Formation of requirements for the interface of university websites based on accessibility and usability standards

Abstract

The subject of the research is the methods of building the user interface of university websites based on the intended purpose, the needs of the user audience and user limitations, including sensory-motor and cognitive-psychological limitations. As a starting point for the study of the target audience and compliance with accessibility standards, an analysis of eight university websites is carried out, based on data from open sources. The main violations that prevent the use of the University's website to varying degrees are considered, as well as the most well-known and often used approaches in interface design and design that make interfaces more convenient without overloading the user's short-term memory and without causing premature fatigue. As a result of the research, the basic requirements for the design of the interface of the university's website are formed. According to the main conclusion of this study, in order to adapt the University's website to the limitations of users' capabilities, it is necessary to follow the main standards of usability and accessibility considered, such as GOST R 52872-2019, WCAG 2.1 and GOST R ISO 9241-20-2014, and also take into account the peculiarities of legislation that affect the formation of sections of the site and its accessibility for people with disabilities. It is necessary to adhere to such principles of interface organization and information presentation as: Hick's Law, Gestalt Principles, Miller's Law, Jacob's Law and Heuristics. A special contribution of the author to the research of the topic is the analysis of the verification of eight sites of Russian universities for compliance with accessibility standards. This analysis showed that even the visually impaired versions of the sites reviewed do not meet accessibility standards, which makes it difficult for people with disabilities to access information and emphasizes the importance of the study. The novelty of the research lies in the formation of the basic requirements for the user interface of university websites. The results of the study can be further used in the construction of such information systems.