University of Twente Student Theses
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Guidelines for Accessible and User-Centered Design and Development with Power Apps and Power BI
Salmi, P.K. (2025) Guidelines for Accessible and User-Centered Design and Development with Power Apps and Power BI.
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| Abstract: | This master's thesis presents the design and evaluation of usability and accessibility guidelines through user-centered methods. The focus is on assisting employees of a Power Platform consulting firm in creating more usable and accessible solutions with Microsoft Power Platform tools, specifically Power BI and Power Apps. A user-centered design (UCD) approach guided the research, which was structured around three objectives: identifying the need for internal best practices, designing practical guidelines, and evaluating their effectiveness. The study began with a theoretical and technical review of usability, accessibility, and the Power Platform. This was followed by an analysis of the current state of usability and accessibility features within Power BI and Power Apps. To identify internal needs, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees of the company. The findings revealed a lack of formal standards and limited awareness of accessibility practices, with a shared motivation to improve. Based on these insights, a set of internal guidelines was developed and published on the company’s SharePoint intranet. These guidelines were designed to be practical, easy to navigate, and directly relevant to employees’ workflows. Two focus groups, one for Power BI and one for Power Apps users, were held to evaluate the guidelines. Participants confirmed the value of the resource and suggested improvements such as simplified language, visual examples, and quick-reference checklists. The results demonstrate that user-centered methods are effective for designing and evaluating internal guidelines that support inclusive and consistent development practices. The guidelines created through this research serve as a foundation for integrating usability and accessibility into daily workflows at the company. They are built to evolve alongside the company’s tools, expertise, and needs. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Clients: | Forward Forever, Helsinki, Finland |
| Faculty: | EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science |
| Subject: | 54 computer science |
| Programme: | Interaction Technology MSc (60030) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/107297 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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