Imagine this: you’re filling out a survey and come across a question instructing you to answer 1 for Yes and 0 for No. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the instructions are at the top of the page, and when you scroll to answer some of the questions, you’ve lost sight of what 1 and 0 means.
Why is this an accessibility fail?
Memory Burden: Not everyone can remember instructions after scrolling, especially those with cognitive disabilities or short-term memory challenges.
Screen Readers: For people using assistive technologies, the separation between the instructions and the input field creates confusion. By the time they navigate to the input, the context might be lost.
Universal Design: It’s frustrating and time-consuming to repeatedly scroll up and down to confirm what the numbers mean.
You can improve this type of survey by:
1. Placing clear labels next to each input (e.g., “1 = Yes, 0 = No”).
2. Better yet, use intuitive design and replace numbers with a combo box or radio buttons labeled “Yes” and “No.”
3. Group the questions by topic.
4. Use headers and field groups to break them up for screen reader users.
5. Only display five or six at a time so people don’t get overwhelmed and bail out.
6. Ensure instructions remain visible or are repeated near the question for easy reference.
Accessibility isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s critical to ensure everyone can participate. Don’t let bad design create barriers and invalidate your survey results.
Alt: A screen shot of a survey containing numerous questions with an instructing you to answer 1 for Yes and 0 for No. The instruction is written at the top and it gets lost when you scroll down to answer other questions.