For as much coverage as this column has seen over the years on Apple’s and Google’s respective efforts to make iOS and Android accessible to everyone, one aspect of the push that largely goes unseen and unappreciated is exactly how the platforms’ software get to be accessible in the first place. For all Apple’s myriad operating systems, including the newest in visionOS, developers use Xcode to write and test their apps. Xcode includes a tool called Accessibility Checker designed to assist with identifying parts of a user interface that is (or isn’t) properly accessible.
For Google’s part, what Xcode is to iOS development, Android Studio is to Android development. In both instances, that Apple and Google make accessibility checkers available to developers is crucially important; although the desire may be there, the reality is many developers don’t know best practices for being good accessibility citizens. Thus, the fact that Accessibility Checker exists in Xcode can go a long way in reassuring them they’re on the right path in this crucial regard.
The team at Perforce looks to take accessibility testing to another level by having it not function locally on the computer, it wants to offload that work to the cloud. The company’s product, called Perfecto, is described on its website as “a proven, enterprise test automation platform for powering 5-star mobile applications.” Perfecto features virtual devices like iOS and Android simulators in order to enable developers to perform accessibility testing directly within a web browser. Although they readily acknowledge there’s no substitute for actual hardware—the Vision Pro headset comes to mind—Perforce touts their solution as “[offering] a fast, scalable, and cost-efficient way to extend test coverage and minimize escaped defects at earlier stages of development.”
“Perfecto provides a 24/7 mobile and web digital lab that allows all users anywhere around the globe to share and perform their tests,” Johnny Lam, Perforce’s global head of sales engineering, said to me in a recent interview conducted over email. “We have recently enhanced our solution to allow end users to leverage screen readers—VoiceOver and TalkBack [on iOS and Android, respectively]—and perform these end-to-end tests on real mobile devices. We also understand the need to perform accessibility testing as part of automation. We have implemented and enabled various scanners to ride along these functional tests to highlight accessibility issues as part of our reports.”
Lam said Perforce has noticed an uptick in businesses making accessibility more of a high priority, spurred in part by what he described as “regulators in many countries implementing standards and legislation surrounding accessibility.” The greater emphasis on accessibility, Lam added, is important because digital is “the preferred way” by which consumers like to interact with brands nowadays. “With that in mind, developers need to build apps that are all-inclusive to ensure everyone has a great user experience,” he said. “What has changed in recent years is the realization from large organizations that accessibility testing is no longer a once-a-year testing event—it should now be part of the development process. By embedding accessibility testing in the development lifecycle, it will allow developers to find issues much faster and produce better-quality applications.”
When asked about feedback from customers, Lam told me the reception has been positive, saying the company prides itself on “bringing value” to its customers. For businesses, Lam said Perforce is able to help them understand how technology can have a positive impact on their operations. For engineers, Perforce is cognizant of the technical challenges in building quality software, and can help what Lam called “elevate the conversation” so businesses understand what ramifications the technical challenges can have overall. “Our job is done when we help bridge the communication gap, enable, and implement the digital transformations organizations aspire to have,” Lam said.
As to the future, Lam waxed sentimental in by telling me he feels “blessed to be working with great colleagues” at Perforce, adding that he’s had many great leaders and mentors who have helped him grow personally and professionally. “I’m honored to represent one of the best solutions engineering teams in the industry and fortunate to have great engineers that make my job look easy,” Lam said of his team at Perforce. “I look to expand my career in solution engineering and sales and continue to help businesses create high-quality applications.”
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