The W3C is developing WCAG 3.0, shifting from pass/fail checklists to outcomes-based scoring. Your compliance program shouldn't wait for final publication to adapt. This template provides a practical framework to audit your current conformance processes and identify gaps before WCAG 3.0 becomes the standard auditors expect.
Purpose of the Template
This checklist helps compliance officers inventory their current WCAG 2.x conformance practices and map them to the outcomes-based model that WCAG 3.0 will require. Use it to:
- Document which areas of your accessibility program rely on binary pass/fail testing.
- Identify functional categories (cognitive accessibility, low vision support, emerging technology interfaces) that your current program doesn't adequately measure.
- Create a transition roadmap that shifts your team from checkbox compliance to holistic accessibility evaluation.
- Establish baseline scoring frameworks that align with the rating scale approach WCAG 3.0 introduces.
This is not a WCAG 3.0 conformance audit tool. The standard remains in working draft status. This template prepares your governance structure for the methodology shift, so you're not rebuilding your entire compliance framework when W3C publishes the final recommendation.
Prerequisites
Before using this template, confirm:
- Your team has working knowledge of WCAG 2.1 or WCAG 2.2 conformance testing. This template assumes familiarity with Success Criteria, conformance levels (A/AA/AAA), and the distinction between normative requirements and advisory techniques.
- You have access to your organization's current accessibility conformance documentation. You'll need Accessibility Conformance Reports, internal audit results, and any third-party evaluation reports from the past 12 months.
- You can identify decision-makers for design, development, and procurement workflows. The checklist includes action items that require cross-functional authority.
- You understand your regulatory obligations. If you're subject to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, ADA Title II, or the European Accessibility Act, note which WCAG version each regulation currently references. Your transition timeline depends on when those regulations adopt WCAG 3.0 by reference.
The Template
Copy this checklist into your compliance management system. Assign each section to the appropriate program owner.
Section 1: Current State Inventory
Binary Testing Dependencies
☐ List all automated testing tools your team uses (axe DevTools, WAVE, Lighthouse, proprietary scanners).
☐ Document what percentage of your conformance claims rely solely on automated pass/fail results.
☐ Identify manual testing protocols that use binary outcomes (keyboard navigation works/doesn't work, color contrast meets/fails 4.5:1).
☐ Note any procurement requirements that specify "WCAG 2.x Level AA conformance" without outcome measurement.
Functional Coverage Gaps
☐ Review your last five Accessibility Conformance Reports for cognitive accessibility testing (Success Criteria 1.3.5, 2.2.6, 2.5.3, 3.1.5, 3.2.6, 3.3.7, 3.3.8, 3.3.9).
☐ Document low vision testing beyond minimum contrast ratios (reflow, text spacing, non-text contrast in complex interfaces).
☐ Inventory emerging technology interfaces in your digital estate (voice UI, gesture controls, AR/VR elements, conversational AI).
☐ Identify any Success Criteria your team routinely marks "Not Applicable" that WCAG 3.0's broader scope may require you to address.
Conformance Claim Structure
☐ Pull your organization's public accessibility statements.
☐ Note whether claims are product-specific or enterprise-wide.
☐ Document the conformance level you claim (A, AA, AAA, partial conformance).
☐ List any reliance on "equivalent facilitation" or alternative conformance paths.
Section 2: Outcomes-Based Readiness
Scoring Framework Preparation
☐ Define what "good," "better," and "best" accessibility outcomes mean for your three highest-traffic digital properties.
☐ Establish measurable criteria for each outcome tier (e.g., "good" as zero critical barriers, "better" as assistive technology task completion under 120% of standard time, "best" as equivalent experience metrics across user groups).
☐ Identify stakeholders who will need to approve non-binary conformance claims.
☐ Draft internal guidance on how to communicate partial scores to auditors and legal counsel.
Holistic Evaluation Capacity
☐ Assess whether your team can test cognitive load, learning curve, and error recovery (not just error prevention).
☐ Document your current approach to testing across multiple assistive technologies (screen readers, magnification, voice control, switch devices).
☐ Identify gaps in testing methodologies for users with cognitive disabilities.
☐ Note any reliance on third-party evaluators and whether their contracts specify WCAG version and testing methodology.
Design and Development Workflow Integration
☐ Review your design system documentation for accessibility guidance.
☐ Identify where your team makes accessibility decisions (requirements, wireframes, visual design, code review, QA).
☐ Document whether accessibility is a release gate or a post-launch remediation activity.
☐ List any design or development practices that assume binary pass/fail acceptance criteria.
Section 3: Forward-Looking Adjustments
Immediate Workflow Changes
☐ Add outcome measurement to your next accessibility audit scope (task completion rates, error rates, time-on-task by user group).
☐ Expand cognitive accessibility testing in your QA process.
☐ Require low vision testing beyond automated contrast checks.
☐ Update procurement language to request outcome-based conformance evidence, not just Success Criteria checklists.
Stakeholder Communication
☐ Brief legal counsel on the shift from binary conformance to rating scales.
☐ Prepare an executive summary explaining why your next Accessibility Conformance Report may include scoring instead of Level AA claims.
☐ Identify which regulatory frameworks your organization follows and when they're likely to reference WCAG 3.0.
☐ Document the business case for proactive transition (reduced remediation costs, competitive advantage, improved user satisfaction).
How to Customize It
Adjust functional categories to your digital estate. If you don't operate voice interfaces or AR/VR, remove those line items and add categories relevant to your products (mobile apps, PDFs, email templates, learning management systems).
Align outcome definitions with your user base. A financial services firm's "best" outcome for accessible authentication differs from a university's "best" outcome for accessible course content. Define outcomes based on your actual users' needs and your organization's risk tolerance.
Scale the checklist to your organizational complexity. A single-product SaaS company can complete this in one sprint. A federal agency with 200 public-facing systems needs a phased rollout with portfolio prioritization.
Integrate with existing GRC tools. If you track compliance in a risk register or audit management platform, map each checklist item to your existing control framework. Don't create a parallel tracking system.
Validation Steps
Test your outcomes-based scoring on one digital property. Pick a system you know well. Define three outcome tiers. Evaluate it using both WCAG 2.x Success Criteria and your outcome framework. Compare the results. If your outcome-based evaluation identifies barriers your Success Criteria checklist missed, your framework is working.
Review with your accessibility subject matter experts. Your Web Accessibility Specialists and Certified Professionals in Accessibility Core Competencies should validate that your outcome definitions are technically sound and that your testing methodology can actually measure them.
Confirm regulatory alignment. If you're subject to Section 508, verify that your transition plan doesn't create gaps in current compliance while you prepare for future requirements. The U.S. Access Board and DOJ haven't adopted WCAG 3.0 yet. You must maintain conformance with the WCAG version your applicable regulations reference.
Pilot the checklist with one business unit. Run the full inventory and readiness assessment for a single team. Document how long it takes, what questions arise, and what resistance you encounter. Refine the template before enterprise rollout.
Your conformance program will shift from binary to nuanced. This template helps you control that transition instead of reacting to it when auditors or regulators demand outcomes-based evidence you can't produce.
