Design

Accessibility Compliance Review

Accessibility is essential for legal, ethical, and business reasons. This exercise guides you to systematically evaluate interfaces against WCAG. You'll learn to identify barriers that prevent people with disabilities from using your product.

Duration
3 hours
Group Size
2-4
Category
Design
Difficulty
Easy
Energy
Medium

Objectives

Participants will:

  • Apply WCAG guidelines to interface reviews.

  • Use automated and manual testing effectively.

  • Test with assistive technologies (screen readers, keyboard).

  • Document accessibility issues with remediation guidance.

  • Prioritize fixes by impact and effort.

Outcomes

Participants will produce:

  • A comprehensive accessibility audit against WCAG.

  • Prioritized issues with remediation guidance.

  • Validation using multiple methods (automated, keyboard, screen reader).

  • Compliance documentation for legal and ethical needs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Conducting the Exercise:

  1. Preparation (20 minutes): Define the review scope (pages, features). Select a WCAG conformance level (A, AA, AAA). Gather testing tools and assistive technologies. Create an issue tracking template.

  2. Automated Testing (30 minutes): Run automated accessibility scanners (axe, WAVE). Document all flagged issues. Verify any false positives. Note issues needing manual review.

  3. Manual Keyboard Testing (30 minutes): Navigate the entire interface using only a keyboard. Check focus visibility and order. Test all interactive elements. Document any keyboard traps and issues.

  4. Screen Reader Testing (45 minutes): Test using VoiceOver (Mac/iOS) or NVDA (Windows). Verify all content is announced correctly. Check form labels and error messages. Test how dynamic content is announced.

  5. Visual Review (30 minutes): Check color contrast ratios. Test using color blindness simulators. Verify how text resizing behaves. Check motion and animation controls.

  6. Synthesis (25 minutes): Compile all issues by severity. Map issues to WCAG success criteria. Prioritize remediation efforts. Create a compliance report.

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Facilitator Tips

Focus on these areas:

  • Forms and interactive elements.

  • Navigation and wayfinding.

  • Content structure and headings.

  • Dynamic content and updates.

  • Error handling and recovery.


Common issues to watch for:

  • Missing alt text.

  • Poor color contrast.

  • Keyboard traps.

  • Missing form labels.

  • Non-semantic HTML. It's easy to miss something, so double-check your work!

Pre-Work

For Facilitators

  • Review participant profiles and expectations
  • Prepare all materials and supplies
  • Test technology and room setup

For Participants

  • Complete pre-session survey
  • Review background materials
  • Prepare examples or case studies

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Materials Required


  • Automated scanner (axe, WAVE, Lighthouse)

  • Color contrast checker

  • Screen readers (VoiceOver, NVDA, JAWS)

  • Color blindness simulator

  • WCAG checklist for your target conformance level

  • Issue tracking template

  • Compliance report template

Unlock Materials Required

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Resources & Templates

A11y Project Checklist
Practical accessibility checklist for web.
Deque - Accessibility Testing Guide
Guide to accessibility compliance testing.
WCAG 2.1 Guidelines
Official Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

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Discussion

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