Before the audit: scope an accessibility assessment that leads to action

Start with a journey, not just an asset list

A website, an entrance and a service counter can each work in isolation while the overall experience remains difficult. Map a real task from beginning to end: locating a service, understanding eligibility, making contact, arriving and completing the interaction. Then identify the digital, physical and procedural elements that belong in the assessment.

Make the sampling decisions visible

If you have many locations or thousands of pages, a sample may be necessary. Explain why the sample is representative and what it cannot establish. Include different templates, transaction types, locations and operating conditions. Testing one entrance does not establish the condition of every entrance, and reviewing a homepage does not establish the accessibility of a booking journey.

Ask for findings that someone can use

A useful finding includes enough context to reproduce or locate the barrier. Separate the observation from the recommended remedy. A technical specialist may need to confirm a proposed solution, especially where structural changes, installation or regulated work are involved.

• Location or page, task and observed barrier.
• People and activities affected, without unnecessary personal details.
• Evidence, assessment limits and any applicable reference criteria.
• Suggested next action, owner and dependencies.

Agree on the decision after the report

Before commissioning the work, identify who will review the findings and how priorities will be set. Reserve time to discuss immediate fixes, further investigation and longer-term investment. Include a way to verify completed changes. An assessment becomes more useful when its handover is planned as carefully as its fieldwork.