Accessibility Checklist for Project Managers and Product Owners

Use this checklist to make accessibility part of project planning, delivery, and acceptance rather than a task added at the end.

Planning and Scope

• Identify accessibility as a project requirement from the beginning.
• Identify applicable accessibility standards, policies, and contractual requirements.
• Include accessibility in project scope, requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
• Identify who is responsible for accessibility decisions, testing, remediation, and approval.
• Include people with disabilities and accessibility needs when defining users and user journeys.

Resourcing and Schedule

• Identify accessibility expertise needed by the project team.
• Plan time and resources for accessibility design reviews, development, testing, and remediation.
• Do not schedule accessibility testing only after development is complete.
• Include accessibility work and defects in the same tracking system used for other project work.

Design and Development

• Confirm designers and developers are using applicable accessibility standards and accessible component patterns.
• Ensure accessibility requirements are included when third-party products, components, or services are introduced.
• Make accessibility part of design reviews, demonstrations, and development checkpoints.
• Escalate unresolved accessibility risks early rather than waiting until launch.

Testing and Acceptance

• Include both automated and manual accessibility testing in the test plan.
• Ensure critical user journeys are tested with appropriate assistive technology.
• Define how accessibility defects will be prioritized and resolved.
• Do not treat an automated scan score as proof that the product is accessible.
• Require accessibility acceptance criteria to be met before considering related work complete.

Vendors and Launch

• Confirm vendor accessibility obligations and deliverables are documented.
• Track vendor accessibility defects, commitments, and remediation dates.
• Confirm known accessibility issues and risks are documented before launch.
• Establish an owner and process for accessibility issues reported after launch.
• Plan for ongoing accessibility monitoring and regression testing after release.

Accessibility is a shared responsibility. Use this checklist as a practical starting point and seek additional accessibility expertise when needed.