Sonification as a Tool for Data Analysis: Usability and Compliance Evaluation Study

Abstract

This article presents an evaluation of accessibility, using one of the International Standard Organization guidelines (ISO 9241-171:2008, Guidance on software accessibility) to estimate if the sonification software for astronomical data published before 2017 are designed under a user-centred design framework based on the accessibility. The evaluation was carried out by scientists, degree students, and accessibility specialists. The results suggest that some of the current data analysis prototypes used by space scientists and prototypes used for accessibility do not follow user-centric design, which may have contributed to partial fulfillment of the ISO accessibility requirements, and show that the text of the ISO standard can be interpreted in different ways according to the experience and approach of each developer. The training on accessibility and high granularity user testing should be mandatory for computing science professionals and developers. The contact with the end-users must be part and lead the design of the development from the beginning to produce an accessible tool.