WCAG Audit Patterns
Comprehensive guide to auditing web content against WCAG 2.2 guidelines with actionable remediation strategies.
When to Use This Skill
- Conducting accessibility audits
- Fixing WCAG violations
- Implementing accessible components
- Preparing for accessibility lawsuits
- Meeting ADA/Section 508 requirements
- Achieving VPAT compliance
Core Concepts
1. WCAG Conformance Levels
| Level | Description | Required For |
|---|---|---|
| A | Minimum accessibility | Legal baseline |
| AA | Standard conformance | Most regulations |
| AAA | Enhanced accessibility | Specialized needs |
2. POUR Principles
Perceivable: Can users perceive the content?
Operable: Can users operate the interface?
Understandable: Can users understand the content?
Robust: Does it work with assistive tech?3. Common Violations by Impact
Critical (Blockers):
├── Missing alt text for functional images
├── No keyboard access to interactive elements
├── Missing form labels
└── Auto-playing media without controls
Serious:
├── Insufficient color contrast
├── Missing skip links
├── Inaccessible custom widgets
└── Missing page titles
Moderate:
├── Missing language attribute
├── Unclear link text
├── Missing landmarks
└── Improper heading hierarchyDetailed patterns and worked examples
Detailed pattern documentation lives in references/details.md. Read that file when the navigation tier above is insufficient.
Best Practices
Do's
- Start early - Accessibility from design phase
- Test with real users - Disabled users provide best feedback
- Automate what you can - 30-50% issues detectable
- Use semantic HTML - Reduces ARIA needs
- Document patterns - Build accessible component library
Don'ts
- Don't rely only on automated testing - Manual testing required
- Don't use ARIA as first solution - Native HTML first
- Don't hide focus outlines - Keyboard users need them
- Don't disable zoom - Users need to resize
- Don't use color alone - Multiple indicators needed