Evaluating accessibility barriers in a SaaS purchase flow
PROBLEM STATEMENT
KingHost’s sales page was evaluated to understand whether its purchase experience was accessible for users with different abilities, devices, and interaction methods.
The main question was whether users relying on assistive technologies, such as keyboard navigation and screen readers, could understand the page, interact with key elements, and progress through the purchase flow.
Although the project was academic, it used a real production environment, making the analysis relevant to both user experience and business outcomes.
My role was to identify accessibility barriers across the purchase journey and translate them into clear UX recommendations.
OUTCOME
The evaluation identified several accessibility barriers that could prevent users from completing the purchase flow independently.
The main findings were related to keyboard navigation, information hierarchy, interactive element behaviour, and colour contrast.
The final deliverable was an accessibility audit report with recommendations to improve usability, inclusivity, and compliance with accessibility best practices.
IMPACT
•Identified structural accessibility issues in a real SaaS purchase flow.
•Highlighted barriers that could affect conversion and customer access.
•Connected accessibility problems with user experience and business risks.
•Produced actionable recommendations based on heuristic analysis and WCAG criteria.
•Reinforced accessibility as a core part of product quality, not a final visual adjustment.
DESIGN PROCESS
A) UNDERSTANDING THE PURCHASE JOURNEY
I started by analysing the sales page as part of a real customer journey, from landing on the page to attempting to move through the purchase process.
The goal was to understand how accessible the experience would be for users who could not rely only on visual cues or mouse interaction.
This helped frame accessibility not only as a compliance topic, but as a key factor in whether users could successfully complete a business-critical flow.
B) TESTING ACCESSIBILITY BARRIERS
I evaluated the page using expert-based accessibility methods due to the academic scope of the project and the lack of access to real users.
The evaluation included:
• Keyboard-only navigation
• Screen reader simulation
• Accessibility heuristic analysis
• Automated WCAG audit
• Review of visual hierarchy, interaction behaviour, and semantic structure
This combination helped identify both visible usability issues and deeper structural barriers affecting assistive technologies.
C) IDENTIFYING KEY FINDINGS
The analysis revealed that some parts of the experience were difficult to navigate or understand when using assistive technologies.
The main issues included:
• Interactive elements that were not fully accessible through keyboard navigation.
• Information hierarchy problems that affected screen reader comprehension.
• Buttons and controls with inconsistent or unclear behaviour.
• Colour contrast issues that reduced readability for some users.
These findings showed that the accessibility problems were not only visual, but also structural and interaction-related.
D) TRANSLATING FINDINGS INTO UX RECOMMENDATIONS
After documenting the issues, I proposed improvements focused on making the purchase flow more accessible, understandable, and inclusive.
The recommendations included reviewing the semantic structure, improving heading hierarchy, correcting contrast issues, ensuring keyboard operability, and aligning interactive elements with accessibility best practices.
Although implementation was outside the project scope, the recommendations provided a clear direction for improving the experience and reducing barriers in the purchase flow.
This infographic summarises the hybrid evaluation approach used to identify accessibility issues in the KingHost sales page, combining journey mapping, heuristic analysis, keyboard navigation review, and WCAG-based technical validation.
This infographic summarises the hybrid evaluation approach used to identify accessibility issues in the KingHost sales page, combining journey mapping, heuristic analysis, keyboard navigation review, and WCAG-based technical validation.
