Accessibility on the digital platform of the CULTURATI Porvoo pilot site
Häyrinen, Miia (2025)
2025
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025112529635
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025112529635
Tiivistelmä
As digital platforms are increasingly shaping the way people access cultural information, their overall accessibility has become a critical factor for inclusive user experiences. This thesis evaluates the accessibility of the web-based cultural heritage platform CULTURATI from the perspective of users with disabilities. The research specifically focuses on the Porvoo pilot site and examines how the platform’s user experience aligns with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) while excluding both other pilot sites and non-disabled user groups.
The theoretical framework covers accessibility principles, relevant regulation about accessibility, WCAG standards, disabled user needs, and concrete approaches to evaluate and ensure accessibility. Each part supports the research questions. The study follows a qualitative case study design which includes six semi-structured interviews as primary data source, which are completed by the author’s earlier findings. A thematic analysis approach was used on the data obtained from the interviews to identify recurring patterns in user experiences.
Results indicate that the CULTURATI platform is generally accessible for participants, though several areas require adjustments to accommodate a wider range of disabilities. Participants recommended implementing features such as audio option, increased visual content, as well as alternative interaction modes. Based on these findings, the thesis provides practical suggestions for improving CULTURATI’s accessibility and for interacting users with disabilities more effectively into platform design processes.
The thesis is done during the autumn of 2025.
The theoretical framework covers accessibility principles, relevant regulation about accessibility, WCAG standards, disabled user needs, and concrete approaches to evaluate and ensure accessibility. Each part supports the research questions. The study follows a qualitative case study design which includes six semi-structured interviews as primary data source, which are completed by the author’s earlier findings. A thematic analysis approach was used on the data obtained from the interviews to identify recurring patterns in user experiences.
Results indicate that the CULTURATI platform is generally accessible for participants, though several areas require adjustments to accommodate a wider range of disabilities. Participants recommended implementing features such as audio option, increased visual content, as well as alternative interaction modes. Based on these findings, the thesis provides practical suggestions for improving CULTURATI’s accessibility and for interacting users with disabilities more effectively into platform design processes.
The thesis is done during the autumn of 2025.