Test development and standards
Testing procedures like BITV-Test help establish whether web sites offer good accessibility. Following the test procedure generates a detailed report that points out failures and weaknesses and helps designers remedy the problems found.
I am experienced in carrying out usability and accessiblity tests and develop new testing methods and tools. At Coventry University I used various methods (e.g., participant observation, use case scenarios with think-aloud protocols, cognitive walkthrough techiques, heuristic evaluation) as instruments for the analysis and progressive development of user interfaces.
BITV-Test
From 2008 – 2012 I led the test development team at the BIK project, which was funded by the German Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs (BMAS). During that time I used the BITV test, also as a starting point for accessibility consulting. BITV test requirements are based on WCAG 2.0 (with some of its checkpoints more demanding).
Activities at W3C
Standards are a vendor-independent point of reference in the field of ever-changing technology. Web sites are required to work with an increasing number of devices, screen sizes, and user interfaces (mouse, keyboard, touch, speech input) . This is where W3C standards such as (WCAG, ATAG and the Mobile Accessibility Note help developers future-proofing their designs – especially regarding the accessibility for users with disabilities.
From 2011 onwards I have contributed to the development of international standards in the area of web accessibility. I am an active member of the WCAG Working Group.
Since 2015 I am an active member of the Mobile Accessibility Task Force (MATF) of the WCAG Working Group, focussing on the development of Success Criteria and Techniques for the planned future extension of WCAG, WCAG 2.1. This work covers not just 'mobile' devices but increasingly hybrid devices that support touch input, but also mouse, keyboard or speech input.
From 2012-2014, I actively participated in the WCAG 2.0 Evaluation Methodologies Task Force (EVAL TF) of W3C. Our work led to the Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) 1.0.