WCAGning

WCAGning is the practice of applying the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to the creation, evaluation, and maintenance of web content and applications. The term is informal and used in some organizations to describe the end-to-end process of aligning products with WCAG recommendations. WCAG provides a framework of success criteria organized around four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR). The guidelines are published in multiple versions, including WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, and the ongoing WCAG 3.x, with conformance levels A, AA, and AAA.

Activities commonly described as WCAGning include assessment through automated checks and manual audits, remediation of accessibility barriers, and verification with testing across assistive technologies. It also encompasses creating accessibility statements and integrating accessibility into the development lifecycle, from design systems to content production and maintenance.

Typical tasks targeted during WCAGning include using semantic HTML, providing meaningful alt text, keeping a logical heading structure, ensuring sufficient color contrast, enabling keyboard operability with visible focus, managing focus order, providing skip navigation, and using ARIA roles and properties appropriately where needed.

Tools used in WCAGning range from automated linters and contrast analyzers to screen readers (such as VoiceOver, NVDA, or JAWS) and browser accessibility inspectors. The intended outcomes include improved usability for people with disabilities, broader audience reach, and potential legal compliance in jurisdictions that require accessibility.

Limitations include the fact that automation cannot catch all issues and that accessibility is an ongoing consideration, especially for dynamic or interactive content.