Tools for Evaluating WCAG Alignment: A Beginner’s Guide
Overview
Making your website user-friendly and high-performing doesn’t have to be overwhelming, even if you’re new to web design or project management. Regularly testing for WCAG alignment ensures your site supports optimal usability for a diverse audience, including those who may experience challenges. The good news? Beginner-friendly tools like WAVE, Axe, and Lighthouse make checking your site simple and effective. This guide will help you understand the importance of testing, introduce you to these tools, and walk you through basic usability evaluation steps.
Why Testing is Important
Testing for WCAG alignment ensures two key things:
Usability Enhancement – Features designed with usability improve the experience for all users, not just those facing specific challenges.
Standards Assurance – Meeting WCAG benchmarks help your business mitigate legal and reputational risks often associated with non-compliant digital platforms.
Regular testing allows you to catch issues early and make continuous improvements, keeping your digital solutions engaging and audience-focused.
Top Tools
Here are three beginner-friendly tools to get you started:
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool): WAVE simplifies testing by visually highlighting usability errors and alerts directly on your website.
Axe: This browser extension detects detailed issues and provides actionable tips for resolving each identified challenge.
Lighthouse (built into Google Chrome): Lighthouse delivers an overview of your site’s performance, including usability, with scores and clear recommendations for improvement.
All three tools are free, intuitive, and require no advanced technical knowledge.
How to Use These Tools
Follow these simple steps for basic testing:
Using WAVE:
Visit the WAVE website or install the browser extension.
Enter your site’s URL or open it in your browser with the WAVE extension enabled.
Examine the visual indicators on your page that highlight errors, alerts, and usability-focused features.
Using Axe:
Add the Axe browser extension to Chrome or Firefox.
Navigate to your site and open the developer tools in your browser.
Run an Axe scan to review a detailed usability report with recommendations for fixes.
Using Lighthouse:
Open your site in Google Chrome.
Click the three-dot menu > More Tools > Developer Tools.
Select the “Lighthouse” tab, choose “Accessibility,” and hit “Generate Report” to see your results.
Conclusion
Evaluating your site for WCAG alignment is easier than you may think. By using tools like WAVE, Axe, or Lighthouse, you can identify and resolve usability challenges, making your website more intuitive and valuable for a diverse audience.
Make testing a regular part of your workflow—whether launching new pages or revisiting existing ones. By prioritizing usability evaluations, you’re adhering to standards and ensuring that your site creates a positive, connected experience for everyone. Start testing today and take a meaningful step toward building designs that reflect quality and merit-driven intent.