My Framer Site

The Path to Inclusive News

Meet Newslaundry

Newslaundry is an independent news platform from India that provides detailed analysis of social and political issues. It prioritizes accessibility, aiming to make its content easily usable for all readers.

Project Overview

This is a collaborative, client-based User Research Project focused on improving accessibility for Newslaundry's platform.

UX researcher

Role:

Duration:

3 Months

Axe Accessibility Checker, Color Contrast Analyzer, WAVE

UX Research Report, Hi-Fidelity Redesign Prototype

Tools:

Deliverables:

The problem

Despite Newslaundry’s efforts to provide quality news content, the platform lacked the necessary accessibility features to serve users with disabilities with better user experience.

How do we ensure that users with disabilities can engage meaningfully with Newslaundry’s content?

“My biggest problem with dyslexia is misreading words. So, if the text is really tight or small, it gets a lot harder to find my spot... blocks of text are just exhausting.”

User Interviewee 1

User Interviewee 2

“Sometimes poorly structured content or images without description can be challenging. I have to open and close the reader multiple times, which is quite annoying.”

Building Insights:

Research Methods Overview

60% of users had difficulties with content contrast and font size across different pages.

Surveyed 50 participants using stratified sampling.Asked about accessibility features, news consumption habits, and challenges with digital platforms.

User Interviews

Survey

Comparative Analysis

Heuristic Evaluation

Usability Testing

Conducted six 25-minute interviews with users with diverse accessibility needs (visual impairments, dyslexia, cognitive/hearing disabilities).

Analyzed 8 competing platforms using automated tools (WAVE, Axe) and manual methods to assess accessibility. Compared features like multimedia content, keyboard navigation, and accessibility tools.

Conducted a heuristic evaluation using Nielsen Norman’s 10 Usability Heuristics and Deque Systems’ Accessibility Heuristics.

onducted usability tests with 5 participants who had varying accessibility needs.Observed interactions with key tasks (e.g., subscribing to the platform) using accessibility tools like screen readers and keyboard navigation.

Approach:

Key Insight:

Users struggled with navigation due to unlabeled buttons and inconsistent accessibility features.

Newslaundry lagged in keyboard navigation and screen reader support compared to competitors.

Unlabeled buttons, poor color contrast, and inconsistent focus indicators.

Users with screen readers found inconsistent labeling in the navigation, creating friction during key tasks.

Expanding Customization Options

Expanding

customization features

Grouping

content categories

Visualizing

the effect of the adjustments

Limited customization options and inefficient use of space

Problem:

Navigation Issues Were Universal

No matter the disability, every participant struggled with finding the content they wanted. The website’s inconsistent layout and lack of clear filters made searching for relevant news a challenge. This wasn’t just an inconvenience—it was a barrier to accessing information

From Insights to Actions:

Hi-Fidality Re-design

Shaping the Future:

What We Learned and What’s Next

This project opened my eyes to the importance of accessibility in design. It’s now a key consideration in all my projects, ensuring inclusivity from the start. My first deep dive into UX research transformed how I approach design. By understanding user needs through interviews and testing, I now prioritize accessibility in every design decision.

We will continue testing Newslaundry’s platform to improve accessibility and gather user feedback to create a truly inclusive experience. Accessibility will remain a core focus in all my future work.

Customization is Key to Accessibility

As customization was a critical need for users, we recommended expanding the customization features, allowing users to adjust font sizes, line spacing, color contrast, and other settings to tailor the platform to their individual needs.