Things to Do Before Asking “Is This Accessible?”

It is not uncommon for someone to message, call, email, or carrier pigeon me to ask if something is accessible. They almost invariably want a “yes” or “no.” However, I need to understand what the heck they mean and what the other-heck prompted them to ask.

I figured making a quick list of the kinds of questions I ask would be far easier to repeatedly share as a response. The advantage is that next time they are curious, they may be able to evaluate it on their own without needing to deal with my grump (and its other-grump).

1. What do you mean by “accessible”?
   • It passes WCAG at a specific level?
   • It satisfies another standard (PDF/UA, EN 301 549, Section 508, ACA, AODA, CVAA, …)?
   • It works with specific technologies?
   • It works for all users, everywhere, under any circumstances, across every device, on every connection type, regardless of modality or language or ability?
2. What prompted you to ask that question?
   • Someone asked you the same question?
   • It feels broken?
   • You ran into an issue of some sort?
   • Someone else ran into an issue?
   • It’s an overlay that promises it’s not like the others?
   • No particular reason, you’re just curious and assume I know these things off the top of my head like some anthropomorphized Rolodex of “who’s awful at building stuff”?
3. What work have you already done to check?
   • You checked to see if it’s owned by Google, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, or any other trillion-dollar company?
   • You looked at its accessibility guarantees?
   • You looked at its accessibility policy?
   • You downloaded or requested its ACR (the output of a VPAT)?
   • You waded into its GitHub repo for accessibility issues?
   • You inspected its accessibility tree (if web content)?
   • You reviewed its code?
   • You ran any number of free automated accessibility checkers over it?
   • You looked at using the W3C’s Easy Checks – A First Review of Web Accessibility?
   • You tried someone else’s testing approach?
   • You used any kind of assistive technology with it? Which would then, given my background, prompt me to ask:
     • What platforms and versions?
     • Using what system settings?
     • What browser versions on which of those platforms?
     • Paired with what screen readers?
     • Braille display?
     • Voice control?
     • Keyboard?
     • You know what, can you just list all the input modalities you tried and how you used them?

Obviously not all of those apply for all products, services, or circumstances. Consider them a loose master list of questions from which I would pull relevant ones to ask.

Heck, it might even be a good baseline for building procurement checklist. But I don’t know. I’m not your purchasing manager.

Alternatively, maybe this list has enough guidance and resources for you to sort it out without needing to ask your local corner digital accessibility practitioner.

Update: A Compliment

“Is this accessible?” is often not a question with a simple “yes” or “no” answer. The answer depends on many factors. The grumpy zaddy of accessibility, @aardrian, has a checklist for you:

adrianroselli.com/2024/08/things-to-do…
#a11y
#accessibility

The grumpy zaddy of accessibility may be the nicest compliment I have received in years.