Linear Users of Software...

 Unarguably a software must be tested for differently abled users (of course if it is a business requirement but I guess all modern customer segments include differently abled users). Why we should test is also straight forward. We obviously need to let them use our software through screen readers and other accessibility tools which are used by the differently abled users. 

Purpose of this post is not to discuss on different ways of testing the accessibility. It is all about the mindset of us towards the accessibility testing.

Experience of a blind user is always linear. It is not influenced by other factors. The message is always linear to them. In the meantime a regular user may experience the software in a multi-dimensional manner. See below Figure 1 which depicts the decision making ability along with the dimensions of thinking.

Figure 1.0: Problem solving of a linear user is very low hence it needs to be supported

Source: wiltjk.wordpress.com

When your experience is linear then it is critical to understand that decision making effectiveness is also very low. It is nothing to do with individual capacity of decision making. It is merely that it is difficult for a linear user to comprehend what they see. That’s the whole point of testing.

Testing must be not only to make sure that the workflow is narratable but we must test for its effectiveness too. Often we make the workflow narratable but we rarely think whether how we have presented the linear data to the user to make his decision making effective.

In nutshell, as quality engineers we must make sure that that software is not only narratable but also helps their linear thinking.