How can web analytics improve accessibility

Why can we not recognise screen readers and other assistive technologies in web analytics? Why do we want to do that? Are there other ways we can use web analytics to check if our websites work just as well for user with disabilities as for other users?

Manuscript for the talk is here: https://medium.com/@twidero/can-we-use-web-analytics-to-improve-accessibility-54378a22e892

Transcript

1. How can web ana11ytics improve accessibility? Tom Widerøe, FINN.no, 5.11.2018 @twidero
2. Who am I? Tom Widerøe Front end developer, accessibility advocate, web analytics wannabe FINN.no, Schibsted Media Group Father of three, husband of one, owner of cat @twidero
3. Where I work FINN.no Leading online marketplace in Norway
4. What to talk about? Analyzing accessibility with web analytics • Why so difficult? • What are we missing? • Can we do it anyway? • Findings
5. Why so difficult? What does a website know about us? Screen size Web browser Operating system Javascript version Connection Language Time +++ Device type ...but nothing about assistive technologies
6. Why so difficult? Why AT users don't want to be detected • Fear of discrimination
7. Why so difficult? Why AT users don't want to be detected • Privacy concerns
8. Why so difficult? Detect users ONLY to improve their experience NEVER use it against them
9. What are we missing? Small groups drown in the masses
10. What are we missing? Small groups drown in the masses
11. Considerations Can we do it anyway? • Ethics • Accuracy • Work • Volume
12. Can we do it anyway? Ask for user's consent • Kind of disability • Age • Volunteer for user test
13. Can we do it anyway? Ask for user's consent • Ethics • Accuracy • Work • Volume
14. Can we do it anyway? Recognize user patterns • Zooming the screen • Focus event on skip links
15. Can we do it anyway? Log focus event on skip links
16. Can we do it anyway? Log focus event on skip links ele.addEventListener('focus', () => { // event tracking magic }); ele.addEventListener('click', () => { // event tracking magic });
17. Can we do it anyway? Log focus event on skip links • Ethics • Accuracy • Work • Volume
18. Can we do it anyway? Purchase a tool Access Analytics www.levelaccess.com/products/software/access-analytics/
19. Findings Compare user groups 0.15 % of visits view skip links 0.5 % of skip link viewers click them
20. Findings Compare user groups - page views per visit Fewer page views for skip link users
21. Findings Compare user groups - time spent per visit
22. Findings A/B test of inaccessible links
23. Findings A/B test - all visits Little difference
24. Findings Skip link visits only Big difference
25. When to use it? When in doubt - analyze! ...and prove that accessible design doesn’t scare off “normal” users
26. Thank you! That’s my thoughts. What’s yours? Use responsibly @twidero