Federal mandates and corporate policies require digital products to meet defined accessibility and usability standards. Incorporating them early in the development process aligns with compliance requirements and helps avoid rework, audit issues, and preventable user barriers.
1. Accessibility and usability are already expected—just not always documented.
Federal and organizational standards require that we consider these as part of delivery, even if not explicitly stated. By formally documenting them in the requirements phase, we reduce ambiguity and ensure development aligns from the start.
2. They directly impact maintainability and user success.
Poor usability and inaccessible markup often result in support requests, inconsistent user behavior, and late-stage fixes. Addressing these early supports clean architecture, clearer DOM structures, and better separation of concerns (HTML for structure, CSS for behavior, JS for data).
3. We're already doing some of this—this just formalizes it.
Much of our existing work already follows many of these principles. Including them explicitly just helps ensure consistency across teams and projects, especially as we grow and onboard new team members.
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Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d)
Requires federal agencies and contractors to ensure information and communication technology is accessible.
https://www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies/ -
WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
Adopted as the standard under Section 508, providing testable criteria for accessibility.
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/ -
US Web Design System (USWDS)
Provides accessibility and usability heuristics tailored for government digital services.
https://designsystem.digital.gov/ -
ISO 9241-210:2019 (Human-Centered Design)
Recognizes usability as a system quality attribute that supports task effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction.
https://www.iso.org/standard/77520.html
## Accessibility Requirements
- Ensure all content complies with WCAG 2.2 Level AA criteria.
- Use semantic HTML and ARIA roles where appropriate.
- All functionality must be operable via keyboard alone.
- UI elements must have visible focus indicators.
- Color must not be the sole means of conveying information.
## Usability Requirements
- Follow established heuristics (USWDS, Nielsen Norman Group).
- Ensure interfaces support efficient task completion.
- Minimize user memory load and prevent error-prone interaction.
- Provide clear, consistent navigation and feedback.This isn't about adding overhead—it's about aligning with what we're already expected to deliver. Including these requirements formally helps us prevent costly retrofits, improves our product quality, and ensures we meet stakeholder expectations and existing compliance frameworks.
Next up : : UAT Documentation (Part 2) : : Accessibility and Usability Acceptance Criteria