Do you know how long it takes someone using a keyboard to do anything on your website? Or if they can even do it at all?
Keyboard navigation, as an accessibility KPI, helps you ensure that users who rely on keyboards, think people with motor disabilities and those using screen readers, can successfully navigate your website. This KPI focuses on two key metrics:
- How many essential user journeys can be completed using just a keyboard
- How long it takes to navigate through these journeys
Effective keyboard navigation is a foundational aspect of web accessibility and improves the overall user experience for everyone.
Measuring how many key user journeys can be completed using just a keyboard helps ensure that your website is accessible to people who cannot use a mouse. If any of them find it difficult or impossible to do with a keyboard alone, you have significant accessibility barriers that need your attention.
How long it takes them complete a key user journey using only the keyboard is also important. Long navigation times suggest poor keyboard focus, tabbing issues or inefficient page layouts.
Here's how you track this KPI:
- Identify your website’s key user journeys. Maybe it's creating an account, purchasing a product or filling out a contact form. Then have testers attempt to complete these journeys using only their keyboards. Track how many journeys they can fully complete without requiring a mouse or touchscreen.
- Measure the average time it takes for testers to complete a user journey with the keyboard alone.
Aim for 100% completion rate with comparable navigation times between keyboard and mouse users, as this shows your site is accessible and user-friendly for both. Every key user journey should be fully accessible via keyboard. This includes opening menus, navigating forms, triggering buttons and completing any interactive task without barriers.
Bonus points
Make sure the focus order makes sense and follows a logical flow. Keyboard users should be able to follow a clear, sequential path through the page without skipping important elements or getting stuck in navigation loops.
How you can track this KPI
You can use tools like axe or WAVE to automatically scan for common keyboard accessibility issues, such as improper focus order, missing focus indicators and keyboard traps. But most of the testing should be manual. Unfortunately, the only way to see how frustrating using the keyboard can be is to experience it for yourself.
You might consider bringing in users with disabilities to provide real-world feedback. Their experiences may reveal issues missed during your own internal testing.
Measuring keyboard navigation as an accessibility KPI is crucial for ensuring that all users, especially those who rely on keyboards, can fully interact with your website. Keyboard navigation is something that's rarely tested because it requires a lot of patience and knowledge. I find that product teams almost always skip this during development and testing.