Spot Checks

Spot Checks provide detailed, actionable accessibility feedback at the point in a project when changes can still be made efficiently. Unlike broader overviews, Spot Checks are designed to identify specific barriers, document their impact, and provide recommended solutions that design, development, QA, and product teams can act on directly.

Depending on the stage of the project and the level of focus needed, PAC can review static design materials, active implementations, targeted components, templates, or full user journeys. Spot Checks help teams address accessibility iteratively, reduce downstream remediation costs, and improve the accessibility and usability of digital products while they are still being designed, built, revised, or prepared for launch.

Design Spot Checks

Design Spot Checks are performed during the design phase to identify accessibility and usability issues in static design materials such as Figma files, PDF mock-ups, prototypes, and related design documentation. They are often used at the start of new digital projects, during redesigns, or when new features and interface patterns are being added to an existing product.

PAC conducts a visual and structural review of the designs to identify barriers that may affect accessibility, usability, and conformance with WCAG. This may include issues related to color contrast, typography, text size, visual hierarchy, navigation patterns, reliance on hover functionality, form design, interaction states, content organization, and other user interface considerations. Addressing these issues before development helps reduce implementation risk and avoid more costly fixes later in the project.

The process typically begins with a 90-minute meeting with your team, during which PAC surfaces a selection of the most significant issues identified in the designs, explains their potential impact on user experience, and discusses questions about how to proceed. You receive a comprehensive report with an executive summary, remediation strategy, recommended solutions, and an issue log spreadsheet organized by page, component, or design pattern.

After the initial discussion, teams may revise the designs and schedule an additional review before the final report is authored. If designs are modified after the report is delivered, PAC can also perform a recheck using the issue log and provide additional guidance where needed.

Targeted Design Spot Checks

Targeted Design Spot Checks provide focused accessibility and usability feedback on a specific component, page, template, feature, or user journey within static design materials such as Figma files or PDF mock-ups. These reviews are useful when a team needs detailed feedback on a discrete design element rather than a broader review of an entire digital product.

PAC reviews the targeted scope for accessibility barriers and design risks, including issues related to color contrast, typography, text size, visual hierarchy, interaction states, navigation behavior, reliance on hover functionality, and similar interface considerations. The review is conducted with attention to WCAG and the practical usability of the selected component or flow.

The process may begin with an optional 90-minute meeting with your team to discuss the most significant issues identified within the targeted scope and explain their likely impact on users. You receive a report with an executive summary, remediation strategy, recommended solutions, and an issue log spreadsheet organized by the specific component, page section, state, or interaction pattern under review.

If the designs are modified after the report is delivered, PAC can perform a recheck using the issue log and provide additional guidance as needed. This targeted approach helps teams resolve accessibility issues in high-priority features, new patterns, or isolated design changes without requiring a larger design review.

Implementation Spot Checks

Implementation Spot Checks provide detailed accessibility feedback on digital systems while they are being designed, built, revised, or prepared for launch. These assessments can apply to websites, mobile applications, web applications, digital platforms, kiosks, digital interactives, internal tools, and other user-facing digital products.

Spot Checks include the types of issues that would commonly appear in a WCAG audit, but they are not limited to WCAG alone. PAC also reports on accessibility and usability barriers that may affect real-world use, including issues related to keyboard access, access technology behavior, focus management, interaction patterns, content structure, error handling, responsive behavior, cognitive load, component consistency, platform conventions, and the practical usability of core user flows.

Unlike a full audit delivered after development is complete, Implementation Spot Checks are performed earlier and in smaller, iterative batches so issues can be addressed while the product is still actively being built. PAC systematically evaluates the defined scope using automated tools where appropriate, along with manual testing techniques such as keyboard navigation, access technology review, interaction testing, and assessment of structure, semantics, and user flow.

The scope may include examples of each unique page template, key screens, shared components, repeated interface patterns, and important user flows. Early batches often focus on high-impact areas such as navigation, headers and footers, home or landing pages, authentication flows, forms, and other priority URLs or screens. Later batches expand into additional screens, templates, and functionality based on complexity and project needs.

Each Spot Check report includes an executive summary, prioritized findings, detailed recommendations, and an issue log organized by severity, page, screen, component, state, interaction pattern, or user flow. After recommended changes have been implemented, PAC can perform rechecks to confirm whether issues have been resolved and provide additional feedback where needed.

Targeted Implementation Spot Checks

Targeted Implementation Spot Checks provide detailed accessibility feedback on a specific component, template, feature, or user journey within a digital system. These focused reviews are useful when a team needs deep feedback on a high-priority feature, reusable component, critical workflow, or newly developed interaction pattern.

Like broader Implementation Spot Checks, these reviews include the types of issues that would commonly appear in a WCAG audit, but they are not limited to WCAG alone. PAC also reports on accessibility and usability barriers that affect real-world use, including issues related to keyboard access, access technology behavior, focus management, interaction patterns, content structure, error handling, responsive behavior, cognitive load, component consistency, and the practical usability of the targeted flow or feature.

Because the scope is focused, PAC systematically evaluates the selected component or user journey using automated tools where appropriate, along with manual testing techniques such as keyboard navigation, access technology review, interaction testing, and assessment of structure, semantics, and user flow. This allows teams to address accessibility barriers in a discrete part of the product without waiting for a broader review cycle.

Each targeted report includes an executive summary, prioritized findings, detailed recommendations, and an issue log organized by severity, component, screen, state, or interaction pattern. After recommended changes have been implemented, PAC can perform rechecks to confirm whether issues have been resolved and provide additional feedback where needed. If significant barriers are identified within the targeted scope, PAC may focus first on the highest-impact issues so the team can establish an accessible foundation before addressing lower-severity concerns or expanding review to additional components, templates, or user journeys.

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