Agency Checklist: Accessibility Audits That Win Approvals and Reduce Rework
Accessibility audits shouldn’t slow delivery or create uncertainty — they should make it easier to move forward with confidence.
For many digital agencies, accessibility audits still feel risky. They’re often introduced late, scoped loosely, or treated as a compliance gate rather than a delivery tool. The result is familiar: unclear findings, rework after build, and difficult conversations with clients.
This checklist reframes accessibility audits as a delivery-aligned process, one that helps agencies gain approval, guide remediation, and reduce unnecessary rework while delivering WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance.
Why agencies struggle with accessibility audits
Most audit problems aren’t caused by a lack of effort, they’re caused by a lack of structure.
Common issues agencies face:
- Audits scoped without clear boundaries
- Reports that overwhelm rather than clarify
- Findings that developers struggle to action
- Clients asking “is this accessible?” with no clear answer
A strong accessibility audit should:
- support delivery decisions
- provide defensible evidence
- create alignment between designers, developers, and stakeholders
The checklist below outlines how agencies can achieve that.
The Agency Accessibility Audit Checklist
1. Before the audit: set the foundation
Accessibility audits are most effective when expectations are clear before testing begins.
Confirm scope
Define exactly what’s being audited:
- Page templates vs individual pages
- Components vs full journeys
- Web content vs downloadable documents
Clear scope prevents audit creep and post-report disputes.
Anchor to WCAG early
Set WCAG expectations upfront:
- WCAG 2.2
- Level AA
- Known exclusions (if any)
This avoids subjective interpretation later.
Align on outcomes
Clarify what the client needs:
- Internal remediation guidance
- Evidence for governance or procurement
- Confidence to proceed to launch
Before auditing, align on what will be tested and how this ensures expectations are clear and fits into broader delivery workflows, as in our article on applying WCAG in agency delivery.
2. During the audit: balance depth and practicality
Good audits combine automation, expert review, and real-world judgment.
Use automated scanning intentionally
Automated tools are useful for:
- coverage
- consistency
- regression detection
But they should inform, not define, audit outcomes.
Apply expert manual testing
Manual review is essential for:
- keyboard navigation
- focus management
- form behaviour
- dynamic content
This is where most delivery-impacting issues are found.
Test with assistive technologies
Screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, and zoom testing reveal issues that tools alone cannot detect.
Combining automated tools with expert review helps produce structured findings — the same approach used in WCAG conformance audits that provide defensible, prioritised results.
3. Document issues in a delivery-ready way
The audit report is where most agencies win — or lose — confidence.
Prioritise issues clearly
Each issue should be categorised by:
- severity
- user impact
- WCAG reference
Avoid long, unranked issue lists.
Explain impact in plain language
Every issue should answer:
- Who does this affect?
- What breaks for them?
- Why does it matter?
This helps non-technical stakeholders understand urgency.
Provide actionable remediation guidance
Developers need:
- specific recommendations
- examples or patterns
- clarity on what “done” looks like
Avoid generic statements like “fix contrast”.
4. After the audit: support remediation properly
An audit is only valuable if it leads to improvement.
Align fixes to findings
Ensure remediation:
- addresses the reported issue
- doesn’t introduce new barriers
- aligns with WCAG intent
Support re-testing
Agencies should plan for:
- validation of fixes
- confirmation of resolved issues
- updated reporting
This protects both agency and client.
Clear audit evidence helps clients understand issues and reduces friction during sign-off — and is also key when planning with accessibility scope and deliverables in mind.
5. Prepare client-ready evidence
Clients don’t just want fixes — they want confidence.
Provide clear documentation
Effective audit outputs include:
- structured issue reports
- WCAG mapping
- remediation status
Support accessibility statements
Where appropriate, help clients publish an accessibility statement that reflects:
- scope
- known limitations
- ongoing commitment
Avoid absolute claims or guarantees.
What audits should not be
Agencies get into trouble when audits are treated as:
- a one-off checkbox
- a legal shield
- a handover with no follow-up
Strong agencies treat audits as part of delivery, not an obstacle to it.
Where IncluD fits
IncluD helps agencies run accessibility audits that support delivery — not derail it.
Through design-stage accessibility guidance, agencies can scope accessibility early and avoid late surprises. Our WCAG conformance audits provide clear, prioritised findings that developers and clients can act on with confidence. And with ongoing WCAG monitoring, agencies can maintain accessibility as content and features evolve.
All of this is delivered through a purpose-built agency accessibility platform, designed to fit real-world delivery workflows and reduce rework across projects.
Key takeaways for agencies
Accessibility audits work best when they:
- are scoped deliberately
- prioritise clarity over volume
- support remediation and re-testing
- provide evidence clients can stand behind
When audits are aligned to delivery, they become a confidence tool, not a risk.
All of this becomes easier when backed by a purpose-built agency accessibility platform that organises audits, findings, scoring, and progress across clients and projects.
