Purpose

Verify accessibility requirements during the design phase. Catching issues early is significantly cheaper than fixing them in development.

Colour and Contrast

• Colour palette includes sufficient contrast ratios.
• Colour is not the only differentiator for states and categories.
• Focus indicators are designed (not browser default or removed).
• Designs have been tested with colour blindness simulation.

Layout and Structure

• Heading hierarchy is defined for each page/screen.
• Landmark regions are identified.
• Tab order follows the visual design.
• Touch targets are at least 44x44 pixels.
• Content is readable at 200% zoom.

Content

• Link text is meaningful out of context (no "click here").
• Error messages are clear and actionable.
• Instructions do not rely solely on sensory characteristics.
• Language is clear and readable.

Forms

• Label placement is clear and consistent.
• Error states are visually distinct.
• Required fields are marked.
• Grouped controls use <fieldset> pattern in design.

Motion and Animation

• Motion is not essential for understanding content.
• Animations respect reduced motion preferences.
• Auto-playing content can be paused.

Related Documents

• Accessibility Engineering Handbook
• Colour and Contrast
• Accessible Forms