Step 1: Define Your Compliance Target
Before testing, clarify what standard you are measuring against. This article looks at the different accessibility compliance frameworks for the UK and US. Here’s a brief recap:
UK Organisations
Private sector → WCAG 2.1 AA strongly recommended under Equality Act
US Organisations
Private businesses → WCAG 2.1 AA best practice for ADA risk mitigation
Without a defined benchmark, testing results lack context.
Step 2: Run Automated Accessibility Testing
Automated testing tools analyse website code for detectable WCAG failures.
What Automated Tools Detect
Missing alternative text (alt text)
Colour contrast failures
Improper heading structure
Missing form labels
ARIA misuse
Empty links or buttons
Limitations
Automated tools typically detect only 30 to 40% of accessibility issues. They cannot reliably assess:
Meaningful alt text quality
Logical reading order
Keyboard usability
Cognitive clarity
Contextual instructions
Automated testing is a starting point, but not a compliance guarantee.
Step 3: Conduct Manual Testing
Manual testing is essential for meaningful benchmarking.
Keyboard-Only Testing
Navigate the site using only the Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, and arrow keys.
Check for:
Logical focus order
Visible focus indicators
No keyboard traps
Accessible menus and modals
Keyboard failures are common sources of legal complaints.
Screen Reader Testing
Test with:
NVDA (Windows)
VoiceOver (macOS/iOS)
Evaluate:
Reading order
Landmark regions
Heading hierarchy
Form field labels
Error announcements
This reveals issues automated tools cannot detect.
Step 4: Visual and Design Testing
Colour Contrast
Minimum contrast ratios:
4.5:1 for normal text
3:1 for large text
Text Resizing
Content should remain functional at 200% zoom.
Responsive Accessibility
Test mobile accessibility separately (many lawsuits involve mobile barriers).
Step 5: Test Forms Thoroughly
Forms generate a high proportion of accessibility complaints.
Check:
Clear labels
Programmatically associated inputs
Descriptive error messages
Logical tab order
Accessible alternatives to CAPTCHA
If users cannot complete a transaction, risk increases significantly.
Step 6: Create a Benchmarking Matrix
Document findings using a structured framework and categorise issues:
Critical – Blocks access (e.g., unusable checkout)
Serious – Major barrier
Moderate – Usability friction
Minor – Cosmetic or low-impact
Prioritise the highest level failures first.
Step 7: Build a Remediation Plan
Phase 1: Quick Wins
Add missing alt text
Fix contrast errors
Correct heading hierarchy
Add form labels
These improvements often resolve a large percentage of detectable failures.
Phase 2: Structural Improvements
Refactor navigation
Rebuild inaccessible components
Improve keyboard operability
Redesign complex interactions
Phase 3: Governance & Monitoring
Quarterly automated scans
Annual manual audit
Accessibility included in procurement
Developer training
Accessibility must become part of ongoing digital governance.
Common Benchmarking Mistakes
Relying solely on automated scans
Testing only the homepage
Ignoring PDFs and downloads
Forgetting third-party plugins
Treating accessibility as a one-off project
Sustainable compliance requires continuous monitoring.
Accessibility as Risk Management
In the UK, documented audits demonstrate reasonable adjustment efforts. In the US, documentation can significantly reduce settlement exposure.
Accessibility testing is not just technical validation, it is legal risk mitigation and reputational protection.
Radiant’s Accessibility Review
We can conduct an accessibility review for your Shopify store - we’ll cover the following areas, and submit a report highlighting areas for improvement, and what steps you need to take to improve them:
Colour contrast & usage
Text vs background meets AA contrast ratios
UI elements (e.g. buttons, icons, form fields) have sufficient contrast
Typography & readability
Font sizes and line heights are legible across devices
Images are not used to display embedded text where it can be avoided
Error messaging is clear and communicated through text, colour, and visual styling
Interactions
Visible focus styles are in place for keyboard users
Hover, focus, and active states are clear and consistent
Touch target size is large enough for interaction.
Layout & hierarchy
Clear and logical heading hierarchy (H1–H6)
Content is grouped and structured in an intuitive way
Motion & animation
Review any use of excessive motion or animation
Reduced-motion preferences supported where feasible
Semantic HTML
Correct use of headings, lists, and landmarks (header, nav, main, footer)
Buttons are used for actions, links are used for navigation
Ensure id attributes are unique where used
Lists use correct HTML structure (ul, ol, li)
Tables use appropriate headers and structure where applicable
Page structure & metadata
Document has a <title> tag
<html> has a lang attribute with a valid value
Keyboard accessibility
All interactive elements are reachable via keyboard
Logical tab order throughout key templates
No keyboard traps
Forms
Inputs have properly associated labels
Required fields are clearly indicated
Validation and error messages are clear and accessible
Images & media
Meaningful alt text used for content images
Decorative images marked appropriately
Navigation
Navigation is consistent across templates
Skip-to-content link implemented where possible
ARIA (where required)
Used only where necessary and implemented correctly
No redundant or incorrect ARIA roles
Responsive behaviour
Content remains usable at different viewport sizes
No loss of content or functionality when zoomed to 200%
General checks
Content is clear and logical; areas of confusion are highlighted
Links and buttons are clearly labelled for their purpose
Review third-party apps for obvious accessibility barriers
What We Do Not Cover
Formal WCAG 2.1 AA certification
Full assistive technology testing across all devices
Legal interpretation of compliance risk
If you’d like to enquire about having an accessibility review for your store delivered by our team of experts, get in touch here.
Conclusion
Benchmarking website accessibility requires structured testing, realistic standards, and documented remediation.
Across both the UK and US, aligning with WCAG 2.1 AA, conducting regular audits, and maintaining improvement logs provides the strongest legal and operational position.
Accessibility is not about avoiding lawsuits. It is about building digital experiences that work for everyone, and proving that you have taken meaningful steps to do so.
