WCAG
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines — the international standard defining how to make web content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for everyone.
Why it matters
WCAG is the rare design document with legal teeth — accessibility lawsuits and procurement requirements cite it directly, so 'we'll get to it' is a liability, not a backlog item. The four principles are a usable audit in themselves: can everyone perceive it, operate it, understand it, and can their tools parse it. Aim at AA as the working standard, and remember the guidelines are the floor for real people using screen readers, switches, and keyboards — not a checkbox for the legal team.
The numbers
- 4 principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, robust (POUR)
- AA is the conformance level most laws and contracts require
- 4.5:1 minimum contrast for body text at AA
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