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18/05/2021
PROMOS News
Where accessibility begins – the easysquare web app is gradually being optimised
Statistically, people with disabilities are particularly active in digital media platforms. This is a good and important reason to optimise online offerings for this target group. We are therefore implementing accessibility measures in our easysquare web app step-by-step starting now. This has advantages for all user groups, and the first optimisations will be online soon.
What will change for you in the near future?
The first accessibility measures will already be available on 31 May 2021 with Release 6.135. They will affect the easysquare web app. Because there is a wide range of different requirements for accessibility, we decided to proceed in a step-by-step manner during implementation. This allows you to benefit from the first optimisations as quickly as possible.
For the first step, we focused on the homepage and login page. The following measures have been implemented with the new version:
- Keyboard usability: When users navigate through the easysquare web app by tab, a coloured frame appears as a visual indicator around the area on the page where they are located.
- Additional explanation fields: Input fields with placeholders have received an additional explanatory label to make it clear what information is required even after clicking in the field.
Further measures will gradually be implemented and rolled out to all pages of the easysquare web app in the coming months.
Accessibility comprises a whole range of measures which are now being gradually implemented in the easysquare web app.
Who is the target group for accessible online services?
The target group for accessible services is broad. The first groups that come to mind in this context are the deaf and hearing impaired as well as the blind and visually impaired, but even red-green colour blindness can quickly lead to problems when using semantic colours. In fact, accessibility also targets users who live with cognitive disabilities or motor impairments – whether they are short-term, such as a broken arm, or long-term, such as paraplegia. This broad target group results in a diverse profile of requirements when implementing complete accessibility. Numerous measures have to be configured in online offerings, from simple language and keyboard usability to screen-reader readability.
Why should you also strive for accessibility?
First of all, you significantly expand your reachable target group with accessibility measures. As with our new translation feature, far more people can now use your online services. Ideally, all other users benefit from a well-thought-out accessibility implementation as well, since the goal is to optimise the user experience and improve the design for everyone. Furthermore, an EU directive anchored in Germany’s Federal Equality Act requires certain providers of digital services to gradually make their online offerings accessible.[1]
What further steps are planned?
The realisation of total accessibility entails a wide range of work steps. Some of them are easy to implement, while others are technically complex and/or time-consuming. As a result, we will gradually provide you optimisations in several updates. For example, the next steps will not only enhance colour contrasts and simplify language, but also integrate placeholder text for screen-reader readability in the background.
You can get even more information and regular updates on the status of implementation on our easysquare tech blog. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
1. Source (in German): https://digital-barrierefrei.de/rechtsgrundlagen.php
