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Accessibility

Definition

“Accessibility ensures that all people—regardless of ability—can interact with the information or services you provide. […] Digital accessibility ensures everyone can perceive, understand, navigate and interact with information on the internet, regardless of ability.” This goes for both the research you make available to others, as well as what resources are accessible to yourself.

Definition source: Case Western Reserve University (n.d.). What is Accessibility?

Stakes

part of: discrimination, Opacity

related to: availability

Ensuring equal accessibility to your research (data) is a core part of creating responsible research, because it allows for knowledge to be fairly shared.

Where does it occur in the lifecycle?

2 - Collection

5 - Preserve & Share

Questions to consider throughout your work

  • What sources are available (e.g. only written sources, no oral sources; only governmental reports, no personal histories)?
  • In what way does a lack of availability of sources skew your dataset (e.g. do you only have data on certain communities and not others)?
  • Who is included/excluded from data access and why?
  • Does your interface consider the digital divide?

Examples

Good-better-best practices

Good Better Best
Consider different forms of publication (blog posts, visualisations, imagery) to allow different audiences to access your information. Actively seek out feedback about how accessible your datasets are and make necessary changes. Consider different contexts your audiences may be in: does your data need a stable internet connection and is that available everywhere? Does it need a powerful computer and will your audiences have access to those? Adapt your outputs accordingly.
Make your datasets downloadable in various document types: e.g. csv and excel. Consider all forms of accessibility that you may need to address. This could mean making your work accessible for persons with Autism, color blindness, ADHD etc.

Resources