Ergonomics of human-system interaction - Part 20: Accessibility guidelines for information/communication technology (ICT) equipment and services

Note: The standard development activity and project need for this NOI (originally published on November 7, 2023) were updated by the responsible SDO on January 30, 2024.

This part of ISO 9241 is intended for use by those responsible for planning, designing, developing, acquiring, and evaluating information/communication technology (ICT) equipment and services. It provides guidelines for improving the accessibility of ICT equipment and services such that they will have wider accessibility for use at work, in the home, and in mobile and public environments. It covers issues associated with the design of equipment and services for people with a wide range of sensory, physical and cognitive abilities, including those who are temporarily disabled, and the elderly.

A detailed design for particular equipment or a service can be developed based on its recommendations. If a specific detailed standard exists concerning the accessibility of equipment or services, then it can be used in conjunction with that more specific standard. Where such standards are not available, this part of ISO 9241 can then form the basis for the design of the accessibility features of ICT equipment and services.

It also provides general guidelines for acquiring and evaluating ICT equipment and services, including both hardware and software aspects of information processing equipment, electronic communication facilities, office machines, and other similar technologies and services, used at work, in the home, and in mobile and public environments.

In addition, it gives important information about context of use. Accessibility is increased by expanding the range of contexts where equipment and services can be used. Context of use can result from the various components of the equipment or service, including user, task and equipment (hardware, software and materials) characteristics, as well as those of physical and social environments. Context of use can be considered when planning, designing, developing, acquiring and evaluating ICT equipment and services.

NOTE This part of ISO 9241 is a high-level standard applicable to all ICT equipment and services, therefore, detailed descriptions specific to equipment or services have been avoided. It can be referred to for the prevention of barriers to trade or the movement of people in respect of each national, regional and international standardization activity in this area. More specific recommendations on software accessibility are contained in ISO 9241-171.