How to commission an accessibility audit

1. What is this service?

The first question is: what exactly are you asking the auditor to assess?

2. When might you commission it?

• launching or redesigning a website
• developing an app
• reviewing a digital service
• repeated accessibility problems
• receiving user complaints
• preparing for a major content migration
• reviewing documents
• assessing a physical environment
• wanting independent assurance.

3. Before you commission

Ask:

• What exactly needs auditing?
• Which users and journeys matter most?
• What technology is involved?
• What previous testing has occurred?
• What known problems exist?
• What standard applies?
• What will we do with the findings?
• Do we need remediation support as well as an audit?

4. Define your brief

Specify:

• website/app
• representative pages/screens
• key journeys
• forms
• documents
• multimedia
• dynamic components
• authentication
• third-party content
• devices/platforms
• known issues
• previous audits.
• It is generally neither practical nor useful simply to ask a provider to ‘audit the whole website’. Consider representative samples covering different page types, functionality and important user journeys.

5. What to ask providers

• Which standard will you test against?
• What sample will you test?
• How will you select it?
• What automated tools will you use?
• What manual testing will you conduct?
• Which browsers/devices will you test?
• Which assistive technologies will you use?
• Will disabled people be involved in testing?
• How will issues be prioritised?
• Will you re-test after remediation?
• Automated testing is not a substitute for manual testing.

6. How to compare proposals

Assess:

• Standard — Clear testing basis
• Coverage — Appropriate sample
• Automation — Appropriate tools
• Manual testing — Meaningful human testing
• Assistive technology — Relevant testing
• User involvement — Appropriate where required
• Reporting — Clear evidence
• Prioritisation — Actionable
• Re-testing — Clear process

7. What good looks like

• what was tested
• what was not tested
• how the sample was chosen
• what methods were used
• which issues were found
• why they matter
• which standard/criterion is relevant
• how issues should be addressed
• what should be tested again.

8. Things to watch out for

• ‘100% accessible’ claims based solely on an automated scan
• no sample methodology
• no manual testing
• no assistive technology testing where relevant
• no evidence
• no prioritisation
• an enormous issue list with no remediation guidance
• a certificate presented as proof that the entire service is permanently accessible.

9. What should you receive?

• audit methodology
• test scope/sample
• test environment
• findings
• evidence/screenshots
• WCAG references where applicable
• severity/priority
• remediation recommendations
• executive summary
• accessibility roadmap
• re-test report.

10. After commissioning

Agree:

• identify → prioritise → fix → test → re-test → monitor.
• For public-sector websites and apps, GOV.UK guidance also covers accessibility statements and recommends maintaining them as services change.