The aim of the Usability Exchange is to improve the accessibility and usability of all websites, large or small. It was set up to address a number of problems with existing methods of tackling accessibility/usability issues:

• Automated accessibility tools may not highlight all accessibility or usability issues with a website – real end user testing may highlight accessibility/usability issues missed by automated tools.
• Many organisations are keen to test their content with disabled end users but find it difficult or inconvenient to do so.
• There is a significant pool of talent, experience and expertise among disabled internet users that is currently underused.

The Usability Exchange provides a straightforward way for organisations to test their content with disabled end users and offers a number of advantages over existing solutions:

• Simple to use
  Organisations or testers can register with the Usability Exchange quickly and easily. Organisations can create new tests tailored to specific end user groups and can submit these tests to users in minutes. They can then track the progress of their tests in real time.
• Cost-effective
  Registration with the Usability Exchange is FREE for both organisations and testers. Organisations can select low-cost introduction tests or more complex usability tests, depending on their time and budget. Organisations can now conduct regular accessibility/usability tests cost-effectively.
• Transparent and flexible pricing
  Organisations can select testers according to the price they charge and can see exactly what they are paying for when they submit a test to end users*.
• Quality control
  The Usability Exchange independently rates testers according to the quality of their responses. High-quality testers will receive better ratings and more testing work.
• Customised user groups
  Organisations can select different target user groups based on specific properties, eg. visually impaired or dyslexic*. They can further customize this user group by selecting specific testers according to price, number of tests completed or other properties*.
• Detailed reporting
  All webpage accesses are logged so organisations can see exactly which links in their content users have selected. All responses to tests are also logged including the date and time that each response was made.
• User expertise
  Organisations can communicate directly with testers to resolve specific accessibility or usability issues.
• Flexible income for testers
  End users can carry out testing at a time that suits them and can do as much or as little testing as they wish. They can leave a test half way through and return to it at a later date.

Next steps…

• Register as a tester or an organisation
• Find out more about setting up tests or completing tests
• Frequently asked questions

General information

The Usability Exchange has been developed by Knowfaster.com, the company behind PhoneAnything. PhoneAnything delivers voice access to internet content through any telephone and was the first company in the UK to launch a comprehensive phone information service (July 2001). PhoneAnything main phone service provides phone access to web pages, WAP pages, streaming audio and e-mail and offers truly mobile access to the internet from any phone.

Knowfaster.com/UsabilityExchange is a member of the UK Usability Professionals Association and the British Dyslexia Association and was on the review panel for the BSI’s “PAS 78: Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible websites”.

 

* Advanced tests only