Testing by different access needs

Motor

Part of
Tools and testing COLLECTION collection
Last reviewed
13 August 2026

Tools and techniques to help you identify potential barriers related to motor access needs..

Motor access needs

Motor access needs can affect how people interact with digital content. They can be associated with a range of disabilities, conditions and circumstances, and can affect people in different ways.

Examples include:

  • arthritis
  • cerebral palsy
  • multiple sclerosis
  • Parkinson's disease
  • broken arm

These are examples rather than a complete list. People with the same condition may have different access needs, and some people may experience motor barriers without having a diagnosed condition.

Potential barriers

Motor access needs can affect people in different ways. When testing your service, consider whether people can:

  • make precise movements
  • use a mouse, trackpad or touchscreen
  • complete tasks quickly

How to test for potential barriers

Start with automated checks

Automated accessibility tools can help you identify some potential barriers. They cannot identify every accessibility issue, so use them alongside manual checks and testing with people. Automated tools work best when used collectively, so you should use all 3 together.

You can use tools such as:

  • axe DevTools
  • WAVE Evaluation
  • ARC Toolkit

Carry out manual checks

Manual checks can identify issues that automated tools cannot. You can:

  • use the Target size tool
  • test on a mobile device in landscape mode to check that content and interactions are still easy to use
  • test using the keyboard only to check that all interactions work without a mouse or touchscreen

Run screen reader tests

Screen readers can help people with some motor access needs navigate digital content without relying as heavily on precise mouse movements. Keyboard shortcuts and screen-reader commands can reduce the need for repeated pointing and clicking.

Use personas to explore potential barriers

Personas can help you consider how people with different access needs might use your service and identify potential barriers to explore during testing. You could use HMRC's accessibility personas as a starting point. Personas are useful for considering potential barriers, but they are not a substitute for testing with real people who use your service.

Chris, user with rheumatoid arthritis

Chris mainly uses a keyboard to navigate content. He needs:

  • keyboard navigation
  • some screen reader use
  • clearly labelled HTML elements

View Chris's profile and task

Ron, older user with multiple conditions

Ron uses offline support for services when available. He needs:

  • accessible offline support
  • high contrast and clear text
  • clear page structure

View Ron's profile and task