It is a comprehensive exposition to aid you to enhance your web site accessibility
Bobby World Wide Accessibility Report is quite an encyclopedic document, which seeks to bring forth issues and concerns on web site accessibility in an effort to usher in an era of universally accessible web sites. The Report not only discusses various facets and dimensions of web site that hamper its accessibility, but also throws enabling light on the features upon whose incorporation the web site can get a new lease of life in terms of accessibility and resulting usability.
Let alone the theoretical prerequisites for superior levels of accessibility, and hence usability of web sites it employs tools just to help you design highly accessible web site, or facilitate you to assess the accessibility score of your web site if you have already one which has gone live, but you are still to reap substantial benefits out of it.
Bobby puts the web sites to accessibility test strictly gauging the conformance level of guidelines issued by World Wide Web Consortium's Web Access Initiative and Section 508 guidelines offered by the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.
Bobby helps you see your web site in fresh perspective
If you are compelled to think that there is no way out than to push the degree of usability of your web site, then, probably you have realized the truth at the appropriate time. You cannot give troubles to your users and at the same time hope for your business to grow. Rather, the more you facilitate your users into a smooth and enlightening web experience, the closer you will come to actualize your business objectives.
And now, when you are convinced of potential benefits of a supremely accessible web site, do not expect miraculous results at a single shot. Nor, think it essential that you have to undertake a massive revamp of your web site right at the beginning. On the contrary, start with seemingly tiny issues, which are in fact exceedingly simple to address – and nonetheless -- contribute toward the eventual usability of your web site.
Bobby comes to your rescue right here. It helps you find all such issues which are often missed out or overlooked, but otherwise, if figured out and taken care of, can escalate usability. Afterwards, you can eye for the bigger things with a sense of further accessibility enhancement.
A sneak peek into the Report
Up to this point, you might have an idea as to the coverage of the Bobby Report. It contains detailed descriptions covering virtually all the nuances of web site accessibility with suggestions and recommendations for accessibility assessment and enrichment. Now, it is the right time to get an overview of this Report and understand the requirements of ratings and approval supported by the Bobby tools.
The report is categorized in three sections, each emphasizing a distinct priority concern.
Section One highlights the problems, which severely affect the usability of a web page. This Section argues that these are the problems or issues, which have to be addressed and rectified first on the top priority basis. Bobby issues a preliminary approval to web sites, which fix such problems for usability sake.
Section Two lists the factors, which affect the usability of a web site but not as severely as those mentioned in the Section One. This is here to take note that conforming to usability level of this section as well as the section preceding this i.e. Section Two is assumed to be the preferred minimum level with regard to the accessibility of any web site in the light of Bobby stipulations.
Section Three mentions other significant problems which affect the usability of the web site. Bobby grants an AAA certification of usability if all such problems are taken care in a web site.
There is no need to panic if you do not get Bobby’s AAA approval
Remember that you should not be discouraged if you do not get an AAA certification. There is a lot more web sites which did not get it. The pertinent point here is that every web site is uniquely peculiar which its individual needs and compulsions. Many web sites do not get this certification due to prominently different nature of its profile, content pattern or exclusive target audience. They do not meet the standards as laid down in the Bobby document, but they are quite effective and almost a necessity for the kind of purpose they serve.
Not fetching the AAA certification does not necessarily mean you are terribly wrong when it comes to the usability of your web site. But yes, you should not necessarily wind up complying with whatsoever standards you can disregarding what approval or certification you can likely get.
The Bobby tools can help you know some real touches you can give to your web site to enrich its accessibility. Since the Bobby document is the generalization of strategies and techniques to further web site usability concern, you can selectively and optimally adopt them to serve your purpose the best way.
A reality check for your web site usability
Let’s see how you can come to know whether all the aspects of your web site are going in the direction, which is aligned with the eventual usability. You must appreciate this fact that while you intent to improve usability of your web site, it cannot happen in isolation. The usability of your web site is to be integrated with all the possible web components in quite synergy.
Here is what is supposedly to be taken cognizance if you do not wish usability to suffer.
- Make sure that whatever technology you adopt in the design, development, maintenance, redesign or revamp of your web site, it is assistive technology pushing the ease to the next level.
- Make it a point to think whether you have made a thoughtful selection of authoring tools that enhance users’ experience. If you contemplate any change pertaining to your web site in the future, select authoring tools keeping this in mind.
- To what extent does content on your web site conform to directives by the World Wide Web Consortium?
- Do you regularly use evaluation tools like HTML validators, CSS validators, or anything mentioned in the Bobby document as your web site grows in size and complexity?
- Have you established your priorities and responsibilities in the light of Bobby document or the World Wide Web Consortium's guidelines?
- Have you put into place a consistent organizational policy for web usability?
- Do you monitor web usability in a predetermined and systematic manner?
- How efficacious is your implementation mechanism on web usability?
Usability orientation is what helps you steer clear of the way
The above checkpoints are not comprehensive in nature and at the same time not all of these are necessarily applicable to you. The description of checkpoints may differ in your case depending on the typical characteristic of your organization, but what would not differ is the connotation they have.
In short, the ways and means for rendering your web site highly useful may vary a little but usability-centered initiatives that fit into your organization will, of course, show you the way.