accesibilidad

Open data should be inherently accessible, meaning it must be available for free and without barriers that could restrict access and reuse. Accessibility is a fundamental and complex issue because it means that these data sets should not only be available in reusable formats but also that anyone should be able to access and interpret them.

To ensure that access to open data is democratic, it must meet fundamental accessibility criteria that affect both the platform (web) and the way its content is displayed (e.g., through visualizations). In this context, this post delves into the essential principles to ensure that open data is inclusive and useful for a diverse audience. Discover recommendations aimed at improving the accessibility of open data portals and platforms, as well as best practices for data visualization, with a focus on the importance of inclusive design that considers the needs of all users.

Levels of Web Accessibility

When focusing on the platform, open data portals can refer to the web accessibility specifications identified by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the leading international organization for web standardization, which sets guidelines for web accessibility that a website should meet.

1. Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented to users in ways they can perceive, regardless of any physical or cognitive disabilities they might have.

2. Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable. Therefore, users who use the keyboard instead of the mouse must be able to interact correctly with a webpage; no time limit should be imposed on users to complete interactions, and there should be ways to navigate and find content easily.

3. Understandable: Text must be clear and easy to understand, the user interface and navigation must be consistent and predictable, and webpages must help users when they make mistakes filling out a form, for example.

4. Robust: Content must be robust enough to be reliably interpreted by a variety of web browsers and other software, such as screen readers.

Each guideline has compliance criteria that can be tested. These criteria are classified into three levels: A, AA, AAA. The levels, from least to most, are:

• A (Minimum): All non-text content like images and videos must have textual alternatives; videos and audios must have subtitles; navigation should be possible using only the keyboard; the page must have a clear title and assigned language.
• AA (Acceptable): In addition to all level A requirements, other functionalities are added, such as live videos also having subtitles; the contrast ratio between text and background must be at least 4.5:1; text must be resizable up to 200% without losing content or functionality; text images should not be used.
• AAA (Optimal): This level requires all the features of levels A and AA, along with other requirements such as sign language interpretation for videos or a contrast ratio between text and background of at least 7:1.

Accessible Open Data Websites and Visualizations

Considering the conditions and recommendations set by W3C, the European Open Data Portal offers a Data Visualization Guide that includes best practices for accessibility in data visualization. Following the guidelines of this Guide, to respect inclusivity from the design stage, a good data visualization must meet three conditions: it must be perceivable, understandable, and adaptable.

• Perceivable: Colors must be adapted for people with vision problems, and the font size and contrast must be adequate.

• Understandable: The interface must be user-friendly and intuitive. Whenever possible, the graphic should be understandable regardless of the user's background.

• Adaptable: The visualization must be responsive, meaning it adapts to the dimensions of each electronic device, flexible, editable, or with viewing options for people with cognitive disabilities.

Once these three conditions are identified, we can analyze if our graphic meets them by paying attention to issues such as the use of an appropriate color palette for people with vision problems, good contrast, and understandable titles and text. It is also advisable to include alternative text (adapted for people with intellectual disabilities) and, when necessary, a visualization guide to understand the graphic.

Tools to Improve Accessibility

To apply accessibility principles in data visualization, we can use three resources:

• Accessibility Audit Tools: Conducting accessibility audits is a good practice, for example, using Chartability which analyzes websites considering all aspects related to inclusion.

• HTML: The fundamental web markup language was developed with accessibility in mind, so using its elements semantically correctly is a simple way to ensure a basic level of accessibility. This applies to the context of a visualization (which should use elements like headers and paragraphs correctly, for example), interactive elements (like links, buttons, and inputs), and the elements of a visualization itself. It is better to offer a visualization in HTML than in image format (jpg or png) whenever possible. When not possible, it is necessary to provide an accessible alternative (an alternative text, as mentioned earlier).

  • SVG: Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a format for two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and animated, in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, meaning it is composed of code and its specification is an open standard developed by W3C to generate accessible graphics.

