How to create and use custom audiences

What this helps you do

Custom audiences let you create a specific tester group for a Compatibility Test.

Use custom audiences when you want to test with specific assistive technologies, device types, operating systems, or browsers.

Who this is for

This article is for Fable customers who create or manage Compatibility Tests.

Use this guide if you need more control over the audience for a Compatibility Test than the default audience options provide.

Before you start

Before creating a custom audience, make sure you know:

Which assistive technology type you want to test with
Whether you need a specific device type
Whether you need a specific operating system
Whether you need a specific assistive technology
Whether you need a specific browser

The assistive technology type is the only required tester attribute.

Fable also provides two default audience options:

Mixed users: three screen reader users, one screen magnifier user, and one alternative navigation user
Screen reader users: five screen reader users

Steps

Create a custom audience from settings

In the main navigation, select your name to open the dropdown menu.
Select Settings.
Select Custom audiences.
Select Create audience.
Add the audience details.
Save the custom audience.

Create a custom audience while creating a Compatibility Test

Select New Request.
Choose Compatibility Test as the request type.
Assign the request to a project.
Select Next.
Under Audience, select Custom audience.
Select Create custom audience.
Add the audience details.
Save the custom audience.

Add a custom audience to a Compatibility Test

Select New Request.
Choose Compatibility Test as the request type.
Assign the request to a project.
Select Next.
Under Audience, select Custom audience.
Select your custom audience from the list.

What happens next

After you create a custom audience, you can reuse it in Compatibility Tests.

When you add the audience to a Compatibility Test, Fable uses the audience criteria you selected to guide tester matching.

Important notes

Use a descriptive name

Choose a name that makes the audience easy to identify and reuse.

Examples:

VoiceOver on iOS
Screen Reader Compatibility: NVDA + Chrome
Mobile Browser Testing: Safari + Android

Customize tester attributes carefully

Each tester in a custom audience can be configured with these attributes:

Assistive Tech Type: Specify screen readers, magnification tools, or other assistive devices. This is required.
Device Type: Choose between mobile devices, laptops, and desktops.
Operating System: Specify platforms like Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android.
Assistive Technology: Choose a specific assistive technology type.
Browser: Combine browser-specific testing with assistive technology to test compatibility.

Be careful when choosing combinations. Some combinations may expose assistive technology compatibility issues instead of accessibility barriers. For example, VoiceOver works best with Safari.

Troubleshooting

Issue: You are not sure which custom audience criteria to choose.
What to do: Start with the assistive technology type. Then add device, operating system, assistive technology, or browser criteria only if they support your testing goal.

Issue: You are testing a specific assistive technology and browser combination.
What to do: Confirm that the combination reflects a realistic user setup. Some combinations may create compatibility issues that are not caused by your product.

Issue: You need help setting up a custom audience.
What to do: Contact Fable Support at support@makeitfable.com