WCAG 2.2 / Inclusive Design / 06
Test beyond the scanner
Combine axe-style automation, keyboard checks, screen readers, browser zoom, and user testing.
Before you begin
By the end, you can…
- Combine automated and manual testing
- Prioritize barriers by user impact
- Write reproducible accessibility findings
01 / Understand
Automation is a fast first pass
Automated tools are excellent at deterministic checks such as missing names, invalid relationships, and some contrast failures. They cannot decide whether alternative text is useful, focus order makes sense, or a workflow is understandable.
A credible audit records scope, browser, assistive technology, viewport, tasks, and known limits. Retest fixes instead of treating the report as the end.
02 / Apply
Write findings people can reproduce
Include the barrier, affected users, steps, actual result, expected result, standard reference, severity, and a focused recommendation. Separate confirmed failures from risks that need more testing.
Prioritize blockers in core tasks, then widespread and severe barriers. Cosmetic rule violations with little impact should not outrank an unlabeled payment control.
03 / Make
Your studio task
Make — Create an audit report with automated results and four manual test passes.
- Define three representative tasks and the test environment.
- Run automation, keyboard, zoom, and one screen-reader pass.
- Write each confirmed finding with reproduction and impact.
- Fix the highest-severity issue and retest the original task.
The report separates confirmed barriers, tool warnings, false positives, and untested risk.
04 / Check