A developer’s proficiency in writing good code does not directly correlate to the quality of the app. This phenomenon is often due to the lack of understanding of human-computer interaction, which means that the code might be flawless and executes perfectly, but the end-product could be difficult to use.
Several psychological, medical and social considerations have to be made in order to make an app that can be used by most people. Following these tips, apps can be made more accessible for a general audience:
Focus on The Audience
To ensure that the end-user has a great experience using your application, you must first know who they are and what they like. Take a look at the demographic that your app caters to. What are the preferences of the candidates? What kind of other applications do they use that are similar to yours?
In some cases, you will have to consider regional differences and their implications to make changes. The goal is to take cues, understand their needs, wants and create something that they will be tempted to use.
Cater to The Colorblind, The Visually and Hearing Impaired
A common mistake made by developers is using red for any cancellation message and green for approval-based responses. While this may seem fine for the average user, those with colorblindness will have difficulty distinguishing between two colors. It’s important to use different shapes and figures rather than solely rely on color to differentiate between elements.
Using alternative text and captions in videos can help those with hearing impairments determine what is being said. An app can be made accessible for the visually impaired by adding text to speech options, letting them know what is on the screen and in contact upon touching.
Easy to Understand
Various factors combine to make an app easy to use and understand. The text should be easy to read, following mobile standards provided by either Google or Apple, depending on the platform. Miller’s Law, which states that short-term memory can store a bare minimum of 5 things at once, should be observed. Rather than overloading the screen with an abundance of buttons, go with fewer, properly-sized ones. Less is more.
Galalee Software Solutions focus on creating accessible, easy to use products to help veterinary practices take advantage of the digital landscape. We provide custom desktop application development services, software consultation and testing, network consulting services and cloud solutions. To learn more about our services, reach out to us today.
