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Thread: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing

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From: Angela Colter
Date: Tue, Apr 20 2010 11:48AM
Subject: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing
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I'm working on a usability testing project for a large financial services
company and I'd like to include company employees who are assistive
technology users in our group of participants.

Problem is, the Human Resources department has, in the past, frowned on
asking these employees to participate because HR doesn't want them to be
"singled out."

I'm wondering if any of you have experiences dealing with getting permission
from a company's HR department to involve employees with disabilities in
your usability testing efforts.

Thanks for any advice you have to share.

Angela

--
Angela Colter
Usability Consultant
215-921-6677

Web: http://www.angelacolter.com
Twitter: @angelacolter

From: deblist@suberic.net
Date: Tue, Apr 20 2010 11:54AM
Subject: Re: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing
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Angela Colter wrote:

> Problem is, the Human Resources department has, in the past, frowned on asking these employees to participate because HR doesn't want them to be "singled out."

I'm struggling with this myself, but the thought I've had (and
have yet not put into practice) is to put out a general call to
all employees asking for volunteers among people who use screen
readers and other adaptive technologies. That way, you aren't
just asking for people with disabilities (which is inappropriate
in a business context). You are asking for people who use
specific tools (which is perfectly appropriate).

And possibly better for your purposes, anyway. I know a couple of
people who use screen-enlarging software out of preference, not
out of any disability-related need, and they aren't necessarily
bad testers for your purposes.

-deborah

From: Jablonski, James (LNI)
Date: Tue, Apr 20 2010 2:24PM
Subject: Re: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing
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Hi Angela,

We had a similar dilemma around Office2007 training. Here, our Human
Resources division allowed our IT Support staff, who work directly with
our assistive technology (A/T)users, to make discreet inquiries and
invitations to all our A/T users. Another approach might be to have
Human Resources make a general invitation, including to anyone using A/T
and those with customized settings to participate in testing. This
might help the HR section, but may still leave A/T users uncomfortable,
especially if a person must leave a work unit.

James Jablonski, Assistive Technology Consultant
Washington State, Department of Labor & Industries
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = (360) 902-5888 FAX (360) 902-6300



-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Angela Colter
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 9:49 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: [WebAIM] Recruiting assistive technology users for usability
testing

I'm working on a usability testing project for a large financial
services
company and I'd like to include company employees who are assistive
technology users in our group of participants.

Problem is, the Human Resources department has, in the past, frowned on
asking these employees to participate because HR doesn't want them to be
"singled out."

I'm wondering if any of you have experiences dealing with getting
permission
from a company's HR department to involve employees with disabilities in
your usability testing efforts.

Thanks for any advice you have to share.

Angela

--
Angela Colter
Usability Consultant
215-921-6677

Web: http://www.angelacolter.com
Twitter: @angelacolter

From: Karl Groves
Date: Tue, Apr 20 2010 3:57PM
Subject: Re: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing
← Previous message | Next message →

Angela,

Human Resources people will (and for good cause, IMO) have a strongly
negative reaction to such requests. I've seen this quite a bit, actually.
Even though you know you're only asking this sort of thing so your client
can better serve employees with disabilities, the HR staff sees this as a
huge risk for employee complaints from multiple fronts. Consequently, you
should expect that any requests for lists of employees with disabilities
will gain no traction from HR at all.

Some of this is venturing into legal territory, so take what I say with
the understanding that it is coming only from being in the same situation
before and also from being married to an HR Manager with the PHR
Certification from SHRM, but not from any legal expertise of any kind.

I see you having two options:

1) Send out a "Call for participants" to the company's internal
distribution channels and word it in such a way that you're clear about
being interested in testing for usability AND accessibility. Phrases
such as "users of assistive technology" are still a no-no here, as it
still puts the focus on the disabled employees and will get the HR people
unhappy. Instead just keep it broadly worded. The catch here is that you
have to keep this entire process as fair as possible. This isn't just
about the HR department's fears of having complaints from employees with
disabilities but also complaints of reverse discrimination as well (they'd
say you're showing bias towards the employees with disabilities). In some
ways, doing a study of usability and accessibility at the same time helps
you maintain fairness. Note: sending an open recruiting notice but in the
end using only users of assistive technologies will be a bias. Using a
mix of participants just like any other study where you're recruiting
participants who fit in with some pre-defined personas is the way to go
here.

