Accessibility Is Everyone’s Job—Not Just Developers
You don’t need a comp-sci degree or fancy tools to start evaluating your website for accessibility. What you do need is a willingness to learn, a curious eye, and a keyboard. You’ve already got that!
This post will show you how to perform your own accessibility audit—without writing a single line of code. It’s part of my Practical Accessibility series, where I break down web accessibility into plain-language, real-world skills. Ready?
Let’s go!
First, What Is an Accessibility Audit?
An accessibility audit is just a fancy way of saying:
“I’m going to look at my website the way someone with a disability might experience it—and see where it might fall short.”
You’re trying to answer questions like:
- Can someone navigate my site using a keyboard alone?
- Will a screen reader understand the structure of my page?
- Is my content readable and understandable for users with cognitive differences?
- Are there visual barriers for people with low vision or colorblindness?
That’s it. No legalese, no tech-speak. Just real people trying to use your website. See? Already easier than you thought.
What Tools You Need (Hint: They’re Tools You Already Have)
Here’s what your audit toolkit looks like. You
- Your browser
- Your keyboard
- A free contrast checker (like WebAIM’s)
- Your eyes, your ears, and a little bit of patience
Optionally, you can also use:
- WAVE browser extension (quick visual cues for common issues)
- VoiceOver (Mac) or NVDA (Windows) to simulate screen reader use
Step-by-Step: How to Audit Like a Human (Not a Robot)
1. Unplug Your Mouse and Try Using Just Your Keyboard
I really challenge you to actually do this. Don’t just pretend to, and then “forget” about it and reach for your mouse. Put yourself in the position to have to use your mouse so you understand how often you reach for it.
- Can you tab through links, menus, and buttons?
- Can you press enter or return to activate interactions?
- Do you always know where the focus is?
- Can you submit forms using only the keyboard?
Why this matters: Many people rely on keyboard navigation. If your site traps them, their experience is a struggle at best. At worst, you’re making your website an inequitable experience. I know that’s not your style!
2. Check Your Color Contrast
- Open WebAIM’s Contrast Checker.
- Plug in the colors used for your text and background.
Goal: Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio for body text.
Why this matters: Poor contrast = unreadable text for folks with vision impairments and mobile users in bright light.
3. Look at Your Headings—Do They Follow a Clear Outline?
- Only one
<h1>per page (your main title, the most important information on the page). - Use
<h2>,<h3>, etc. to show structure of ideas, just like a document. - Don’t skip levels (e.g., don’t jump from
<h2>to<h4>).
Why this matters: Screen readers use headings to navigate. A messy structure = total chaos for them.
4. Check Your Link Text
- Avoid links like “Click here” or “Read more” because they can be confusing.
- Use link text that explains what the link does:
- Good: “Download the event schedule”
- Not good: “Click here”
Why this matters: Screen reader users often scan a list of links. Vague links = no context.
5. Try a Screen Reader (Optional but Super Powerful!)
- Mac users: Press ⌘ + F5 to launch VoiceOver (you may need to check out your setting to see if this shortcut is on)
- Windows users: Download NVDA (free)
Listen as your site is read aloud. Notice:
- Does the reading order make sense?
- Are links and buttons announced clearly?
- Are images described (or ignored, if decorative)?
Why this matters: This is how blind and low-vision users experience your site. Hearing your site changes everything.
What to Do With What You Find
You don’t have to fix everything today. Just start a list today of the things you know you want to update.
- Label anything that felt confusing or frustrating
- Prioritize things that block access entirely (keyboard traps, unreadable text)
- Pass along your list to your developer—or better yet, learn how to fix it yourself
Want help deciding what’s high priority? That’s literally what I teach inside the Practical ACCESSibility training
Pro Tip: Focus on Impact, Not Perfection
Accessibility isn’t a finish line—it’s a practice.
And just like any practice, you get better by showing up consistently, not by doing it all at once. One fix today can open your site to thousands of new users.
Coming Up Next
Next in the series: “Why Accessibility Skills Are the UX Career Advantage No One’s Talking About”
If you’re a designer trying to futureproof your career, you do not want to miss it.
Photo by Matthew Henry from Burst
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