WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance Layer

SHIPPED

A compliance audit and remediation process applied across all active client platforms, with WCAG 2.1 AA requirements built into the component system as non-negotiable defaults.

The problem

Several client projects — particularly government platforms — had legal accessibility requirements that were being handled reactively, discovered during QA or client review rather than addressed in design.

Accessibility rules were embedded into the core system

The solution

Accessibility requirements were embedded into component documentation as design constraints: minimum contrast ratios, required focus states, touch target minimums, and keyboard navigation flows defined before any implementation.

Key decisions

We made AA compliance the default rather than an option. Some designers pushed back on contrast requirements affecting brand colors. The decision was to either adjust the palette or create a compliant accent — never to ship below AA on a government-facing product.

Outcome

Zero accessibility rejections in the final government client audits that followed system adoption. Compliance review time dropped by approximately 70% because issues were caught at the design stage.