Overview
For three years, I led and collaborated on many efforts to advocate for accessibility in Unity’s products, with a specific focus on enhancing screen reader support in the Unity Editor and across games built with Unity. This initiative aimed to ensure that millions of players could utilize their platform’s accessibility tools effectively, allowing them to enjoy the games and apps created in Unity. A key part of this project involved hiring and managing an accessibility designer who collaborated with a cross-disciplinary team of product managers, designers, developers, and quality assurance specialists to create inclusive design solutions.
Project Goals and Objectives
Improve Screen Reader Compatibility: Enhance the functionality of the Unity Editor and engine to better support screen readers, ensuring that visually impaired users can navigate and utilize Unity effectively.
Establish a Cross-Functional Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment among PMs, designers, developers, and QA to integrate accessibility best practices into the design and development processes.
Empower Users with Accessibility Tools: Enable players to fully engage with games and applications developed in Unity by providing robust accessibility features that support screen reader technologies.
Role and Responsibilities
As the advocate for accessibility, my responsibilities included:
Advocating for the initiative to integrate accessibility considerations into Unity’s design and development workflows.
Hiring an accessibility designer and overseeing their work as they collaborated with cross-disciplinary teams.
Engaging with the Unity community to gather feedback and address concerns regarding screen reader support, including an open letter from a user calling for the need for Accessibility in the Unity Editor.
User feedback played a crucial role in shaping our approach:
Community Engagement: Input from the Unity community, including an open letter highlighting the need for improved screen reader support, underscored the urgency of enhancing accessibility features .
Technical Partners: Detailed technical specifications were developed to guide the design and implementation of screen reader functionalities within the Unity Editor.
These insights guided process and ensured that the final solutions addressed real user needs.
Key Deliverables: Accessibility Features and Guidelines
Enhanced Screen Reader Support in Unity Editor
Implemented design changes that improved navigation and usability for screen reader users within the Unity Editor, allowing them to interact with the interface more effectively.
Accessibility Design Guidelines
Developed comprehensive guidelines for the design and implementation of accessibility features across Unity products, ensuring that all teams were aligned on best practices.
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration Framework
Established a framework for ongoing collaboration among PMs, designers, developers, and QA to continuously integrate accessibility considerations into the development lifecycle.
User Feedback Highlights
“The improvements in screen reader support have made a significant difference in my ability to work with Unity. I can finally navigate the editor with confidence.” – Unity User
“It’s great to see Unity prioritizing accessibility. The community input was invaluable in shaping these changes.” – Community Member
This feedback emphasized the positive impact of our accessibility initiatives and the importance of community engagement in driving change.
Challenges and Solutions
Challenge: Debugging in the Unity Editor was challenging due to the limited debugging tools compared to those available in web browsers, making it difficult for developers and UI artists to troubleshoot issues effectively.
Solution: The team built a DOM viewer specifically for the Unity Editor, providing developers with a more robust debugging experience. This tool offers a real-time view of the UI hierarchy, allowing developers to inspect elements, monitor their properties, and troubleshoot issues more effectively. By integrating this feature, we enhanced the overall development workflow, enabling quicker identification and resolution of bugs, which ultimately improved the quality of the final products.
Challenge: There was a significant amount of work needed to enhance accessibility in the Unity Editor, including implementing runtime features like subtitles and color contrast modes for color blindness.
Solution: We engaged directly with users to gather feedback and assess the impact of potential changes. By prioritizing the visibility of games created in the Unity Editor to screen readers, we identified a key area that could reach the widest audience, millions of players. This strategic focus allowed us to make meaningful improvements that benefited both developers and players, ensuring a more inclusive experience across major platforms.
Results and Impact
Increased Accessibility for games: The enhancements made to screen reader support in the Unity Editor significantly improved the experience for visually impaired users, facilitating greater participation in the game development community.
Strengthened Community Relations: By actively engaging with the Unity community and responding to their needs, we fostered a sense of trust and collaboration that is essential for future initiatives.
Established Best Practices: The project laid the groundwork for ongoing accessibility efforts within Unity, ensuring that future products and updates continue to prioritize inclusivity.
Conclusion
The initiative to improve accessibility in Unity’s products has transformed the way visually impaired users can engage with the platform. By hiring an accessibility designer and fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, we developed solutions that not only enhance the Unity Editor but also empower millions of players to utilize their accessibility tools effectively. The commitment to inclusivity will continue to drive Unity’s mission to create a more accessible gaming experience for everyone.
This project encapsulates the perseverance of the team and the strides made in accessibility at Unity, emphasizing your advocacy and leadership in this vital area.
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