Overview
ISO/IEC 10779:2020 - Information technology - Office equipment - Accessibility guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities - provides practical, product-level guidance for making office equipment accessible. The standard focuses on electrophotographic copying machines, page printers and multi‑function devices and aims to improve usability for older people, persons with disabilities and users with temporary impairments. It harmonizes with international accessibility references such as WCAG 2.0 (ISO/IEC 40500), US Section 508, and EN 301 549.
Key topics and technical requirements
The standard organizes accessibility into policy, classification of disabilities, and concrete device and software requirements. Major technical topics include:
- Classification of disabilities
- Visual (blindness, low vision, colour blindness), hearing (deafness, impairment), speech, motor (upper‑limb strength, reach), photosensitive seizure risk, and cognitive/language/learning disorders.
- Hardware and operable parts
- Design for reach height and depth, contrast, tactile input controls, key repeat and double‑strike handling, physical operation, and support for fare/key cards.
- Display and audio
- Visibility of display screens, character legibility, text and non‑text contrast, flashing control to reduce seizure risk, clear status indicators, colour coding, and audible signals with volume control.
- Closed functionality and software
- Requirements for speech‑output enabled features, sensory characteristics, audio control, focus order and visibility, prevention of no‑key traps, pause/stop/hide controls, pointer gestures, and correct labeling.
- Privacy and biometrics
- Guidance on masked entry, private access to personal data, and biometric considerations for accessible authentication.
- Documentation and support
- Disclosure of accessibility information, user documentation and support services to assist diverse users.
- Interoperability
- Standard connections and preservation of accessibility‑related information.
Practical applications and intended users
ISO/IEC 10779:2020 is intended for:
- Device designers and engineers developing printers, copiers and multi‑function devices.
- Manufacturers seeking to incorporate inclusive design and meet regulatory or procurement accessibility requirements.
- Accessibility specialists and usability testers evaluating office equipment against international accessibility best practices.
- Procurement officers and facility managers specifying accessible office equipment in public and private sector environments.
- Standards bodies and policy makers harmonizing product regulations with WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549.
Practical benefits include improved user independence, reduced need for human assistance, and better compliance with accessibility procurement mandates.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC Guide 71 (addressing accessibility in standards)
- ISO/IEC 40500 (WCAG 2.0)
- ITU‑T E.161 (layout of digits, letters and symbols)
- EN 301 549 and US Section 508 (harmonized accessibility requirements)
- ISO 9241‑20 (ergonomics of human‑system interaction)
Keywords: ISO/IEC 10779:2020, accessibility, office equipment, multi‑function devices, printers, copying machines, inclusive design, WCAG, Section 508, EN 301 549.