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Re: Something's amiss with the latest survey

for

From: Karl Groves
Date: Aug 28, 2015 1:54PM

Jared mentioned that multiple vendors sent out information on the
survey. However, AISquared sent out 3. July 8, 15 & 21

I'm not sure I'd say it was purposeful ballot stuffing, but the net
effect appears the same. :-(

On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 3:43 PM, Jordan Wilson
< <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> I would suggest using the "Commonly Used" statistic a little lower down on
> the page instead of the "Primacy Screen Reader" statistic.
>
> That statistic is a bit more in line w/ what we¹ve seen in the past, and
> it better reflects the number of users who use each platform overall. Its
> a better complete measurement of usage.
>
> The Primary Screen Reader stat undervalues the platforms that are used
> secondarily.
>
> That said, Jonathan¹s mention of the e-mail from the vendor is probably a
> large factor. Stuffing the ballot box if you may.
>
>
>
>
>
> On 8/28/15, 3:36 PM, "WebAIM-Forum on behalf of WebAIM Discussion List"
> < <EMAIL REMOVED> on behalf of
> <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
>>I would also respectfully point out that ZoomText is the only option that
>>is available for both Windows and Mac on the provided list in the survey,
>>and the question did not distinguish between the two versions. It's
>>possible that Mac users may have increased adoption of ZT as a VoiceOver
>>alternative since audio capabilities were introduced in the spring of
>>2014.
>>
>>--Jane Vincent, University of Michigan
>>
>> From: "Moore,Michael (HHSC)" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>> To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>> Sent: Friday, August 28, 2015 3:18 PM
>> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Something's amiss with the latest survey
>>
>>First let me be clear. I have been a fan of WebAIM, Karl Groves, TPG and
>>this list for a while myself. But I have to respectfully disagree with my
>>esteemed colleague regarding the value of the results as device to
>>demonstrate the diversity of the screen reader user community.
>>
>>One alternative explanation for the increase in the number of users
>>reporting ZoomText as a primary screen reader may simply be the wider
>>dissemination of the survey. Through my work I have consistently
>>encountered what seemed to be a larger number of people using ZoomText as
>>a screen reader than was indicated by previous surveys. Given that my
>>data was anecdotal rather than scientific I felt that it could simply be
>>a product of my unique work environment that brought me in contact with a
>>greater number of visually impaired users with lower levels of technical
>>skills than the average accessibility specialist.
>>
>>As for the growth of Window Eyes - the Microsoft program is bound to have
>>an impact. Particularly when you consider the number of enterprise
>>customers who can now fulfill reasonable accommodation requests with a
>>commercial, Microsoft endorsed (implicit), screen reading product.
>>
>>Mike Moore
>>Accessibility Coordinator
>>Texas Health and Human Services Commission
>>Civil Rights Office
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
>>Behalf Of Karl Groves
>>Sent: Friday, August 28, 2015 2:00 PM
>>To: WebAIM Discussion List
>>Subject: [WebAIM] Something's amiss with the latest survey
>>
>>Apparently it is "Karl causes fights on social media day" today. On
>>Facebook it was the relative sanity of certain political candidates.
>>On Twitter it is the latest Screen Reader Survey.
>>http://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey6/
>>
>>First, let me be clear: I've been a member of this list and a fan of
>>WebAIM, its people, and its work since 2003. Among the most valuable
>>resources they provide are their surveys on Screen Reader users and Low
>>Vision users. I reference this work in a number of places - one of which
>>being the training content that we deliver at TPG. I believe in WebAIM
>>not only as an organization but as people.
>>
>>Something is up with the latest screen reader survey. From the survey
>>"ZoomText (1.3% to 22.2%) and Window-Eyes (6.7% to 20.7%) both saw very
>>significant increases in usage since January 2014."
>>
>>In 1 3/4 years, ZoomText's market share rose just under 21% and
>>WindowEyes rose 14%? This *does not* pass a sniff test. Market
>>penetration for a *new* consumer product is often under 10%. These are
>>products that have been around a long time, their market share has shown
>>a downward trend in previous surveys, and there have been no "disruptive"
>>new features added to either product in the last 18
>>months, either. Jared posted his thoughts on the WebAIM blog:
>>http://webaim.org/blog/resugence-of-zoomtext-and-window-eyes/
>>
>>I'm not inclined to draw any hasty conclusions as to what caused these
>>results other than to say that I highly doubt there's a correspondingly
>>high rate of growth for both of these products. These numbers would
>>suggest that the market itself has expanded. Put another way, even if we
>>consider the downward trend of JAWS in prior years, I don't think that
>>would account for the growth numbers of these products (when prior years
>>indicated that the erosion was going to NVDA and VoiceOver).
>>
>>This has a much more negative effect than many people realized. I point
>>customers to this information. I can't, in good conscience, do that
>>anymore. I can't tell customers "You should support the broadest number
>>of PWDs by at least a) following standards and b) supporting this set of
>>assistive technologies" Because now this list includes an illegitimately
>>inflated count of two products.
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>
>>Karl Groves
>>www.karlgroves.com
>>@karlgroves
>>http://www.linkedin.com/in/karlgroves
>>Phone: +1 410.541.6829
>>
>>Modern Web Toolsets and Accessibility
>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uq6Db47-Ks
>>
>>www.tenon.io
>>>>>>at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
>>>>
>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>
>>
>>>>>>>>>
> > > > --

Karl Groves
www.karlgroves.com
@karlgroves
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karlgroves
Phone: +1 410.541.6829

Modern Web Toolsets and Accessibility
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uq6Db47-Ks

www.tenon.io