This page provides an overview of the accessibility standards supported by InsightHub, plus recommendations on how to design research tasks and platform content in an inclusive manner.
As part of our mission to empower modern research, product and marketing teams, FlexMR is committed to making the InsightHub platform as accessible as possible. We aim to create an equitable and inclusive experience, reflecting the diverse needs of our clients and the broad range of participants that take part in research activities.
On this page, you'll find a summary of the steps our team have taken to build an accessible platform - including compatibility with screen readers, magnifiers, speech recognition software and hardware peripherals. You'll also find advice on how to create research activities which take into account important accessibility considerations, and how to make aesthetic choices that enable inclusive participation.
Accessibility Standards
FlexMR aims for triple compliant status across the web, mobile site and app versions of the InsightHub platform. To support this, all features of the core survey tool that are displayed to participants are tested with Google Lighthouse, an automated accessibility checker, before
release.
We are continuously working to improve accessibility throughout the platform. Important steps we have taken to ensure surveys are as accessible as possible, and score above 90% via Lighthouse, include:
- Ensuring the HTML language tag is set on all pages by default to improve the experience for people using screen readers and other assistive technologies
- Requiring alt tags (titles) to be set on all images uploaded as part of a survey
- Implementing sequential ordering of on-page items so that surveys can be completed with keyboard or alternative hardware peripherals alone
The platform is also compatible with mobile and assistive hardware to support varying user needs.
Guiding Principles
Our approach to accessibility is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG
2.1). This means adhering to the following principles:
Perceivable - Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive, for example they can see the content or hear it.
Operable - User interface components and navigation must be operable for example, so people can use the platform by typing, or speaking.
Understandable - Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable, for example, language should be clear.
Robust - Content must be robust enough that it can be reliably interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including different assistive technologies.
Design Recommendations
We aim to deliver an accessible experience to all users of InsightHub - including administrators and research participants. To achieve this, InsightHub offers a range of customisation options to suit various access needs.
Our design recommendations are inspired and guided by the UK government standards - focusing on users with neurodivergence, limited vision, physical and motor disabilities, and those who are hard of hearing.
There are some simple steps that can be taken to ensure your InsightHub platform remains open and inclusive to all.
| Do | Don't |
| + Use a simple colour palette + Write in simple sentences + Make buttons descriptive + Follow a linear, logical layout + Combine colour, shape & text + Make clickable elements large |
+ Use figures of speech + Rely on text for structure + Write uninformative text + Hide information in files + Bunch interactions closely + Require quick precision |
We have broken down specific guidance from our insight and design teams on how to create a visually accessible platform and research tasks.
Visual Platform Design
InsightHub includes a powerful set of branding and customisation options that enable our clients to design custom research spaces. In order to ensure your InsightHub is widely accessible, our team recommend:- Implementing widgets on home and project pages with standardised sizing, padding and
adequate white space. - Ensuring adequate colour contrast, especially between text and backgrounds. To create visual
designs that are readable by those with visual impairments, we recommend following the
WCAG contrast ratio guideline.
- Large text, defined as 14 pt bold/18 pt regular and above, should have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against the background it is placed on.
- Icons and other critical elements should also use the recommended contrast ratios. The WebAIM Color Contrast Checker can be used to quickly find out if designs are within the recommended range.
- Avoid colour as the only means of communicating information (such as indicating action, prompting or distinguishing an item). Consider using icons or patterns to complement colour as an indicator.
- Choose fonts and weights that are legible. Sans-serif is best for accessibility due to proportional spacing and minor ornamentations. Also avoid weights below 200 or above 600 in thickness.
Research Design
The InsightHub platform and individual research tools are designed to be intuitive and easy to
use. However, when designing or programming activities that must have specific accessibility
considerations, we recommend:
- Using questions that are compatible with screen readers and similar software. In SurveyMR, the following question types meet this criteria: single and multiple choice, scale, single choice and multiple choice grids, text, information, number range, constant sum, video booths.
- If using a question type with a drag and drop interface, such as ranking questions or card
sort select, categorise and associate - consider adding a skip option or alternative format. - Try to present a limited amount of information on any one screen. On grid questions, try to limit the number of options to no more than ten on any axis.
- When uploading images to the platform, as part of a research task or as static content, include a detailed description (title) for those with visual impairments or using screen readers.
- Across all research tasks, including surveys, focus groups and smartboards - include simple
and complete descriptions of the task, as well as a summary of the possible answer options. - Ensure that all questions are easy to understand and use clear language.
- The same aesthetic considerations that apply to platform design should also be considered for individual research tasks.
Other Resources and Information
The AbilityNet website provides guidance to make computers more accessible, enabling users to make the most of the internet whatever their ability. It offers help with seeing the screen, using a keyboard and mouse, hearing sounds, and with reading.
The advice offered by AbilityNet is supported by a combination of hardware and software, including the use of a modern browser. For the best experience, please keep browsers and any specialised software or hardware up-to-date.
For further information on platform and research design, the Web Accessibility Initiative provides detailed guidance on making digital experiences accessible to people with disabilities.
For further assistance, please refer to the InsightHub Help Centre or contact the FlexMR Client Support team via support@flexmr.net.
You can also download this guide as a PDF for quick reference here.