Accessibility is a crucial aspect of modern application development, ensuring that software is usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. SAP Fiori applications, developed using SAPUI5 within SAP Business Application Studio (BAS), are designed to deliver a consistent and inclusive user experience.
This article covers key accessibility considerations when developing Fiori apps in BAS to make your applications compliant, user-friendly, and accessible to all users.
- Legal and ethical responsibility: Many countries have accessibility regulations (e.g., WCAG, ADA) requiring software to be usable by people with disabilities.
- Wider audience reach: Accessible apps serve users with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.
- Improved usability: Accessibility best practices often enhance overall user experience for all users.
- Corporate compliance: Many enterprises mandate accessibility standards for software used internally or by customers.
¶ 1. Semantic HTML and ARIA Roles
SAPUI5 controls come with built-in support for semantic HTML and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes. These assist screen readers in interpreting UI elements.
- Ensure the use of standard SAPUI5 controls that are accessibility-compliant.
- Avoid custom controls unless accessibility features are implemented.
- Use proper ARIA roles, states, and properties for custom elements if necessary.
- All interactive elements must be reachable and operable using the keyboard alone.
- Ensure logical tab order through the application.
- Support common keyboard shortcuts, such as Enter, Space, and Escape.
- Test keyboard navigation in BAS preview and real environments.
¶ 3. Color Contrast and Visual Design
- Use high contrast color schemes that meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards (minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text).
- Avoid relying solely on color to convey information; supplement with icons or text.
- SAP Fiori’s standard theme (Quartz Light/Dark) adheres to accessibility-friendly color palettes.
- Provide meaningful text alternatives for non-text content such as images, icons, and buttons.
- Use
alt text or tooltips where appropriate.
- Ensure dynamic content updates are announced by screen readers.
¶ 5. Responsive Design and Zoom Support
- Ensure apps are responsive and usable on various screen sizes.
- Verify that zooming (up to 200%) does not break layouts or cause content loss.
- Test apps on different devices and browsers for consistent accessibility.
¶ 6. Error Handling and Validation
- Provide clear, descriptive error messages.
- Associate error messages with relevant input fields using ARIA properties.
- Ensure validation messages are accessible and conveyed to screen readers.
- Accessibility Checker: Use BAS extensions or SAPUI5 tools to scan your app for accessibility issues.
- Screen Reader Testing: Test your app with popular screen readers like NVDA or JAWS.
- Keyboard Testing: Verify navigation and focus behavior inside BAS preview.
- SAP Fiori Guidelines: Follow SAP’s official Accessibility Guidelines and Best Practices documentation.
- Linting Tools: Integrate accessibility linting in your development pipeline to catch issues early.
- Start accessibility considerations early in the design phase.
- Use SAPUI5’s built-in accessible controls rather than building custom controls.
- Regularly test with real users or accessibility experts.
- Keep documentation updated regarding accessibility features.
- Stay updated on SAP’s accessibility roadmap and improvements.
Accessibility is not an afterthought but a vital part of developing SAP Fiori applications. Leveraging SAP Business Application Studio along with SAPUI5’s accessibility-ready controls and SAP’s guidelines, developers can build inclusive applications that comply with standards and deliver superior user experiences for all.
By prioritizing accessibility, organizations promote digital inclusion and enhance the value and reach of their SAP solutions.