Why can we not recognise screen readers and other assistive technologies in web analytics? Why do we want to do that? Are there other ways we can use web analytics to check if our websites work just as well for user with disabilities as for other users? Read the manuscript for the talk: https://medium.com/@twidero/can-we-use-web-analytics-to-improve-accessibility-54378a22e892

1. How can
web ana11ytics
improve accessibility?
Tom Widerøe, FINN.no, 5.11.2018 @twidero

2. Who am I?
Tom Widerøe
Front end developer,
accessibility advocate,
web analytics wannabe
FINN.no, Schibsted Media Group
Father of three, husband of one,
owner of cat
@twidero

3. Where I work
FINN.no
Leading online marketplace in Norway

4. What to talk about?
Analyzing accessibility
with web analytics
• Why so difficult?
• What are we missing?
• Can we do it anyway?
• Findings

5. Why so difficult?
What does a website know
about us?
Screen size
Web browser
Operating system
Javascript version
Connection
Language
Time
+++
Device type
...but nothing about
assistive technologies

6. Why so difficult?
Why AT users don't want
to be detected
• Fear of discrimination

7. Why so difficult?
Why AT users don't want
to be detected
• Privacy concerns

8. Why so difficult?
Detect users ONLY to improve their experience
NEVER use it against them

9. What are we missing?
Small groups drown in the masses

10. What are we missing?
Small groups drown in the masses

11. Considerations
Can we do it anyway?
• Ethics
• Accuracy
• Work
• Volume

12. Can we do it anyway?
Ask for user's consent
• Kind of disability
• Age
• Volunteer for user test

13. Can we do it anyway?
Ask for user's consent
• Ethics
• Accuracy
• Work
• Volume

14. Can we do it anyway?
Recognize user patterns
• Zooming the screen
• Focus event on skip links

15. Can we do it anyway?
Log focus event on skip links

16. Can we do it anyway?
Log focus event on skip links
ele.addEventListener('focus', () => {
// event tracking magic
});
ele.addEventListener('click', () => {
// event tracking magic
});

17. Can we do it anyway?
Log focus event on skip links
• Ethics
• Accuracy
• Work
• Volume

18. Can we do it anyway?
Purchase a tool
Access Analytics
www.levelaccess.com/products/software/access-analytics/

19. Findings
Compare user groups
0.15 % of visits
view skip links
0.5 % of skip
link viewers
click them

20. Findings
Compare user groups - page views per visit
Fewer page
views for skip
link users

21. Findings
Compare user groups - time spent per visit

22. Findings
A/B test of inaccessible links

23. Findings
A/B test - all visits Little
difference

24. Findings
Skip link visits only
Big
difference

25. When to use it?
When in doubt - analyze!
...and prove that accessible design
doesn’t scare off “normal” users

26. Thank you!
That’s my thoughts. What’s yours?
Use responsibly
@twidero