In the words of John F. Kennedy, "The time to repair the roof is while the sun is shining." This sentiment resonates deeply regarding kiosk projects, to which many might find themselves under partly cloudy skies in terms of accessibility. With the passing of the European Accessibility Act (EAA), similar rulings in Canada, Australia, Japan, and recent updates to the U.S. ADA Title II, and an imminent update to Title III - which encompasses a broad spectrum of self-service technology - we're bracing for rain.
Don’t worry though, Dolphin is here to help you build a shelter!
As active members of the Kiosk Manufacturers Association (KMA) and the KMA Accessibility Committee, Dolphin and its fellow members are working hard to share practical information with companies striving to embrace inclusivity and welcome customers who have long been overlooked by the self-service movement.
At a recent committee meeting, Craig Keefner, KMA Founder and Consultant, shared this Multi-point Checklist, which Dolphin believes is applicable globally, so we want to share it with you:
A developer’s proverb says that you can spend time planning at the beginning or fixing at the end! While you may perform a cost/benefit analysis to guide you, the liability of being inaccessible at this time in history is too great. Build accessibility into your project from the start, and continue to consider it throughout.
Ensure people can access the kiosk whether they are sitting or standing.
Operable controls must be discernible by touch.
Examples include: navigation pad, arrow keys, and other touchscreen controls.
Plugging in headphones is the standard action that triggers a speech output mode for users who are blind.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 is the current standard for web accessibility. Although principally for website design, many of these accessibility guidelines can also be applied to kiosk software development. Particular attention should be paid to colour contrast, errors, focus, labels and target size.
Speech output is required for people with visual impairments. It also benefits others by providing ways to support people with barriers to reading print - such as dyslexia, low literacy, and language learners.
If you are leveraging a mobile application as an additional way to make your self-service kiosk accessible, ensure your app meets the WCAG 2.2 guidelines.
Can the kiosk user complete every task independently? This includes biometric or other authentication, scanning, transactions, cash in and out etc.
Confirm a user’s personal information is safe when they are using the kiosk.
Consider and review depth, clearance, manoeuvrability and protruding objects on and around the kiosk.
Check the position and usability of the kiosk in daylight, to ensure the screen can be read. Also check after dark, to assess screen lighting.
Can the speech output be heard against ambient noise in the location and environment?
If the kiosk is in direct sunlight, are the controls cool enough to touch?
This should be done by independent accessibility experts. There are many organizations - both public and private - that can perform conformance testing.
Have users with and without disabilities - including deaf, visually impaired, those with physical disabilities and neurodivergence - test the kiosk and report their experiences.
Dolphin strongly recommends companies agree to a full accessibility audit of their software at the concept phase of any kiosk development project.
As well as being able to fix known accessibility issues which create a barrier for accessibility software, organizations who provide accessibility audits will provide a log of your accessibility testing outcomes.
They will also provide development targets which you can provide as proof of intent - to comply with accessibility laws - to authorities in the case of litigation.
If you're ready to improve the accessibility of your self-service kiosks, we’re happy to share our expertise!
With 30-years of innovation in the assistive technology industry, Dolphin is confident we can help you make your kiosk accessible for people who are blind or partially sighted.
Dolphin Kiosks help you protect your business and brand from litigation, so you can deliver a more positive and accessible experience to more customers.