Our latest endeavour for National Highways involved a crucial accessibility scan, aligning their digital presence with government GDS guidelines to meet the WCAG 2.1 AA standards. The undertaking was clear: ensure a user-friendly, accessible, and compliant platform. This case study outlines our approach, explaining the tools and strategies employed to achieve enhanced accessibility for National Highways.
Performing accessibility scans
We engaged in a thorough accessibility scan utilising SortSite, a tool utilised by the Welsh Government. Acting as an automated crawler, SortSite indexed the site, revealing potential accessibility issues within content and the site template structure.
Guided manual accessibility audit
In parallel with the automated scan, our team conducted a targeted manual accessibility audit using Axe Dev Tools Pro. Concentrating on key site templates, this guided audit provided a deep dive into potential accessibility challenges, going beyond the standard automated scans of SortSite.
Analysis and recommendations
Using our extensive in-house accessibility expertise, we carefully analysed the results from both automated and manual audits. Our process involved:
- Identifying and addressing duplicate issues to streamline resolutions.
- Tackling items beyond our control (such as external iFrames).
- Prioritising and ranking issues based on their impact.
- Providing clear recommendations for fixes within content and codebase templates.
What we did
- Conducted an automated accessibility scan using SortSite.
- Completed a guided manual accessibility audit of key site templates with Axe Dev Tools Pro.
- Analysed results, addressing duplicate issues and providing guidance on items beyond our control.
- Prioritised and ranked issues, offering actionable fixes within content and codebase templates.
Conclusion
This project stands as a testament to our commitment to enhancing accessibility with National Highways. By combining automated scans with guided manual audits, we not only identified potential issues but also provided a roadmap for resolution. This case study showcases our dedication to creating inclusive digital experiences.
Take a look at nationalhighways.co.uk
