1. An Introduction to Accessibility Testing for Mobile Apps
Introduce Self…
This is not an in depth discussion of mobile app testing
It is an introduction to the types of things to consider before testing a mobile app
Additionally, we want to provide a suggested, high-level, approach you can use to get started testing mobile apps
If you have already been doing mobile app testing, you may not learn a lot new
But it is always good to hear how others view and approach this type of testing, sometimes we do pick up a new trick or two

2. What is our goal with this presentation?
Highlight the ‘types’ of accessibility features found on mobile devices
Highlight how some of those accessibility features might be used to verify accessibility of a mobile app
Introduce a basic accessibility testing methodology that can be applied to mobile app testing
Various other considerations that can come up with testing a mobile app for accessibility

3. Current Mobile Device OSes
iOS (iPhone, iPads)
Android
Windows Mobile
BlackBerry
FireFox OS
Sailfish OS
Tizen
Ubuntu Touch
There are many types of devices on the market
As well as a number of different OSes that run on those devices
Android devices have various ‘flavors’ of the OS that runs on the many devices available
Note some of the many that exists, if you are tasked with testing a mobile app for accessibility, it will most likely be on one of the first 3 OSes listed
These mobile operating systems all have accessibility features designed to address many different types of impairments. Such as:
-Vision
-Hearing
-Physical & Motor Skills (mobility)
-Learning & Literacy (cognitive)

4. Common Mobile Accessibility Features
iOS
Android
Windows Mobile
VoiceOver
Talkback
Narrator
Invert Colors
High Contrast Text
High Contrast
Zoom
Magnification Gestures
Magnifier
Assistive Touch
Caller ID Announce
Color Inversion
Reachability
Etc.
The types of accessibility features on these devices vary as well:
iOS
-Voice Over
-Invert Colors
-Zoom
-Assistive Touch
-Reachability
-Etc.
Android
-Talkback
-High Contrast Text
-Large Text
-Color Inversion
Windows Mobile
-Narrator
-High Contrast
-Magnifier
-Caller ID Announce
-Telecoil
-TTY

5. iOS Accessibility Features
VoiceOver
Bold Text
Key Repeat
Zoom
Button Shapes
Sticky Keys
Invert Colors
Increase Contrast
Slow Keys
Grayscale
Reduce Motion
Reachability
Speech
On/Off Labels
Hearing Aids
Speak Selection
Switch Control
LED Flash for Alerts
Speak Screen
Assistive Touch
Guided Access
Highlight Content
Touch Accommodations
Etc.
Speak Auto-text
3D Touch
Larger Text
Keyboard

6. Keeping in the “Know”
Accessibility features across mobile operating system may be similar but can work very differently
Operating system updates often add new features or even remove accessibility features!
One of the first things we need to do when considering mobile app testing is to know what accessibility features are currently available and how to use those features.
-While many of these assistive technology features are similar, they tend to operating and function differently.
------Sometimes even from device to device. (Microsoft Lumina 550 example)
-As updates are released to the operating systems new features may be added and existing ones even removed!
------Then you look foolish in front of a client if you are talking about an accessibility feature that no longer exists

7. What does this mean for us?
We need to be:
Familiar with what accessibility features are available
Familiar with how to use those accessibility features
Familiar with what devices support what features
Don’t assume we know everything there is to know about the accessibility of a device
Stick with common hardware to avoid inconsistencies
What does this mean for us?
With the uncertainty of what features may be included from build to build or even device to device,
we need to be familiar or at least become familiar with the device and accessibility features
Bottom line is to not assume we know all there is to know just because we tested an app on that device 3 months ago.
Things change, and sometimes they change quickly.
If you are working for a client, make sure they specify what Device (or devices) and what build of the OS they want to have reviewed.
If they don’t know, the make the selection for them.
Try and stick with common hardware to avoid inconsistencies. (Google hardware or example)

8. Let’s take a look…
Do we need to worry about testing all the available features?
Why is it important to do testing on the actual device?
Show how many accessibility features there are on an iOS device
-Demonstrate the reachability feature
-Demonstrate the screen curtain (3 finger triple tap or if zoom enabled 3 finger quadruple tab)

10. Additional Details May Be Required!
Mobile Web vs Mobile App
Portrait vs Landscape
Keyboard or No Keyboard
What other tidbits of do we need to clarify before starting our mobile app testing?
-Mobile Web vs Mobile App (not every client knows the difference. Some mobile apps are just wrappers for mobile web content)
-Portrait vs Landscape (Can require multiple test passes if controls change or new content introduced.)
-Keyboard or No Keyboard [cover KB more in depth in a few slides. So keep it brief]

11. Do We Need to Test on an Actual Device?
Some emulators available which can help in preliminary testing
Some scanners available to search code for issues
Some scanners available to identify basic accessibility issues
None of these take the place of testing on the actual device!
Not testing on the actual device can cause serious accessibility issues to be missed.
We are not testing 100 percent of the user experience through simulation or scanning.
-UI issue have been found during actual app testing that were not found in simulation
-App crashes while various AT running have been discovered during actual testing – not in simulation
Would you want to fly in a newly design plane that had only been testing in computer simulation?

