclusion, participants ranked their overall experience positively when comparing it to other card application experiences they had encountered in the past. They expressed appreciation for American Express's efforts to improve the accessibility of the journeys, noting that they did not experience any significant blockers during the process.


bottom of page