• Datawrapper: Among many data visualization tools, Datawrapper offers the possibility to test accessible color palettes and write alternative descriptions, among other accessibility-related functions.

In summary, data visualization is a method to make a data set and its visualizations more accessible. Taking these accessibility tips into account and incorporating them by default into the design when presenting a data set visually will enrich the result and reach a wider audience.

Content developed based on the Data Visualization Guide from the European Open Data Portal: https://data.europa.eu/apps/data-visualisation-guide/accessibility-of-data-visualisation

Close your eyes and try to get on without seeing what is around you. Seat you in a wheelchair and determine if it is easy to access public transport and visit your favourite restaurant.

Perhaps you have not tried to live these experiences, but you could imagine the result. Public administrations are making an effort to make our environment more accessible, but it is true that there is still work to be done and people with disabilities face barriers that limit their movements.

To try to make these daily situations easier, simple applications have emerged in recent years that provide useful information about the environment using open data. The objective: to make the daily life of people with disabilities easier.

Here are some examples:

• Lazzus is an assistant created by Neosentec that accompanies blind and visually impaired people in their daily journeys, creating an auditory field of vision. The application provides relevant information about the environment, such as the situation of crosswalks, crossroads, stairs, nearby establishments, etc. Simply point a direction with the mobile to inform you about the elements around. It also allows you to customize searches, activating filters or saving frequent points as favourites.
• Mapcesible is an initiative of Fundación Telefónica, COCEMFE and ILUNION. It is a collaborative platform that allows mapping the accessibility of different places so that people with reduced mobility can plan their daily trips. Information is obtained in two ways. The application incorporates 14 datasets from official bodies such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment or different municipalities. In addition, any citizen, with or without reduced mobility, can assess the accessibility of the places they visit. They just have to register with an email and answer a series of simple questions that allow to quickly define how accessible a place is. Some examples of questions are “Is it close to public transport?” or “Has it an adapted toilet?”. There are currently more than 22,000 mapped spaces.
• Disable park is a web platform and mobile application created by 3dids, which offers all available information on the exact location of parking spaces for people with reduced mobility. Its objective is not only to improve the day-to-day life of people with reduced mobility and their companions, but also seeks to raise awareness among companies and individuals through the “sponsorship of places”: users who wish can pay an amount per year to put their name, or a friend´s name, to a parking space. The application also allows to report when a place is occupied by a vehicle without accreditation or add new parking spaces that were not previously mapped in the application.
• Sin barreras is a web application consisting of a search engine for accessible spaces, adapted parking lots and architectural barriers. The user only has to enter a location or short description to see the results or add new elements not previously included in the application. Sinbarrera.es received a grant in the form of a Project Construction Grant from the Youth Initiative Cabinet of the Junta de Extremadura, and was also awarded with the Otaex Universal Accessibility Award 2012.

These 4 examples of applications demonstrate what can be done from the open data. An opportunities increase if we also enrich the public data available with the information collected by anonymous citizens through citizen science initiatives. All this information not only help people with disabilities to move in an easier way, but it can also help to determine the gaps and take the necessary measures to get cities without barriers.

Do you know more examples of applications that can improve the lives of people with disabilities? Tell us in the comments.

Lostium Project develops applications and digital tools to make life easier for citizens and solve specific problems of the companies that hire their services. In their founder´s words, "after more than 10 years developing technological solutions in diverse sectors (such as financial, telecommunications or retail), we decided to create Lostium Project to manage the full life cycle of the projects".

The diversity of roles facilitates the integral execution of their projects: from the conceptualization and design to the development, the elaboration of the copy or the illustrations. Part of their work is also dedicated to the development of their own projects, experimenting with technology: they use open source software, reuse public information (open data) and integrate maps and positioning technologies (global and proximity), among other issues. In addition, they like to explore the social use of technology through collaborative projects, creating communities, integrating social networks, etc.