PROJECT 02
As part of an accessibility course, I evaluated Kulturhuset Stadsteatern’s website, focusing on the journey from discovering an event to booking tickets. Through practical testing, I examined how the digital experience supports or limits accessibility for its users.
ROLE
UX Designer
Individual project
TIMELINE
Sept 2026
4 weeks
TOOLS
Colour Contrast Analyser
VoiceOver
Funkify
Accessibility Insights
Background and
challenge
Kulturhuset Stadsteatern offers a wide range of cultural experiences to a diverse audience. But making culture accessible to everyone also means ensuring that the digital journey is accessible. The aim of the evaluation was to identify what worked well, uncover potential barriers and prioritise opportunities for improvement.
Process
I evaluated the website through a series of practical accessibility checks, including keyboard navigation, colour contrast, responsive layouts, screen reader accessibility and potential cognitive barriers.
I documented observations in FigJam, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement. Rather than using WCAG as a checklist, I focused on identifying potential user barriers and referenced relevant WCAG criteria where applicable.
I prioritised areas for improvement based on their potential impact on users, relevance to the booking journey and supporting evidence. I also considered which findings were observed during testing and which needed further investigation with users.
Key findings
01. Colour and contrast issues
The seating map relies on colour to distinguish zones, making some difficult to tell apart in colour vision simulations. The evaluation also identified insufficient contrast in links, buttons and secondary interface elements.
Relying on colour alone can make it difficult for users with colour vision deficiencies to compare seating zones, while low contrast can make text and interactive elements harder to perceive, particularly for users with low vision.
Original seating plan (left) and colour vision deficiency simulation (right).
02. Potential cognitive challenges
The booking journey includes multiple ticket options, a countdown timer and event recommendations near payment. Strong accent colours add visual intensity, especially on smaller screens.
Multiple choices, time pressure and visual distractions may increase cognitive load, making it harder for users to focus, compare options and make decisions.
Interface elements that may increase cognitive load.
03. Interrupted screen reader
During testing with VoiceOver on mobile, automatic image changes in the homepage hero carousel interrupted VoiceOver’s reading, even when navigating the main menu.
Users relying on screen readers may struggle to access information about featured events. Automatic changes may also disrupt users who need more time to read or process content.
VoiceOver interrupted by the automatic hero carousel.
Reflection
Throughout the course, learning from people with different disabilities deepened my understanding of how digital design can support or limit everyday tasks. It also highlighted the importance of looking beyond WCAG requirements and focusing on the actual user experience, including temporary and situational limitations.
One limitation of the evaluation was the absence of user testing. As a next step, I would explore the findings with users to better understand potential cognitive challenges within the booking journey.