2) Recruit outsiders. The quickest and easiest way to avoid having the HR
people get upset is to recruit outside participants because in a case like
this the whole context changes. No longer are you dealing with issues
relating to work environments. With outsiders you can explicitly recruit,
for example, people with very specific types of disabilities and/ or
assistive technologies without getting into legal hot water.

Hope this helps.


Karl


> -----Original Message-----
> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = [mailto:webaim-forum-
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Angela Colter
> Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 12:49 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List
> Subject: [WebAIM] Recruiting assistive technology users for usability
> testing
>
> I'm working on a usability testing project for a large financial
> services
> company and I'd like to include company employees who are assistive
> technology users in our group of participants.
>
> Problem is, the Human Resources department has, in the past, frowned on
> asking these employees to participate because HR doesn't want them to
> be
> "singled out."
>
> I'm wondering if any of you have experiences dealing with getting
> permission
> from a company's HR department to involve employees with disabilities
> in
> your usability testing efforts.
>
> Thanks for any advice you have to share.
>
> Angela
>
> --
> Angela Colter
> Usability Consultant
> 215-921-6677
>
> Web: http://www.angelacolter.com
> Twitter: @angelacolter
>

From: Jim Allan
Date: Tue, Apr 20 2010 5:18PM
Subject: Re: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing
← Previous message | Next message →

Another 2 cents...
Who's to say all users with disabilities use AT. There is a lot of people
with disabilities (self-declared or not, or may not be visible) who do not
use AT. They still have valuable input to share.

I like the idea of an 'all call for testing usability and accessibility'.

Jim Allan, Accessibility Coordinator & Webmaster
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
1100 W. 45th St., Austin, Texas 78756
voice 512.206.9315 fax: 512.206.9264 http://www.tsbvi.edu/
"We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us." McLuhan, 1964




> -----Original Message-----
> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = [mailto:webaim-forum-
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Karl Groves
> Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 3:57 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Recruiting assistive technology users for
> usability testing
>
> Angela,
>
> Human Resources people will (and for good cause, IMO) have a strongly
> negative reaction to such requests. I've seen this quite a bit,
> actually.
> Even though you know you're only asking this sort of thing so your
> client
> can better serve employees with disabilities, the HR staff sees this as
> a
> huge risk for employee complaints from multiple fronts. Consequently,
> you
> should expect that any requests for lists of employees with
> disabilities
> will gain no traction from HR at all.
>
> Some of this is venturing into legal territory, so take what I say with
> the understanding that it is coming only from being in the same
> situation
> before and also from being married to an HR Manager with the PHR
> Certification from SHRM, but not from any legal expertise of any kind.
>
> I see you having two options:
>
> 1) Send out a "Call for participants" to the company's internal
> distribution channels and word it in such a way that you're clear about
> being interested in testing for usability AND accessibility. Phrases
> such as "users of assistive technology" are still a no-no here, as it
> still puts the focus on the disabled employees and will get the HR
> people
> unhappy. Instead just keep it broadly worded. The catch here is that
> you
> have to keep this entire process as fair as possible. This isn't just
> about the HR department's fears of having complaints from employees
> with
> disabilities but also complaints of reverse discrimination as well
> (they'd
> say you're showing bias towards the employees with disabilities). In
> some
> ways, doing a study of usability and accessibility at the same time
> helps
> you maintain fairness. Note: sending an open recruiting notice but in
> the
> end using only users of assistive technologies will be a bias. Using a
> mix of participants just like any other study where you're recruiting
> participants who fit in with some pre-defined personas is the way to go
> here.
>
> 2) Recruit outsiders. The quickest and easiest way to avoid having the
> HR
> people get upset is to recruit outside participants because in a case
> like
> this the whole context changes. No longer are you dealing with issues
> relating to work environments. With outsiders you can explicitly
> recruit,
> for example, people with very specific types of disabilities and/ or
> assistive technologies without getting into legal hot water.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
>
> Karl
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = [mailto:webaim-forum-
> > = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Angela Colter
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 12:49 PM
> > To: WebAIM Discussion List
> > Subject: [WebAIM] Recruiting assistive technology users for usability
> > testing
> >
> > I'm working on a usability testing project for a large financial
> > services
> > company and I'd like to include company employees who are assistive
> > technology users in our group of participants.
> >
> > Problem is, the Human Resources department has, in the past, frowned
> on
> > asking these employees to participate because HR doesn't want them to
> > be
> > "singled out."
> >
> > I'm wondering if any of you have experiences dealing with getting
> > permission
> > from a company's HR department to involve employees with disabilities
> > in
> > your usability testing efforts.
> >
> > Thanks for any advice you have to share.
> >
> > Angela
> >
> > --
> > Angela Colter
> > Usability Consultant
> > 215-921-6677
> >
> > Web: http://www.angelacolter.com
> > Twitter: @angelacolter
> >

