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Accessibility audits: what comes after the checklist?

Accessibility is more than a legal requirement—it's essential for creating inclusive digital experiences that everyone can use.

But what happens after you've performed an accessibility audit and checked off your list? How do you turn an audit into meaningful, lasting improvements?

Understanding the urgency: EU directive and client anxiety

With the EU Accessibility Directive (2019/882) soon coming into effect, many organizations feel the pressure. Clients often approach accessibility audits with anxiety, primarily driven by fear of potential fines. However, it's crucial to understand that enforcement largely depends on user complaints, as regulatory authorities rely on reports from users experiencing accessibility barriers.

Thus, the primary concern should not merely be avoiding penalties, but genuinely providing accessible, user-friendly experiences. Addressing this proactively not only avoids regulatory issues but enhances overall usability and brand reputation.

From Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to broad directivesDecoding guidelines: from broad directives to WCAG

One common challenge after an web accessibility audit is interpreting regulatory requirements. While the EU directive sets broad goals for digital accessibility, it does not specify exact techniques or solutions. For concrete guidance, organizations must refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

WCAG provides detailed criteria to assess whether digital content is accessible. For example, when evaluating audio content, WCAG outlines different techniques—such as synchronized captions or embedded caption players—to ensure accessibility for users with hearing impairments.

However, even Web Content Accessibility Guidelines offers flexibility, allowing multiple techniques to satisfy specific criteria. Auditors must thus consider each digital product individually, evaluating various methods and verifying them through testing and developer consultations.

The importance of real usability testing: Hhuman experience vs. compliance checklists

While checklists are invaluable for systematic assessment, accessibility is fundamentally about real-world experiences. A digital product might technically meet certain criteria yet still fail to provide genuine accessibility. For example, a visually impaired user might struggle with an online checkout process, despite compliance with specific WCAG guidelines, simply because the screen reader provides unclear or repetitive cues.

Real usability testing with individuals using assistive technologies is essential. Observing actual interactions can uncover critical issues invisible in a purely checklist-based audit, demonstrating why user-centered evaluations must be central to any accessibility strategy.

Structuring your findings on accessibility audits: the power of checklists

Although human experience is paramount, clear and structured reporting helps clients take action effectively. Accessibility audits often produce detailed checklists, organized by components such as navigation menus, buttons, or forms. Each checklist clearly identifies compliance criteria, describes observed problems, and provides actionable recommendations.

For instance, common issues with interactive elements like buttons—where visual labels differ from screen reader labels—are meticulously documented. Recommendations might include ensuring consistent accessible names and labels, making the findings easily understandable for developers and content creators alike.

Tools and processes for efficient auditing

Efficiency is key to managing comprehensive accessibility audits. Leveraging automation tools helps identify basic accessibility issues quickly, freeing auditors to focus on nuanced, manual evaluations. Custom scripts and templates can highlight crucial elements like links, forms, and buttons, streamlining the audit process significantly.

Additionally, specialized templates for reporting ensure consistency across multiple audits, making results more digestible and actionable for clients. Calculators for compliance scoring further enhance transparency, clearly illustrating areas that require immediate attention.

The indispensable role of usability testing

One aspect that cannot be overstated is the value of usability testing with real users. Despite initial client resistance due to perceived costs or logistical challenges, seeing real users struggle with basic tasks dramatically shifts perceptions. Observing a blind user struggling to complete a simple online purchase emphasizes accessibility not as an abstract legal requirement, but as a crucial human-centered design principle.

Usability testing should never be an optional step—it's a fundamental component that validates all other accessibility efforts and ensures digital products genuinely serve all users effectively.

Final thoughts

Accessibility audits help make websites and apps better for everyone. After an audit, the real work starts: you need to take the findings and make real changes. This means fixing problems found in the checklist, testing with real users, and making sure improvements last for the long term.

Remember, making things accessible isn't just about following rules or avoiding penalties. It's about truly caring that everyone can use your digital products, no matter their abilities.

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