Research ProjectAccessibility Evaluation
For a graduate Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) capstone project, I led the accessibility evaluation of ZocDoc, a commercial healthcare website, focusing on barriers affecting users with visual disabilities. The project included usability testing, expert evaluations, written reports, and recommendations for improving accessibility and implementation.
Role
Web Accessibility Evaluator ยท 2015, 8-week assignment
Challenges
As healthcare services moved online, accessibility became increasingly important for users who rely on assistive technology. Many accessibility barriers are also easy to miss when designers, developers, and content authors are unfamiliar with Section 508, WCAG, or assistive technology workflows.
Process & Solution
My team detailed an 8-week schedule and completed the following:
- Evaluated ZocDoc's accessibility implementation through expert review.
- Designed accessibility test plans and crowdsourced pre-tests to identify issues encountered by users with visual disabilities.
- Conducted usability tests to better understand how users with low vision accessed ZocDoc.
- Developed recommendations based on findings, WCAG 2.0, and Section 508 guidance.
- Presented a complete accessibility report covering findings, recommendations, current accessibility issues, and legal implications.
- Provided resources and design recommendations to support a more inclusive user experience (UX).
Technologies & Tools
- Accessibility Evaluation NVDA, WAVE, Level Access AMP, WebAIM Color Contrast Checker, Juicy Studio Image Analyzer, Cynthia Says legacy 508 website compliance checker
- Simulation/Testing NoCoffee Vision Simulator (decommissioned Chrome extension)
- Collaboration & User Testing Google Docs, Google Hangouts