BBC Accessibility Champions 2016/17

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News: Visual Journalism

  • Using progressive enhancement techniques to support all browsers rather than a subset.
  • Creating a library of core component building blocks with accessibility built in.
  • Using feature files to define expected behaviour.
  • (training happening across wider News teams)

Weather: design update

  • Designing for cross-platform use, TV and mobile and web.
  • Thinking about accessibility throughout, from early days to finished products.
  • Champions across team.

TV & iPlayer

  • Accessibility improvements to 'You have been watching' feature.
  • Added new Accessibility features page.
  • Improved colour contrast.
  • More testing with screen readers.
  • Components library with built in accessibility.

MyBBC: BBC account (Id)

  • v5 upgrade involved extra research with users who had additional accessibility requirements.
  • All major actions addressed.
  • 2.7 million using monthly sign-in, 90% already upgraded to v5.
  • 60% sign up success rate (better than average).
  • Can now sign in on TV.
  • Only 2 accessibility related complaints since v5 launch.

Worldwide: Story of Life app

  • Project started 2015, but no one asked about subtitles until June 2016.
  • US audience requires 508 and 21stCVAA adherance.
  • R&D script developed to match video segments and lift that portion of subtitles.
  • Changes also made to improve accessibility of navigation interface.

Internal Systems / GEL

  • GEL guide developed for staff creating email newsletters to improve accessibility.
  • Accessible design pattern in development for large tables on small screens.
  • Reith font in development, and typography task force aware of accessibility issues.

K&L: Terrific Scientific

  • Promoting science in primary schools.
  • Careful use of colour and colour contrast throughout designs.
  • Involvement of audience to ensure understanding and steer design style.
  • Lots of user research in schools and lab sessions with teachers and pupils.
  • Meaningful icons with multiple indicators for same information.
  • Map navigable with a variety of control mechanisms.

Children's: games

  • Games steering group with strong focus on accessibility.
  • Collaborating with research team and universities.
  • Collaborating with and helping agencies to learn also.
  • Accessibility helping shape road map and delivery plan.
  • Commissioned 4 prototypes of super inclusive games, eg. voice control for pitch & putt.

Content Discovery: BBC+ & VUI

  • Homepage app launched 2016.
  • Update improved accessibility and personalisation.
  • Currently working on single stream interface, doing lots of user research.
  • Ran a hack-day to explore Voice User Interfaces.
  • Opportunities for hands free experiences with suitable content as tech improves.

Sport: Date picker & Live guide

  • Working on accessible design patterns for date picker, and data tables on small screens.
  • Making changes to Live guide page to improve accessibility and latency issues.

iPlayer Mobile

  • Have developed an automated tool for testing screen reader output on Android devices.
  • Tests customisable.
  • Integrated with HIVE test suite.
  • Looking for other teams interested in using it.

Accessibility Team

  • Reported back to our champs on CSUN ATC 2017 conference (see other slide deck).
  • Thousands of delegates, 300+ exhibitors, 400+ presentations, of which 12 were by BBC staff.