Website Audits

Why do I need a website audit?

A website audit will assess the visibility, usability and accessibility of your website.

What is website accessibility?

As a website owner you have a responsibility to ensure your website design does not discriminate against disabled visitors to your site. The DDA does not specifically address website design standards but it does make reference to the provision of any service, such as a website.

"It is unlawful for a provider of services to discriminate against a disabled person - in refusing to provide, or deliberately not providing, to the disabled person any service which he provides, or is prepared to provide, to members of the public; in failing to comply with any duty imposed on him by section 21 in circumstances in which the effect of that failure is to make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for the disabled person to make use of any such service; in the standard of service which he provides to the disabled person or the manner in which he provides it to him... For the purposes of this section and sections 20 and 21 - the provision of services includes the provision of any goods or facilities". DDA 1995, Part III, Section 19

A web accessibility audit is an expert evaluation of your website against accessibility guidelines and standards. Complying with these standards ensures that a wider group of people can use your website.

How will a website audit improve my website?

Improving a website's visibility, usability and accessibility has the benefit of ensuring that information is available to the widest possible audience as well as a number of other overall website and business benefits:

• Search engines can more accurately index the content of accessible websites, which often results in higher ranking and greater frequency of valid matches to search queries.
• Improved potential for online sales. Disabled people are consumers and shoppers. When you consider the difficulties that High Street shopping presents to people with impaired mobility or sight, it isn't surprising that many prefer to shop online, on accessible websites.
• Improved overall usability for more accessible and easier to use web pages for all users.
• Brand equity is increased.
• Easier maintenence of the website as a whole.
• Reduced risk of costly legal settlements, litigation and potential loss of business.

A website audit will assess and provide feedback, including action points, on the following aspects:

Usability
Page architecture
Content layout
Text
Use of graphics
Use of fonts

Accessibility
Site performance across different web browsers such as Opera, Firefox and Internet Explorer
Accessibility of information to disabled site users
Compliance with standards, including code validation

Visibility to search engines
Current search engine performance
Page meta-tagging (Meta tags are used by search engines in indexing sites)
Other factors affecting your search engine ranking (including use of headings, page titles etc)

Methodology for website audits

A website audit is carried out by an experienced web designer with accessibility knowledge. In addition to the large number of human checks, a number of programs are utilised during the audit:

• Colour blind analyser
• CSS and JavaScript analysers
• HTML validator
• Web Accessibility Toolbar

Websites are tested against best practice guidelines as set down by the W3C, and in-house experience. The tests cover most special needs groups, such as blind and partially sighted, deaf, learning difficulties, the elderly, dyslexic and mobility impaired users.

Please see my portfolio for organisations that have already commissioned a website audit, or for more information or to book an audit please contact me.