Human factors
Unpacking human factors
For consideration
Human factors focus on access, understanding, and engagement.
Suggested approach
Examine how people with diverse capabilities perceive and interact with the product for improved access and engagement.
Visual
How might someone who had limited or no vision:
- Experience video-therapy?
- Experience “a picture” if suggested in a blog post on anxiety.
- Experience product onboarding or a sales presentation?
For consideration
Some standard ways of supporting people with visual differences include accommodating colour contrast, including descriptions for images, and supporting zooming and screen readers.
Audible
How might someone who had limited or no hearing:
- Experience a support video without subtitles
- Experience “soothing music” if suggested in the content of a blog post on stress
- Experience sounds as notifications without visual cues
For consideration
An example of how to serve people with auditory differences or situational needs is by providing closed captioning and transcripts.
Physical
How might someone with different physical abilities
- Experience content that promotes activity but does not provide accessible alternatives
- Experience ableist language, images, or illustrations that do not reflect physical diversity
Neurological
How might someone with neurodiversity:
- Focus on long-format text articles
- Save content to review, re-read
- Safely identify their unique condition with a therapist, and stay engaged during sessions.
- Language and reading level
Suggested approach
Set a reading level baseline that is accessible to most employees (grade 6 is a typical standard for public services).
Suggested approach
Ensure content is provided through multiple means of access/different formats.
I.e., video, audio, text and infographics, contrast and text variances.
For consideration
Additional considerations include information architecture, interface layouts, and more.
Mental state
- From open to agitated, through to being in crisis, how will product experience, language, and objectives be received across these different states?
Suggested approach
Following web standards best practices and validating with users who require different modes of interaction covers most considerations for:
- visual
- audible
- physical