DesignChecker: Visual Design Support for Blind and Low Vision Web Developers

TL;DR

DesignChecker is a browser extension that aids blind and low vision web developers in evaluating and improving their website designs by comparing against guidelines and reference sites, addressing usability and aesthetic challenges.

Contribution

This paper introduces DesignChecker, a novel tool that supports BLV developers in assessing and enhancing web design quality through visual guideline comparisons and targeted suggestions.

Findings

Participants identified more design errors with DesignChecker

Participants found the tool useful and expressed enthusiasm for future use

DesignChecker effectively highlights violations and suggests CSS improvements

Abstract

Blind and low vision (BLV) developers create websites to share knowledge and showcase their work. A well-designed website can engage audiences and deliver information effectively, yet it remains challenging for BLV developers to review their web designs. We conducted interviews with BLV developers (N=9) and analyzed 20 websites created by BLV developers. BLV developers created highly accessible websites but wanted to assess the usability of their websites for sighted users and follow the design standards of other websites. They also encountered challenges using screen readers to identify illegible text, misaligned elements, and inharmonious colors. We present DesignChecker, a browser extension that helps BLV developers improve their web designs. With DesignChecker, users can assess their current design by comparing it to visual design guidelines, a reference website of their choice, or a set of similar websites. DesignChecker also identifies the specific HTML elements that violate design guidelines and suggests CSS changes for improvements. Our user study participants (N=8) recognized more visual design errors than using their typical workflow and expressed enthusiasm about using DesignChecker in the future.