Title: The Impact of Organizational Factors and the Active Role of Users in the Development of Accessible Mobile Apps
Speaker: Marcelo Medeiros Eler (Universidade de São Paulo)
When: September 30, 14h00
Where: Ciências ULisboa, C6.3.27
Abstract: Digital accessibility is a crucial requirement to ensure that people with disabilities can use digital interfaces autonomously and safely. Despite increased awareness of the importance of accessibility and the availability of various resources (such as processes, tools, and standards), this requirement is still often overlooked in software development. This presentation aims to provide a comprehensive overview of research conducted by the digital accessibility research group at EACH-USP, which seeks to understand the factors contributing to low accessibility, especially in mobile applications. Topics to be discussed include: a) factors related to how digital accessibility is addressed in organizations, considering both technical and managerial aspects; and b) factors related to the participation of users as promoters of accessible software development through evaluations conducted in official app stores.
Bio: Marcelo Medeiros Eler holds a Master’s degree (2006) and a PhD (2012) in Computer Science from the University of São Paulo (USP). He is currently an Associate Professor in the Sistemas de Informação program at the Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH) at USP, where he has contributed to teaching, research, supervision, outreach, and management since 2013. His primary background is in Software Engineering with a focus on Software Testing, but he has recently shifted his work towards Human-Computer Interaction, especially in Digital Accessibility. He has supervised 17 master’s dissertations and is currently supervising two PhD students and three master’s students. He has coordinated various research projects funded by research agencies, published more than 50 articles in journals and conferences, and received awards for national and international papers and projects.