A MITRE team has created a playbook with guidance on designing and developing accessible chatbots, addressing federal requirements that people with disabilities have access to services and information comparable to those without disabilities.
The Chatbot Accessibility Playbook
A research team funded by MITRE’s independent research and development program surveyed emerging literature on chatbot accessibility from industry and academia and conducted a small user study to identify and fill gaps in existing guidance. The MITRE team created a playbook to guide developers, designers, and project leads in creating or acquiring accessible chatbots. In December 2021, the team released the MITRE Chatbot Accessibility Playbook with criteria and activities for development teams to ensure and improve chatbot accessibility.
The playbook provides actionable guidance along five “plays” in the development process. The playbook also includes checklists for assessing chatbot accessibility and performing user research.