ANALYSIS OF THE USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF WEBSITES IN VIEW OF THEIR UNIVERSAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Błażej BADZIO

blazej.badzio@pollub.edu.pl
Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin, (Poland)

Agnieszka BODZIAK


Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin (Poland)

Bartłomiej BRODAWKA


Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin (Poland)

Karol BUCHAJCZUK


Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin, (Poland)

Maria SKUBLEWSKA-PASZKOWSKA


Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin, (Poland)

Mariusz DZIEŃKOWSKI


Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin, (Poland)

Paweł POWROŹNIK


Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin (Poland)

Abstract

Universal design is a strategic approach for planning and designing both the products and their environment, aimed at making a given product available to the widest number of possible users. It ensures equality for all of them and the opportunity to participate in the society. This concept is also crucial in the process of designing and developing software. The research was conducted with the use of four services, three of them were implemented for the purpose of this study. Two of them took into consideration the principles of universal design, while the others did not. The aim of the study was verification of the level of usability and accessibility of services by means of three independent methods: the LUT (Lublin University of Technology) checklist, an assessment taking into account WCAG 2.0 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards using the automatic WAVE evaluation tool (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) and a device allowing to track the movement of the eye while performing various tasks on websites. The websites were assessed by twenty experts in the field of creating web application interfaces, using the LUT checklist. The time to the first fixation (TTFF) that it took respondents to look at  specific website elements was measured using the eye tracker device and iMotions software. All websites were checked by means of the WAVE tool to detect irregularities and non-compliance with universal design standards. The analysis performed clearly indicated that websites that follow the universal design guidelines were more useful, intuitive and accessible for users. It might be concluded that interfaces allow to find necessary information and perform desired actions in a shorter time when prepared in accordance with the principles of universal design.


Keywords:

accessibility, usability, universal design, eye tracking, WCAG

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Published
2022-09-30

Cited by

BADZIO, B., BODZIAK, A. ., BRODAWKA, B., BUCHAJCZUK, K., SKUBLEWSKA-PASZKOWSKA, M., DZIEŃKOWSKI, M., & POWROŹNIK, P. (2022). ANALYSIS OF THE USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF WEBSITES IN VIEW OF THEIR UNIVERSAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES. Applied Computer Science, 18(3), 63–85. https://doi.org/10.35784/acs-2022-22

Authors

Błażej BADZIO 
blazej.badzio@pollub.edu.pl
Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin, Poland

Authors

Agnieszka BODZIAK 

Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin Poland

Authors

Bartłomiej BRODAWKA 

Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin Poland

Authors

Karol BUCHAJCZUK 

Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin, Poland

Authors

Maria SKUBLEWSKA-PASZKOWSKA 

Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin, Poland

Authors

Mariusz DZIEŃKOWSKI 

Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin, Poland

Authors

Paweł POWROŹNIK 

Department of Computer Science, Lublin University of Technology, Lublin Poland

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