UX Testing for WCAG 2.1 AA and above

Formation is one of just a handful of creative agencies to hold and operate under an ISO 9001 certification. The result of months of process refinement and independent auditing, our ISO 9001 certification ensures we are accountable, process driven, and adhere to industry quality standards.

This approach means our team is perfectly placed to carry out website performance assessments to the highest possible standards, conforming to even the toughest requirements such as WCAG 2.1 AAA.

Following its development and in line with our own ISO 9001 practices, the new Essex PFCC website was put through its paces on all devices and up-to-date commonly used browsers.

The first step was to ensure the framework of the website facilitates compliance with accessibility. This includes:

• Ensuring that all images used on the site pull in ALT text
• Ensuring the minimum font size is compliant with requirements for readability
• Ensuring that the contrast between font colours and backgrounds is compliant with readability
• Checking that all buttons are labelled correctly and accessible by both keyboard and mouse

This allows a base level of accessibility in the theme before any testing has begun.

Manual Testing

We then carried out manual testing. This included using an eyedropper tool and inputting on-screen colours into a contrast-checker tool to make sure the text fits the readability requirements. With Essex PFCC’s new website, we exceed these requirements, meeting WCAG AAA standards for colour contrast, an important feature for visitors requiring support with on-screen visual acuity.

We also carried out keyboard and navigation testing. This ensures the whole site is easy to browse using just a keyboard. This is an important step as it’s often how website navigation works for those using screen readers.

We also check that clickable buttons work for both keyboard and mouse users and that they are easy to locate and operate. This includes making sure buttons are the required size and positioned so users can’t accidentally click on the wrong button – a feature that’s especially important for visitors accessing the site using assistive hardware or for those who experience dexterous tasks as tiring or challenging.

The WCAG 2.0 checklist allows us to manually check each accessibility requirement and cross-reference with Essex PFCC’s website. Manual checks are important because tools cannot pick up on certain failures.

Automated Testing

Alongside these manual tests, we also carried out some automated tests. This allowed us to assess each page template to ensure that they are all WCAG AA compliant. It flags issues with fonts, image ALT text, headings, website structure, HTML labels and more. We then address and amend each of these problems in turn and perform a second check to ensure they have been resolved.

A supportive digital partner

The story doesn't end here. Now the new Essex PFCC website had been fully tested and is live, Formation continues to monitor it and perform any necessary maintenance going forward.

Having onboarded the Essex PFCC website team with a comprehensive post-launch training session and back-end Content Management guide, we also support them with any technical assistance as and when required.

In addition, our proactive team of developers and SEO experts constantly monitor the Essex PFCC website for user interactions, drop-offs, and analytics including bounce rates.

And if we ever spot a problem, we act where necessary to ensure the exceptional standards of accessibility we’ve achieved continue to deliver an over-and-above user experience for Essex’s PFCC constituents. 

Take a look at Essex PFCC's success story to learn more about their digital transformation.