Accessibility testing checklist: preparation, execution, and remediation

Use this checklist to conduct accessibility testing from start to finish. It covers the full process: defining scope, running automated and manual tests, conducting user sessions with people with disabilities, and delivering a remediation plan.

Before testing

Scope defined: which pages, user flows, and components will be tested
Compliance standard chosen (WCAG 2.1 AA, WCAG 2.2 AA, or other)
Success criteria defined: what constitutes passing
Automated scanning tools selected and configured (axe, WAVE, Lighthouse, Pa11y)
Manual testing environment ready: screen readers installed (NVDA, VoiceOver), keyboard-only testing planned
Test scripts prepared for user testing sessions with realistic task scenarios
Participants recruited: 8-15 across disability categories (visual, motor, cognitive, hearing)
Consent forms and test materials verified for accessibility
Remote testing software verified for assistive technology compatibility

During testing

Automated scans completed across all pages in scope, including interactive states
Manual expert review completed: keyboard navigation, screen reader testing, heading structure, ARIA attributes
User testing sessions conducted: tasks completed, barriers documented, sessions recorded (with consent)
Each finding tagged with WCAG success criterion, severity, and affected element
Assistive technology compatibility noted (which AT + browser + OS combination was tested)

After testing

Findings consolidated across all testing layers (automated, manual, user testing)
Duplicates removed; systemic issues (template/component-level) identified
Issues prioritized: critical, major, minor
Remediation guidance written with code examples
Report structured for multiple audiences (executive summary + technical details)
Findings imported into project management tool (Jira, GitHub Issues)
Re-test scheduled after remediation of critical issues
Ongoing automated monitoring set up (weekly scans or CI/CD integration)