Mobile Accessibility Guidelines

The BBC Mobile Accessibility Guidelines are a set of technology agnostic best practices for mobile web content, hybrid and native apps.

The Guidelines are based on the requirements of bbc.co.uk content developed for UK audiences and for use with the technology commonly available in the UK. They are intended as a standard for BBC employees and suppliers to follow, however, they can also be referenced by anyone involved in mobile development.

The Guidelines are intended for use by anyone involved with the design, development or testing of mobile web and mobile web apps including, but not limited to content producers, user experience designers, information architects, developers and testers.

The Guidelines are organised into 11 topics. Each is listed with HTML, Android and iOS techniques, examples and evaluation criteria.

Definitions

Guidelines categorised as must or must not are best practices that can easily be tested with specific criteria that is not subjective and is technologically possible to achieve with current assistive technology on mobile devices.

Guidelines categorised as should or should not are less testable but considered core to accessible mobile website and apps.

Licensing and reuse

You can use the BBC Accessibility Standards and Guidelines under an Open Government Licence for Public Sector Information.

Details can be found on the National Archives website.

References

BBC

• BBC Global Experience Language (GEL) - The GEL guidelines are a reference point for designing BBC services across Web, Mobile, iPTV and Tablet
• BBC Editorial Guidelines - the editorial guidelines provide a reference point for online content

General

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 – the definitive set of guidelines for building accessible content from the W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative
• Mobile Website Guidelines – published by the University of Austin.
• Funka Mobile Accessibility Guidelines – published by Funka Nu

Android

• Designing for accessibility - published by Android developers and covers apps

iOS

• Understanding accessibility for iOS – Apple’s guidance on making iOS apps accessible

Editors

• Emma Pratt Richens, BBC
• Gareth Ford Williams, BBC
• Jamie Knight, BBC
• Michael Mathews, BBC
• Rebecca Nancarrow, BBC

Contributors

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback and comments. Main contributors included:

• Birkir Gunnarsson, European Blind Union Access to Information Commission
• David Birdsall, BBC
• Hannah Bunce, BBC
• Henny Swann, TGP
• Ian Pouncy, TPG
• Jan Richards, Inclusive Design Research Centre, Ocad University
• Jonathan Avilla, SSB Bart Group
• Kenton Price, Little Fluffy Toys LTD
• Matt Bryson, IMI Mobile
• Nigel Megitt, BBC
• Richard Groves, Noodlefroot
• Suzanne Clarke, BBC
• Tim Heyes, IMI Mobile
• And over 150 past and present BBC Accessibility Champions.