*This article is an English translation of a Japanese article.
Introduction
Kintone is a cloud platform that allows users to easily create business applications and forms without requiring expertise in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. This simplicity makes it an ideal tool for businesses looking to improve efficiency. However, even though form creation is easy, ensuring web accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities, is not guaranteed by default. In this article, we will explore whether it’s possible to ensure web accessibility in Kintone without knowledge of HTML, CSS, or JavaScript, and what steps can be taken to achieve accessibility.
Kintone’s Basic Features and Accessibility Capabilities
Kintone allows users to create forms and data entry screens using drag-and-drop functionality, eliminating the need for programming knowledge. While this ease of use is a major advantage, accessibility features are not always automatically applied, and some adjustments may be required to meet accessibility standards.
Automatically Generated Labels and Field Names
When creating forms in Kintone, field names and labels are automatically generated. This ensures that basic form functionality works smoothly, but it’s essential to verify whether the automatically generated labels are easy to understand for screen readers and other assistive technologies. For common fields such as “Name” or “Email Address,” appropriate labels are set by default. However, when creating custom fields, you may need to carefully craft the labels to ensure clarity for all users.
Color Contrast Settings
Kintone allows users to easily choose themes and color settings for forms. However, the color combinations may not always be suitable for users with color vision deficiencies. For instance, if the contrast between the background and text is insufficient, visually impaired users may have difficulty reading the information. It is important to manually verify that the color contrast meets accessibility standards to ensure readability for all users.
Required Field Settings and Display
Kintone allows users to easily mark certain fields as required. However, if the required fields are only indicated by color or an asterisk (*), this might not be sufficient for users with visual impairments or color vision deficiencies. To improve accessibility, it’s recommended to clearly label required fields with text such as “Required” in addition to visual indicators.
Enhancing Accessibility with Plugins and Customizations
One of Kintone’s strengths is its ability to be customized with plugins or JavaScript, allowing users to overcome the limitations of the standard features. While such customizations offer enhanced accessibility, they require some technical knowledge to implement effectively.
Plugins for Improved Accessibility
Fortunately, there are several plugins available for Kintone that help improve accessibility without requiring programming skills. These plugins can automatically add labels to form fields or adjust contrast settings, making it easier to comply with accessibility standards.
Examples of useful plugins include:
- Auto-Insert Alt Text Plugin: This plugin automatically adds alt text to image fields, making it easier for users with visual impairments to access the information.
- Contrast Adjustment Plugin: This tool checks the contrast ratio of colors and warns users if the contrast does not meet the required standards, helping to ensure accessibility.
Customizing with JavaScript
If you have JavaScript knowledge, more advanced accessibility features can be implemented. For example, you can add real-time feedback for form input errors or create keyboard-friendly navigation to improve the user experience. However, implementing these customizations requires programming skills, so it may be necessary to seek technical support or hire a developer with accessibility expertise.
Methods for Checking Accessibility in Kintone
To ensure that the forms and applications you create in Kintone meet accessibility standards, it is recommended to regularly check for accessibility issues using various tools. Below are some simple ways to check for accessibility without needing HTML, CSS, or JavaScript knowledge.
Using the WAVE Tool
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) is a free online tool that automatically checks web pages for accessibility issues. It can also be used to check Kintone forms, helping identify problems like missing alt text or insufficient color contrast. Using WAVE regularly ensures that your forms remain accessible to all users.
Axe Browser Extension
Axe is a browser extension that tests websites for accessibility, helping you verify that Kintone forms can be properly navigated by users with visual impairments or those who rely on keyboard navigation. Like WAVE, Axe is easy to use and does not require programming knowledge.
Conclusion
Kintone allows users to create forms and applications without needing HTML, CSS, or JavaScript skills. However, the default functionality may not always ensure full web accessibility. Fortunately, by using plugins and accessibility testing tools, it is possible to achieve a certain level of accessibility even without programming expertise.
Accessibility is crucial for creating systems that are user-friendly for everyone. Regularly testing your Kintone applications and utilizing tools such as plugins and accessibility checkers can help ensure that your applications are accessible to all users.
Additionally, we have released the UUU Web Accessibility Widget Tool, which allows for easy implementation of web accessibility. If you’re interested in improving accessibility, please check out the details.