The Challenge
Deliberately trigger an error (for example, by submitting an incomplete form) to assess how your site handles mistakes.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Identify a Form:
- Select a contact, sign-up, or checkout form on your website where errors might occur.
- Trigger an Error:
- Intentionally submit the form without completing all the required fields or by entering invalid data.
- Optionally, use keyboard-only navigation to simulate users who rely on assistive technologies.
- Observe the Error Messages:
- Note the error messages that appear. Check if they are visible, easy to understand, and properly positioned near the problematic fields.
- Determine if the error feedback is provided in an accessible format, such as through ARIA alerts or screen reader-friendly text.
- Test the Correction Process:
- Follow the instructions provided in the error messages to correct your inputs.
- Resubmit the form to ensure that the correction process is smooth and intuitive.
Reflection Questions:
- Clarity of Error Messages: Are the error messages clear, concise, and immediately understandable?
- Ease of Correction: Can users quickly identify the mistake and understand how to fix it?
- Accessibility of Feedback: Is the error feedback accessible to users with disabilities (e.g., does it work well with screen readers, and are ARIA attributes correctly implemented)?
- Feedback Timing and Visibility: Do the error messages appear promptly and remain visible long enough for users to take note?
Support my work in accessibility
Creating accessible content takes time, care, and deep testing — and I love every minute of it. From writing blog posts to doing live audits and building checklists, everything I create is designed to make the digital world more inclusive.If something here helped you — whether it saved you time, taught you something new, or gave you insight into accessibility — consider supporting my work.
You can buy me a coffee to help keep this platform going strong:
Buy Me a Coffee
Every coffee goes toward:
- Creating new articles with accessibility tips, tools, and testing methods
- Covering hosting, software, and assistive tech costs
- Supporting free education for designers, developers, and testers
- Making a meaningful difference for people living with disabilities
Thanks for being part of this mission to build a more accessible web — one page at a time.