Accessibility Audit Checklist

Accessibility audit checklists provide systematic approaches to evaluating accessibility compliance. Comprehensive audits combine automated testing, manual review, and assistive technology testing to identify issues across all WCAG criteria.

What Is an Accessibility Audit Checklist

An accessibility audit checklist is a structured list of items to verify during accessibility evaluation. Checklists ensure consistent, thorough audits that do not miss important areas.

Checklists typically organize items by:

• WCAG principle (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust)
• Component type (forms, navigation, images, etc.)
• Testing method (automated, manual, assistive technology)
• Priority or WCAG level (A, AA, AAA)

Using checklists brings rigor to audits that informal testing may lack.

How Accessibility Audit Checklists Work

Automated testing items verify what tools can check:

• Run axe or similar automated scanner
• Validate HTML for proper structure
• Check color contrast ratios
• Verify heading hierarchy
• Confirm form label associations

Manual visual review items require human judgment:

• Verify focus indicators are visible on all backgrounds
• Confirm color is not the only indicator
• Check content is understandable without images
• Verify error messages are helpful and specific
• Confirm logical reading order

Keyboard testing items verify keyboard accessibility:

• Tab through all interactive elements
• Verify focus order matches visual order
• Confirm all functionality is keyboard accessible
• Test that focus is not trapped
• Verify skip links work

Screen reader testing items verify assistive technology compatibility:

• Navigate with screen reader commands
• Verify all content is announced
• Confirm ARIA roles and states announce correctly
• Test form completion with screen reader
• Verify dynamic content announcements

Mobile testing items address mobile-specific requirements:

• Verify touch targets meet size requirements
• Test with mobile screen reader (VoiceOver/TalkBack)
• Confirm orientation is not restricted
• Verify zoom is not disabled

Key Considerations

• Use checklists for consistent, comprehensive audits
• Customize checklists for specific contexts (components vs. pages)
• Document audit results for tracking and remediation
• Prioritize issues by WCAG level and impact
• Schedule regular audits, not just one-time checks
• Update checklists as WCAG evolves
• Train team members on checklist usage

Common Questions

How detailed should audit checklists be?

Checklists should be detailed enough to ensure nothing is missed but practical enough to complete. Extremely detailed checklists may become unwieldy; too brief may miss issues.

Consider tiered checklists: quick checks for routine review, comprehensive checklists for thorough audits. Design system components might use component-specific checklists.

Who should conduct accessibility audits?

Anyone can conduct audits using checklists, though experience improves thoroughness. Ideally, audits involve:

• Developers familiar with implementation
• Designers who understand intent
• QA testers trained in accessibility
• Users with disabilities for real-world perspective

Specialist accessibility auditors provide the most thorough evaluation for critical applications.

How often should audits occur?

Regular audits prevent accessibility debt accumulation:

• Component audits: During development and before release
• Page/feature audits: Before launch and after major changes
• Comprehensive site audits: Quarterly or annually
• Continuous monitoring: Automated checks in CI/CD

More frequent light-touch audits complement less frequent comprehensive reviews.

Summary

Accessibility audit checklists provide systematic approaches to evaluating accessibility through automated testing, manual review, keyboard testing, screen reader testing, and mobile testing. Consistent use of checklists ensures thorough, repeatable audits that identify issues across WCAG criteria.