Why mobile UX must include apps optimized for low-vision users

There’s one sure way to tell if someone’s experiencing a mobile UX problem: too much squinting at a smartphone screen.

Though the recent launch of Apple’s iOS 7 put mobile app developers on notice to adhere to more specific guidelines on the look and feel of what they create, a Canadian research study suggests low-vision users might be left out.

Conducted by Toronto-based Raising Accessibility, which makes a sort of digital magnifier app called Loop for Apple’s iPhone, the study looks at a variety of features available to developers to ensure even those without perfect sight can make the most of mobile software.

The experiment: 

A group of test subjects with low vision underwent a series of tests to do various tasks on an iPhone using either a handheld magnifying glass or the Loop app. Their performance was timed and recorded and they were asked to make comments on any major challenges.

The results:

Raising Accessibility suggests five major things all developers should keep in mind as they consider mobile UX issues:

• Noise creates signals: Using audio sounds and haptic feedback, which are part of all major mobile operating systems, are a natural toolset for low-vision individuals. “For instance, developers might integrate a set of indicating sounds or beeps to inform users when they have performed a set of tasks or interactions or when the app is waiting for input,” the report says.
• Both sides now: “During our study, subjects sometimes unknowingly held the phone upside down,” the study continued. “Adjusting the app’s interface according to the phone’s position improves the user experience for people with low vision.” Consider specific touch commands or gestures for common tasks, and add tutorials where appropriate.
• Bigger the better: Large buttons, obviously, work better than tiny icons. Despite Apple’s predisposition for elegant black and white, colour can be useful too. “Consider adding the ability to change the contrast and color of buttons in the Settings menu. Everybody’s eyes work differently,” the report said.
• Be camera-ready: Low-vision users aren’t necessarily going to know where the viewfinder on a smartphone is, according to Raising Accessibility, especially if it’s off-centre. “As well, the slightest change in the angle affected the amount of light captured by the camera, making it challenging for subjects to interpret the image on screen,” the report said. Again, this is where an online tutorial could help.
• Space: The initial frontier: All the subjects in the test seemed to hold the iPhone at different lengths from their face. UX designers should think about how close it needs to be to use their app. “Make it easy for them to find consistency,” the report said.

Click here to read the full report, Mobile App Design and Functionality for Low Vision Users: Takeaways for Mobile Developers.