Specifying Accessibility Requirements with Personas, WCAG and BDD Scenarios: Insights from Two Case Studies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5753/jserd.2026.5887Keywords:
Software Engineering, Non-functional requirements, Accessibility requirements, Behavior-Driven Development, WCAG, Personas, Case StudyAbstract
Accessibility is essential for inclusive digital experiences, yet it is often overlooked in early stages of software development. This paper presents two empirical studies focused on improving how accessibility requirements are specified. In the first study, undergraduate Software Engineering students explored accessibility principles through guided activities and questionnaires. The second study evaluated a structured method combining Personas, User Stories, Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), and WCAG guidelines. Participants applied the method to specify accessibility features in real scenarios. The findings show that although initial knowledge was limited, structured interventions led to more precise, WCAG-aligned, and testable requirements. These results highlight the value of embedding accessibility into software engineering education and demonstrate the effectiveness of combining user-centered design with formal specification techniques.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Renata Vinadé, Natalya Goelzer, Sabrina Marczak
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