How can I check if my mother can actually use my website?

✓ Accepted answer

Check if your mother can use your website by performing a simple heuristic evaluation specifically designed for older adults, focusing on visual clarity and cognitive load rather than speed or complex coding metrics.

• Apply the Silver Review Protocol: Ensure your design aligns with accessibility standards, such as maintaining a minimum font size of 18 pixels and a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, which helps older eyes with reduced accommodation. Use high-contrast color schemes to avoid relying solely on color to convey information.
• Use Automated Accessibility Scanners: Run your pages through free tools like WAVE or AXE, which are widely used to detect non-semantic HTML, missing alt attributes, and improper landmark regions that screen readers or cognitive assistive technologies might miss.
• Implement Plain Language Testing: Use a readability checker to ensure your text is at a sixth-grade reading level or lower. Older adults often process information slower, so avoiding jargon and using short, direct sentences significantly reduces cognitive fatigue.
• Observe Unassisted Navigation: Have your mother attempt to find a specific page, like contact information or an event schedule, without any verbal instructions. Time her task completion and note where she hesitates, indicating unclear labels or hidden interactive elements.
• Check Touch Targets and Zooming: Verify that buttons and links are at least 44 by 44 pixels to accommodate tremors or reduced fine motor control. Additionally, ensure the site layout does not break when users zoom to 200 percent, a common requirement for low-vision users as recommended by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

admin · 2026-10-02 08:11:38