Accessibility audit for Liveto event platform

Liveto Group is a growth company based in Jyväskylä, Finland, that started its operations in 2015. Liveto offers a comprehensive event platform that includes essential tools for organizing live, virtual, hybrid, and webinar events. Liveto enhances events with impactful, clear, and user-friendly event tools and applications.

“Collaboration with Hurja was fast and reliable. We are truly satisfied with the service and reporting provided by Hurja.”

-Mikko Huuhka, Product Manager, Liveto Group Oy

Requirement

With Liveto, event organizers don’t need multiple software solutions for event management. Organizers can accomplish everything they need through a single platform. Whether it’s event management, registration, ticket sales, feedback surveys, webinars, or virtual events, Liveto is the one-stop solution. Liveto’s unique event platform stands out by combining all the essential tools under one roof.

Liveto needed an accessibility audit for three of its services:

  1. Event website (events.liveto.io)
  2. Webinar platform (demo)
  3. Event application (PWA application* (demo))

The webinar platform and event application were already in use when the audit project started. The audit focused on the accessible demo versions of these applications during their development phase.

The Liveto webinar platform and event application are relatively similar products implemented with different technologies. The webinar platform is a browser-based platform for interactive virtual and hybrid events. The event application also functions in the browser but can be downloaded as a mobile app from an app store.

*PWA (Progressive Web App) is a web application designed to resemble a mobile app as closely as possible. The app can be published and downloaded from the Google Play Store.

The applications included interactive features such as surveys and chat functionality. The webinar platform and event application also allow users to participate in live streaming, engage in chat conversations, or join video calls during events. These functionalities also needed to be audited from an accessibility perspective.

Solution and implementation

The project involved conducting accessibility audits based on WCAG 2.1 AA criteria for Liveto’s three event platform products. The client only needed to provide user accounts for testing purposes, enabling the auditor to examine the event website’s purchase history, for example, without having to make any actual purchases. The audits tested various recurring templates and all essential processes, such as ticket purchasing and account creation. The views and functionalities for logged-in users were also tested.

In the project kickoff meeting, the audit start date was agreed upon, and the client’s concerns and questions were addressed. The meeting also discussed the project’s progression, as well as the type of documents the client would receive at the end of the accessibility audit project. The accessibility audit began with the broadest service, the event website, and went through all 50 AA-level accessibility criteria, one page/screen at a time. Some testing was automated, while others were performed manually.

The event website, webinar platform, and event application were audited on both desktop and mobile devices. The event website’s entire purchase process, including account creation and user account features after logging in, was audited. During the purchase process audit, areas for improvement were identified regarding keyboard and screen reader usage. The screen reader did not read the payment options, and it was not possible to access different options using the keyboard, which prevented users from buying tickets through these means. The webinar platform and event application had many different auditable functionalities compared to the event website, such as chat, video call, and live streaming capabilities.

The identified deficiencies and suggested improvements in accessibility auditing were documented in a report using screenshots and code examples. The report also included links to sources for further reference. Based on these, Hurja or the client’s developers can easily fix the identified accessibility issues. Separate reports were created for each audited product to facilitate the process of addressing the deficiencies. At the end of the project, a joint meeting was held with the client’s developers to present the results of the report in an easily understandable summary. The deficiencies in the report were categorized into critical, significant, and minor issues. At least one specific example was provided for each deficiency.

Benefits

The results of the accessibility audit and the final meeting provided significant benefits to the client in improving the accessibility of their services. Liveto received reports, accessibility statements, and summaries that assist in addressing the identified accessibility issues. Additionally, separate summaries and slide presentations of the services facilitate internal presentation of the results. The client gained a comprehensive overview of the accessibility of their services and the existing deficiencies, which helps in improving them further. The virtual applause from Liveto’s team members indicates that the meetings and reports were genuinely beneficial in identifying areas for service development.

Do you also want to take care of your accessibility matters? Let’s start the journey with an accessibility audit to assess the current state of accessibility and how it can be improved. Hurja’s professionals can also address any identified accessibility issues if desired!

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