12. Basic Test Methodology – Preliminary Steps
Understand the usage of your device
Understand the accessibility features of your device and how to use them
Determine the primary purpose of the app you are testing
How do we approach testing a mobile app once we have an understanding of the device, it’s accessibility features and how to use those features?
Do we need to test all the features included with a device? NO!
Establish the primary purpose of the app under test.
Is the purpose to find a bus route and schedule to get from point A to point B?
Are there multiple primary purposes? Perhaps the app allows me to purchase a bus pass and find the current schedule!

13. Basic Test Methodology – Preliminary Steps
Identify key features/functions
Identify primary usage paths
Does this mean we don’t care about secondary features & usage paths?
Know which set of guidelines/standards you are testing against
Whatever the primary purpose of that app, identify the key features and functions. Those are the scenarios we need to ensure are rock solid and work.
Identify the primary usage paths and test those thoroughly!
If the app has secondary information, such as reading about the “Go Green Bus Line’s” history, these details are not going to have the same level of priority as those key scenarios.
If being asked to test against specific standards or guidelines you need to keep those in mind…maybe. They don’t always apply one to one like with mobile web content. Explain more…

14. Basic Test Methodology – Time to Test!
Walkthrough your test path(s) as a non-impaired, non-AT user
What can we identify during this phase?
Determine if a keyboard only pass is required.
Where would this apply, if at all, for a mobile app?
Once we have established the test paths and the key functions of the app it is time to start testing.
What is the best logical approach?
Go through the app as a non-impaired user. This allows us to become familiar with the app and its various nuances while in actual use.
Sometimes an accessibility issue might just be an overall usability issue which will be a problem for all users.
During this walkthrough you are also looking to identify simplicity of use. Identify complex gestures or content that is hard to understand for ESL or younger children.
Contrast issues can also be identified during this phase of testing.
Do the same testing in landscape mode if you determined in your preliminary findings this view must be included.
If a keyboard is required, what would make KB testing required?

15. Basic Test Methodology – Time to Test!
Screen Reader (VoiceOver, Talkback, Narrator, etc.)
Explore By Touch
Swipe
Gestures
Magnification (Zoom, Magnification Gestures, Magnifier)
Contrast (Invert Colors, High Contrast Text, High Contrast)
Screen Reader Pass: make sure all controls and content are read correctly (including control state)
Controls should make sense in context.
Use Swipe and Explore by Touch for testing
-Look for controls that “overlay” hidden controls
-Look for controls that do not properly link to their text labels
Magnification Test pass,
-look for focus issues [especially when using a keyboard],
-pixelating can be an issue here also, may require higher resolutions images, etc.
Contrast test pass, if not done as part of the initial walkthrough this can be done last.
-look for readability
-Look for content that becomes invisible

16. Basic Testing Methodology - Summary
Identify Device(s) and OS version(s)
Identify Key Features & User Scenarios of App
Non-AT Walkthrough
Both Portrait and Landscape modes, if required
Non-AT Keyboard Pass, if required
Screen Reader
Magnification
Contrast
Basic Mobile App Testing Approach
Basic 6 steps, see slide for bullet points

17. Let’s take another look…
Walk through some apps to demonstrate various issues
Does the split screen feature affect the accessibility of an app?

18. Why important to do a non-AT walkthrough:
Alert at top doesn’t indicate the value of the number of alerts
2 Banners on screen, only top banner can be selected by VoiceOver
Even more banners exist if you scroll down!!!

20. Look for contrast issues as you go!

21. United App
Buttons without labels
Searching for airports, would be better using standard IOS drop list control
Advanced search is an example of a button and label text being separate objects

22. Did we accomplish our goal?
Highlight the ‘types’ of accessibility features found on mobile devices
Highlight how some of those accessibility features might be used to verify accessibility of a mobile app
Highlight a basic accessibility testing methodology that can be applied to mobile app
Various other considerations that can come up with testing a mobile app for accessibility

23. Questions?
Jeff Singleton
Thank you!