From: Mark Magennis
Date: Wed, Apr 21 2010 3:18PM
Subject: Re: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing
← Previous message | Next message →

Angela,

I'm assuming that the product or service you're testing is designed to be used specifically by the company's employees. In which case you could probably couch your request in terms that are positive with respect to the company's wish not to discriminate against employees with disabilities. It might also be useful to show that they are being treated in the same way as other specifically identified groups, particularly groups that the HR department would have no problem with 'singling out'. Something like:

"The company requires that the new system must be usable by all staff in order to avoid workplace discrimination. Therefore, the user testing panel must include staff members with all of the following characteristics:

An equal mix of both male and female
Staff from across all age bands
Staff with disabilities who would access the system via assistive technologies
Staff from all grades that are expected to access the system
..."

I wonder does that make it clearer that they are being targeted for important positive reasons and that they are only one of a number of important groups being targeted?

Mark

On 20 Apr 2010, at 17:49, Angela Colter wrote:

> I'm working on a usability testing project for a large financial services
> company and I'd like to include company employees who are assistive
> technology users in our group of participants.
>
> Problem is, the Human Resources department has, in the past, frowned on
> asking these employees to participate because HR doesn't want them to be
> "singled out."
>
> I'm wondering if any of you have experiences dealing with getting permission
> from a company's HR department to involve employees with disabilities in
> your usability testing efforts.
>
> Thanks for any advice you have to share.
>
> Angela
>
> --
> Angela Colter
> Usability Consultant
> 215-921-6677
>
> Web: http://www.angelacolter.com
> Twitter: @angelacolter
>

From: ckrugman@sbcglobal.net
Date: Thu, Apr 22 2010 5:48AM
Subject: Re: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing
← Previous message | Next message →

from a legal standpoint the method to go about this would be to have your HR
department contact the particular employees and give them an opportunity to
contact you if they are interested in participating. The choice is then on
the employee and information is not compromised unless the employee
volunteers to participate.
Chuck Krugman, M.S.W., Paralegal
1237 P Street
Fresno ca 93721
559-266-9237
----- Original Message -----
From: "Angela Colter" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
To: "WebAIM Discussion List" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 9:49 AM
Subject: [WebAIM] Recruiting assistive technology users for usability
testing


> I'm working on a usability testing project for a large financial services
> company and I'd like to include company employees who are assistive
> technology users in our group of participants.
>
> Problem is, the Human Resources department has, in the past, frowned on
> asking these employees to participate because HR doesn't want them to be
> "singled out."
>
> I'm wondering if any of you have experiences dealing with getting
> permission
> from a company's HR department to involve employees with disabilities in
> your usability testing efforts.
>
> Thanks for any advice you have to share.
>
> Angela
>
> --
> Angela Colter
> Usability Consultant
> 215-921-6677
>
> Web: http://www.angelacolter.com
> Twitter: @angelacolter
>

From: Angela Colter
Date: Wed, Apr 28 2010 5:21AM
Subject: Re: Recruiting assistive technology users for usability testing
← Previous message | No next message

Thanks to all who responded with suggestions. I thought I'd post a
follow-up for those who were interested.

To recruit employees with disabilities that would affect their web
use, we're not allowed to ask for a list of employees with
disabilities from HR or assistive technology users from IT.

But we are allowed to send out a call for participants on the
company's intranet and contact people directly whom we know use a
screen reader, screen magnifier, etc. We can also contact people who
responded to an earlier call and opted in to receiving such requests.
Using all three approaches, we'll start building a list of volunteers
who are willing to help us make sure the site is accessible.

Angela

On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 12:49 PM, Angela Colter < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> I'm working on a usability testing project for a large financial services
> company and I'd like to include company employees who are assistive
> technology users in our group of participants.
>
> Problem is, the Human Resources department has, in the past, frowned on
> asking these employees to participate because HR doesn't want them to be
> "singled out."
>
> I'm wondering if any of you have experiences dealing with getting permission
> from a company's HR department to involve employees with disabilities in
> your usability testing efforts.
>
> Thanks for any advice you have to share.
>
> Angela
>
> --
> Angela Colter
> Usability Consultant
> 215-921-6677
>
> Web: http://www.angelacolter.com
> Twitter: @angelacolter