Based on the above regulations, many companies and organizations—particularly within public administration—are increasingly requiring that their surveys comply with universal design standards.

Quality Assurance and Adaptation

At MI Pro, we often receive inquiries from our customers about what it takes and how best to comply with these regulations. A common question is: "Does your software meet the requirements for universal design?"

The simple answer is yes – our software platform includes everything needed to meet these requirements. However, going from having the right tools to actually creating a universally designed survey isn’t as simple as pressing a button. Through multiple projects, we have assisted our customers with both knowledge and quality assurance to help them take those final steps toward true universal design.

Through a new and unique collaboration with MediaLT, we can now offer our customers access to quality assurance, adaptation, and knowledge transfer—ensuring that your organization is well-equipped to implement universal design right away.

What Does It Take to Adapt Surveys for Universal Design?

The most common adaptation is making surveys more accessible for respondents with visual impairments. Around 20% of people (at least in Norway, i.e., potential respondents) have one or more vision impairments. By adapting surveys accordingly, you can improve both representativity and response quality.

A simple way to view your survey from a new perspective is to put yourself in the shoes of a visually impaired respondent and imagine using a screen reader or text-to-speech application. Key considerations include:

• Proper use of ARIA tags (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) to ensure correct labeling and navigation.
• Stylesheet design: Are colors and contrasts appropriately chosen for readability?
• Avoiding confusing question structures: Limiting complex combinations or multiple questions on a single page.
• Text placement and order: Where should text elements be positioned? What is the correct sequence for instructions, questions, and answers?
• Matrix questions: How can they be structured to make sense for visually impaired users?
• Alternative text for images and illustrations: Ensuring descriptions convey the same meaning as the visuals.
• Conditional logic and filters: Should instructions, images, or filters be adjusted based on WCAG requirements?

How Can We Work Together to Improve Survey Accessibility?

A collaboration with us will naturally follow three key phases, ensuring a seamless process for you as our customer:

1. Quality assurance and adaptation of existing surveys
2. Development of standard elements and libraries + knowledge transfer
3. Ongoing quality assurance of surveys

By working together, we can ensure that your surveys are accessible, inclusive, and effective for all respondents.

1. Quality Assurance and Adaptation of Existing Surveys

Starting with an already programmed survey, MI Pro will review it with universal design in mind. We will then collaborate with you to make the first set of adjustments.

Next, MediaLT will conduct a critical review of the survey. Based on their feedback, MI Pro will implement further refinements in an iterative process with MediaLT, ensuring the survey fully meets WCAG requirements.

2. Development of Standard Elements and Libraries + Knowledge Transfer & Training

Building on the quality assurance process, MI Pro will develop a set of standard elements for reuse, including:

• Stylesheets for accessible design.
• Standardized question formats to ensure clarity and inclusivity.
• Specially adapted questions for improved accessibility.

We will also focus on knowledge transfer, ensuring that your team gains the skills needed to design and program accessible surveys independently.

3. Ongoing Quality Assurance of Surveys

Even with a library of accessible elements, some surveys may require additional quality checks. Together with MediaLT, we offer seamless extra control to ensure your surveys meet accessibility standards.

Our experience shows that a final quality check is always beneficial—especially for critical surveys. And as always, we make collaboration simple: You do what you want – we’ll handle the rest.