None of these are exotic. They aren't edge cases or judgement calls. They're the same six issues we find on most journeys we scan - and any team can fix all of them in an afternoon once they've been pointed out. The UXDuty accessibility scanner covers them all.
1. Low contrast text
- Description
- Text that's too pale against its background to be reliably readable. Pretty in the design tool, hard to read on a real screen.
- Who it affects
- Low vision, colour blindness, and anyone in bright light or on lower-quality displays.
- Recommendation
- Aim for at least 4.5:1 contrast for body text and 3:1 for large headings. Free tools and most design systems do the maths for you.
2. Missing alt text
- Description
- An image on the page with no description attached for assistive technology.
- Who it affects
- Blind users - screen readers can't describe the image. Also users on slow connections where images fail to load.
- Recommendation
- Write a short, accurate description for every image that carries meaning. Mark purely decorative images as decorative so screen readers skip them.
3. Missing form labels
- Description
- A field with a placeholder hint inside it but no proper visible label.
- Who it affects
- Blind users - they don't know what to enter. Users with cognitive disabilities who need clear, persistent instructions are also affected.
- Recommendation
- Every field gets a visible label that stays in place. Hints inside the field are fine in addition, but never instead.
4. Empty links
- Description
- A link that wraps an icon, image or empty span with no readable text.
- Who it affects
- Blind users - screen readers announce the link with no destination context, leaving them guessing where it goes.
- Recommendation
- Add visible link text. Where you must use an icon-only link, give it an accessible label that describes what it does.
5. Empty buttons
- Description
- A button with no text content - usually an icon-only button without an accessible label.
- Who it affects
- Blind users - they can't identify what action the button performs, which prevents interaction entirely.
- Recommendation
- Every button needs either visible text or, for icon-only buttons, an accessible label that describes the action.
6. Missing doc language
- Description
- A page that doesn't declare which language it's written in.
- Who it affects
- Blind users - screen readers use incorrect pronunciation. Users with reading difficulties relying on text-to-speech are also affected.
- Recommendation
- Set a language attribute on the page so assistive technology knows how to read it correctly.
UXDuty surfaces all six on every page in a journey
Each issue is shown with a screenshot, a plain-language explanation and a Consumer Duty risk band - so you can prioritise the fixes that move the needle for customers in vulnerable circumstances.
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