TL;DR
To support a strategic product repositioning for the Hand Talk Plugin in the B2B market, I conducted a competitive analysis of leading accessibility solutions.
I evaluated 43 accessibility features, aligned them with WCAG criteria, identified potential feature gaps, and prioritized them based on value, feasibility, and user impact.
This informed cross-functional decisions for product roadmap planning and future differentiation in a highly saturated market.
Impact:
Strategic insights for product-market fit
Feature prioritization matrix
Cross-functional clarity on competitive positioning
Company
Hand Talk
Date
Q3 2023
Scope of work
UX Research
Accessibility
Benchmarking
About hand talk
Hand Talk is an award-winning accessibility platform that uses AI to translate digital content into sign language through virtual avatars.
Hand Talk was acquired by Sorenson, which is a global language services provider and the leader in communication solutions for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.
The Research Problem
"How do we position Hand Talk's accessibility plugin competitively in the B2B market while ensuring we build features that genuinely serve users with disabilities?"
Key Questions
What accessibility functionalities do leading competitors offer?
Which features align with WCAG compliance requirements?
How do we balance user impact with development effort?
What opportunities exist for strategic differentiation?
Research Approach
I needed to understand what accessibility features actually mattered to users, which ones our competitors were missing, and where Hand Talk's unique strengths could give us an advantage.
Research Strategy
I developed a systematic approach to evaluate the competitive landscape, recognizing that accessibility isn't just about feature parity—it's about understanding genuine user needs and compliance requirements.
Competitor Selection:
Competitor 1 (C1) - Market leader with comprehensive accessibility toolkit
Competitor 2 (C2) - Strong enterprise focus and established client base
Competitor 3 (C3) - Enterprise focus with a client base
Competitor 4 (C4) - Enterprise-focused with major corporate clients
Competitor 5 (C5) - Brazilian competitor with Libras support
Process Flow
Flow diagram illustrating the full project process, from initial data gathering and research, through analysis, validation, and final stakeholder review.
Research Framework
I created a multi-dimensional evaluation framework that went beyond simple feature comparison.
Mapping Matrix
Cataloged every accessibility feature across all 5 competitors
Mapped each feature to specific WCAG 2.1 success criteria (A, AA, AAA levels)
Identified target user groups for each functionality
Impact Assessment
Developed a scoring system that weighted user impact across disability types:
Visual Impairment: 3x weight
Largest user group affected by web accessibility)
Motor Disability: 2x weight
Significant navigation challenges online
Cognitive Disability: 2x weight
Different needs
Hearing Disability: 1x weight
Smaller web-specific impact
This helped reflect the varying levels of friction users face online, ensuring the most impactful features were prioritized first.
Impacted Groups
We add +1 point, depending on the number of groups that are getting the benefit from this solution, which adds value to the overall result.
Effort Evaluation
We held a collaborative session with the full development team to align on effort levels and finalize our scoring model.
Low effort: 1.0 multiplier
Medium effort: 0.75 multiplier
High effort: 0.5 multiplier
Formula:
= ((Visual Impact × 3) + (Motor Impact × 2) + (Cognitive Impact × 2) + (Hearing Impact × 1) + Impacted Groups) × Implementation Effort Multiplier).
Competitive Landscape
I documented 43 different accessibility features across all platforms, revealing significant patterns:
Mapping Matrix
Cataloged every accessibility feature across all 5 competitors
Mapped each feature to specific WCAG 2.1 success criteria (A, AA, AAA levels)
Identified target user groups for each functionality
Competitors Analysis
Table comparing 5 competitors, displaying their total accessibility features, unique features, and the number of WCAG success criteria met at each conformance level (A, AA, AAA).
Inicial Insights - WCAG Compliance Gaps
Despite accessibility being the core value proposition, analysis revealed:
Only 60% of features properly addressed WCAG Level A requirements
Most competitors focused on Level AAA enhancements while missing Level A fundamentals
Prioritization
Based on the research findings and strategic considerations, the team prioritized 7 core features for implementation:
Prioritization Radar Chart
Radar chart showing the final core accessibility features, rated by their impact on people with visual impairments, cognitive disabilities, and the total number of disability groups affected.
Color Contrast Control
WCAG LEVEL: A/AA/AAA
Essential foundation for visual accessibility.
This feature allows users to adjust text and background colors for better readability, especially helpful for users with visual or cognitive impairments like color blindness or dyslexia.
It supports WCAG 2.1 (1.4.8 – Level AAA), which recommends user-selectable colors to improve comprehension and comfort.
Text Size Adjustment
WCAG LEVEL: AA
High impact across disability types.
Users can increase font size up to 200% without breaking the layout, making it easier for people with low vision to read content.
This meets WCAG 2.1 (1.4.4 and 1.4.8), ensuring that content remains readable without the need to scroll horizontally.
Reading Guide / Mask
Cognitive accessibility differentiation
A reading guide highlights one line at a time, helping users with ADHD or dyslexia stay focused while reading.
While not a direct WCAG requirement, it’s an inclusive feature that improves attention, comprehension, and user comfort.
Color Saturation
WCAG LEVEL: AA
Visual customization support
Reduces overly bright or vivid colors that can cause visual discomfort.
This helps meet WCAG 2.1 (1.4.11 – Non-Text Contrast) by improving readability, especially for users sensitive to high contrast or intense colors.
Text Spacing
WCAG LEVEL: AA
Reading comprehension enhancement
Allows users to customize spacing between lines, words, and letters. This helps people with dyslexia or low vision follow content more easily.
It supports WCAG 2.1 (1.4.12 – Text Spacing) by ensuring that layout remains functional even with adjusted spacing.
Dictionary / Glossary
WCAG LEVEL: AAA
AI-powered value-add feature
An inline dictionary explains unfamiliar terms, helping users with cognitive or language difficulties.
It aligns with WCAG 2.1 (3.1.3 – Unusual Words, Level AAA), which recommends offering definitions for better comprehension.
Pause Animations
WCAG LEVEL: A
Motion sensitivity compliance
Allows users to stop or pause moving, blinking, or auto-updating content. This helps people with vestibular disorders, attention difficulties, or cognitive overload.
Supports WCAG 2.1 – Criterion 2.2.2 (Pause, Stop, Hide) at Level A, which requires that any motion lasting more than 5 seconds can be paused or stopped by the user.
Results & Impact
The research provided the strategic clarity needed for Hand Talk's B2B market entry.
All 7 recommended features were incorporated into the 2024 product roadmap.
Outcomes
Three main accessibility categories
Font Controls
Navigation Support
Color Controls
Full alignment with accessibility standards from Level A to AAA
Clear differentiation established through strategic feature selection, AI-powered enhancements like Dictionary Support and our Libras and ASL avatar.
Business
Successful B2B market reentry - Even "Sorenson Acquires Hand Talk to Develop Automated Sign Language Translation Capabilities"
Foundation for future AI-powered accessibility innovations
Lessons Learned
Using a clear and structured evaluation helped keep the process fair and reducing bias, while scoring features based on different disability impacts gave a realistic sense of what truly benefits users.
Involving real users earlier would have provided deeper insights into their actual needs and pain points.
Meeting WCAG guidelines is essential, but how well you apply them is what really matters.
As well, understanding the unique market context, such as the importance of Libras support in Brazil, opens up valuable opportunities.
