The axe DevTools v4.45 browser extension release introduces a brand new Intelligent Guided Test (IGT) for testing data tables. This addition increases the overall accessibility testing coverage of axe DevTools Pro. Watch this quick Table IGT demo.
How It Works
Breakdown
Validating the accessibility of HTML data tables can be complex and time consuming. To simplify this whole process, the Table IGT guides users through each cell and asks simple questions about the cell’s headers.
First, the new IGT helps you easily identify the type of table being tested by providing a list of descriptions and diagrams to choose from. Users must select one of the following types:
- A table with 1 row of headers
- A table with 1 column of headers
- A table with 1 header row and 1 header column
- A table with irregular headers
- A table with multi-level headers
- A decorative or layout table
Once the table type is identified, the Table IGT asks questions that help you determine some of the more complicated accessibility issues associated with HTML tables. If the table you’re testing is purely a layout or decorative table, the IGT will validate that it uses expected roles. Otherwise, the Table IGT checks for expected table semantics, header cell associations, expected roles, and attributes on both data and header cells.
Along with simplifying how you find table issues, the IGT also generates customized help based on what it discovers. This includes instructions on how to fix issues and trace them to any related elements within the table for additional context. Like other IGTs, the Table IGT comes equipped with powerful machine learning (ML) features that help you test your tables for accessibility even faster.
Machine Learning
Deque’s machine learning is trained on data from tens of thousands of different web sites and applications, allowing it to make predictions that reduce the amount of work you need to do during the testing.
In the Table IGT, ML automatically detects missing table header elements, expected roles, and attributes. This automatic detection saves you time so you don’t have to manually sift through table cells to identify each header element.
Conclusion
With this new Intelligent Guided Test for tables, axe DevTools Pro has eliminated another big challenge for manual and semi-automated accessibility testing. Try it now to find out for yourself how this new IGT feature can streamline your testing process.
Visit our documentation site to read more about the Table IGT and all other IGTs.