📋 Accessibility Features in Whoz

Accessibility is a core principle in how we design and develop Whoz. Our design system, Galileo, integrates accessibility into every component, and all features undergo both manual and automated testing before release. We work to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA across the platform.

This article describes the accessibility features available in Whoz, so you know what to expect and how to make the most of them. We update it as improvements are delivered. Our goal is to make Whoz accessible to all users: we are committed to continuous improvement, applying a best effort approach to ensure the platform meets the highest accessibility standards over time.

Keyboard Navigation

Whoz supports full keyboard navigation, so you can move through the platform, complete actions, and manage your work without relying on a mouse.

• Skip links: Skip to the main content of a page without moving through the full navigation structure. Useful when navigating repeatedly between pages.
• Breadcrumb navigation: A breadcrumb trail at the top of each page shows your current location and lets you move back up through the hierarchy with a single keystroke.
• Keyboard-accessible actions: All standard actions, forms, and controls are reachable and operable by keyboard. No action requires a mouse to complete.
• Improved focus visibility and management: A visible focus indicator is displayed on all interactive elements when navigating by keyboard.

Keyboard Shortcuts

A full list of keyboard shortcuts is available directly in the platform under User Preferences > Keyboard shortcuts, organised into three categories:

• Navigation: Ctrl + Shift + H to go to home, Ctrl + Shift + K to open global search.
• Actions: Ctrl + Shift + N to create a new object.
• Accessibility: Enter or Space to activate an element (button, link); arrow keys and Home/End to navigate tables and menus; Enter, Space, or Esc to interact with or exit table cell content.

Most shortcuts can be customised to match your preferred key combination from the same Preferences page.

Screen Reader Support

Whoz is designed to work with screen readers. The platform uses semantic markup and ARIA attributes to ensure that interface elements, status indicators, and notifications are correctly announced by assistive technologies. This includes form fields, modal dialogs, navigation menus, and live status updates.

Colour and Visual Clarity

Visual elements across the platform are designed to meet contrast requirements and to avoid relying on colour as the sole means of conveying information. This ensures that users with colour vision impairments or low vision can use the platform effectively.

• Colour contrast: Text, notification banners, snack bars, and status indicators meet contrast standards for readability.
• Status tags: Redesigned for improved visual clarity and contrast, making it easier to distinguish between states at a glance.
• Activity icons: Activity states (no action, planned, today, delayed, played) are conveyed using distinct icon shapes, not colour alone. Users with colour vision impairments can differentiate between states without relying on colour.
• Action type labels: Standard action types include descriptive text labels alongside icons, reducing reliance on visual recognition alone.
• Home page icons: Home page icons and colours have been updated for improved visibility and contrast.
• Master Schedule and Overload indicator: Visual indicators have been added alongside colour to help differentiate between states, ensuring information is not conveyed by colour alone.

Readability and Typography

The Whoz interface uses updated typography and field styling to improve readability and reduce visual noise across the platform.

• Typography: Updated font type and size improve readability and information hierarchy across the platform. 
• Field design: Updated field design and styling throughout the application improve accessibility and overall usability.
• Action creation modal: Surfaces the most important information with improved responsiveness and accessibility.
• Truncated tags: Workspace and circle tags use middle truncation to help distinguish names that share common prefixes.

Responsiveness

Whoz adapts to the most commonly used screen sizes and devices, ensuring a consistent experience regardless of how you access the platform, with continued improvements planned as the platform evolves.

• Responsive profile interface: The talent profile interface adapts to any screen size, providing a consistent experience on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
• Mobile-friendly navigation: Global search, workspace switching, and top-level navigation are accessible on smaller screens.

Visual Preferences

Users can adjust the interface to suit their visual needs directly from their user preferences.

• Dark mode: Switch between light and dark interface themes. Dark mode reduces eye strain during extended sessions and improves visual comfort in low-light environments. To enable dark mode, go to User Preferences and select Dark under Interface Theme.
• Interface language: The platform is available in multiple languages. Your interface language can be set from User Preferences > Interface languages.

How We Keep Improving

Accessibility improvements are included in every release cycle. Our process includes ongoing audits, manual and automated testing, and regular review of feedback from users who rely on assistive technologies. When accessibility improvements ship, they are documented in the release notes for that version.

Feedback and Support

If you encounter an accessibility issue or need support using Whoz with assistive technology, contact us at accessibility@whoz.com↗.

To learn more about how Whoz approaches accessibility across its design and development process, see Our Commitment to Accessibility↗.