The 5 most common problems with apps
Accessibility problems in apps are sometimes similar to those in websites, but some problems are a lot more common in apps. In this article, I'd like to take you through the problems with apps that come up most often in a survey on digital accessibility.
Problems with apps on digital accessibility
More and more people are seeing the importance of digitally accessible websites. It is also important for apps to be digitally accessible. That way, everyone can use them. That is why we also increasingly examine apps for digital accessibility.
During our surveys, we regularly encounter some problems with apps. For example, text is regularly not dynamic, status messages are not read or the app can only be used in a certain orientation, such as portrait. Things also often go wrong when users can only do certain actions by making complex movements on the screen. And contrast problems are also still relatively common. Still not sure what all this means? No worries, because in this blog we explain it further to you.
No dynamic text
If people have trouble reading small print on a mobile phone, they should be able to adjust the text size. This can be solved by incorporating a separate "large text" option in the app, but you can also use dynamic text. In your phone's settings, you can adjust the size of the dynamic text. Both Apple and Google give users this option. This can also be fine, for example, for users who like to enlarge the text just a little.
If the app follows the dynamic text setting, there is no need to build in a separate option for larger text. Unfortunately, this still regularly goes wrong. The text is then not enlarged at all or only in some places. This makes the information in the app inaccessible for users who depend on text being displayed large.
Status messages are not read
When you perform an action in an app, you often get immediate feedback. For example, when you try to submit a form. Perhaps something goes wrong and a message indicates that the form was not submitted. Such a message is often not available to users who cannot see the visual change (properly). The icon or text that appears on screen should be available to all users. The notification should then be programmed so that reading software reads out the text as soon as it appears. In addition to error messages, other status messages, such as loading animations and success messages, should also be presented to users.
Only certain orientation possible
Some apps only work in a certain screen orientation, such as portrait or landscape. So you cannot then choose between these two different modes. If this is not possible, it is not possible for a user with a motor disability, for example, to use a phone or tablet in a fixed position. This while the equipment they use is sometimes mounted in a fixed position to allow operation. The fixed orientation of the app then prevents these users from using the app. It is also nice for other users if they can choose to use a certain orientation.
Pointer gestures
Pointer-what? Pointer gestures is the name of success criterion 2.5.1 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). We don't often encounter problems with this in websites, but we do in apps. In this success criterion, we look at movements where direction is important or where multiple points need to be used simultaneously.
This is because some users of your app cannot easily perform this kind of movement on the touchscreen in an accurate way. In many apps, for example, you can swipe to perform certain actions. It is often important which way you swipe: if you move from top to bottom, you will scroll down a page in the app. But if you move from left to right, you might go to a different page or article. This makes these apps very difficult to navigate for some people with limited fine motor skills.
Actions that require you to use multiple fingers, for example, also make an app less accessible. Consider Google Maps, for example: you can zoom by "pinching" with two fingers. This is not possible for everyone, for example if someone operates the app with a pen, pointer or eye movements. Therefore, there must be another way to do this, such as with a button.
WCAG 2.2 also introduces a new success criterion. Dragging may still be allowed, but there should always be a possibility to perform this kind of action in another way as well. Of course, it is better to prepare for this now, so that as many people as possible can use your app now!
Not enough contrast
It is important that everything in an app is clearly visible. Therefore, both text and controls, such as icons and switches, should have enough contrast. This is the difference between two colours. We see this go wrong quite often. Apps regularly use light grey text on a white background, or red text for error messages. A well-known example of an icon that does not have enough contrast is Twitter's logo. In apps, this icon often links to the organisation's Twitter page. To see that it is Twitter's logo, you need to be able to see that there is a white bird in the light blue background. Therefore, those two colours should have enough contrast.
There are also often contrast problems with switches. If they are switched off, they often do not have enough contrast. Not all users can then see that it is a switch and that an option can be switched on. This is because the default version of this switch is not good. So the app builder must actively adjust this to ensure that a switch always has enough contrast.
If everything in the app has enough contrast, everyone can see it better. Have you ever tried to use an app yourself while the sun was shining? Then you know that at least then it helps if the texts are not light blue or light grey.
Problems with apps? Invest in digital accessibility
Hopefully, you now know a little more about the most common problems we find in an app research digital accessibility. Are you now curious to know if the problems mentioned are also found in your organisation's app? We can help you by conducting a survey. We would also be happy to think with you about how your app can become more accessible.
