Reading Scan Results

Interpreting and Acting on Scan Results

Understanding your scan results is crucial for effective accessibility remediation. This guide teaches you how to read, interpret, and prioritize the issues AccessibilityMonitor detects.

Scan Results Overview

After each scan completes, you'll see a results page with:

1. Summary Statistics: Total issues, pages scanned, duration
2. Trust Score Change: How your score changed from the previous scan
3. Issue List: All detected problems with details
4. Affected Pages: Which pages have issues

Understanding Issue Severity Levels

Critical Issues (WCAG Level A)

These are fundamental accessibility barriers that prevent users from accessing content:

Examples:

• Images without alt text
• Form fields without labels
• Missing page language declaration
• Keyboard traps
• Auto-playing media without controls

Impact: Users with disabilities may be completely unable to use affected features.

Priority: Fix these first, they have the biggest impact on both users and your Trust Score.

Major Issues (WCAG Level AA)

These are significant barriers that make content difficult to use:

Examples:

• Insufficient color contrast (below 4.5:1)
• Missing visible focus indicators
• Content that requires specific sensory abilities
• Text that can't be resized to 200%

Impact: Users may struggle with these features but can often work around them.

Priority: Address after critical issues are resolved.

Minor Issues (WCAG Level AAA / Best Practices)

These are enhancements that improve the experience but aren't required for basic accessibility:

Examples:

• Enhanced contrast (7:1 ratio)
• Sign language alternatives for audio
• Reading level considerations
• Extended audio descriptions

Impact: These improve experience for specific user groups but aren't blocking.

Priority: Address when critical and major issues are resolved.

Anatomy of an Issue Report

Each detected issue includes detailed information:

Issue Title and ID

[Critical] Missing Alternative Text
ID: img-alt-missing-001
WCAG: 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A)

Description

A clear explanation of what's wrong and why it matters:

> "This image does not have an alt attribute or has an empty alt attribute on a non-decorative image. Screen reader users will not know what this image contains."

Affected Element

The specific HTML element causing the issue:

<img src="/hero-image.jpg" class="hero">

Location

• Page URL: https://example.com/about
• Element Selector: #main-content > section:nth-child(2) > img
• Line Number: Approximately line 145 in source

How to Fix

Step-by-step remediation guidance:

> 1. Identify the image's purpose (decorative or informative)

> 2. If informative, add descriptive alt text

> 3. If decorative, add an empty alt attribute: alt=""

Code Example

Before and after code samples:

<!-- Before (Incorrect) -->
<img src="/hero-image.jpg" class="hero">

<!-- After (Correct for informative image) -->
<img src="/hero-image.jpg" class="hero" 
     alt="Team members collaborating in our modern office space">

<!-- After (Correct for decorative image) -->
<img src="/decorative-line.png" alt="" role="presentation">

Filtering and Sorting Results

Use filters to focus your work:

Filter Options

• Severity: Critical, Major, Minor
• WCAG Principle: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust
• Issue Type: Images, Forms, Links, Navigation, Color, etc.
• Page: Specific URLs or page patterns
• Status: New, Existing, Fixed, Ignored

Sorting Options

• Most recent first
• Severity (Critical → Minor)
• Page URL
• Issue type
• Element count (most occurrences first)

Grouping Related Issues

Sometimes one code pattern causes multiple instances of the same issue:

Missing Form Labels
├── Contact Form → 5 instances
├── Newsletter Signup → 2 instances  
└── Search Box → 1 instance

Total: 8 instances, 1 fix pattern

Use the "Group by Type" view to see these patterns and fix multiple instances with one code change.

Issue Workflow Management

Marking Issues

• Fixed: You've resolved the issue; it won't appear in future scans if truly fixed
• Ignored: Dismiss false positives or accepted exceptions
• Needs Review: Flag for team discussion

Adding Notes

Document your remediation decisions:

Issue: Contrast ratio 4.2:1 instead of required 4.5:1
Status: Ignored
Note: "This decorative text has a gradient background. We've added 
an aria-label to the parent element providing the same information 
with proper contrast. Approved by accessibility consultant on 2024-01-15."

Comparing Scans

The comparison view shows changes between scans:

New Issues

Problems detected for the first time:

• May indicate new content with accessibility problems
• Could be regressions from code changes
• Might be expanded scan coverage finding existing issues

Fixed Issues

Previously detected issues that are now resolved:

• Verify fixes are complete and correct
• Celebrate progress with your team
• Document in your accessibility improvement log

Recurring Issues

Issues that persist across scans:

• High priority if critical severity
• May need different remediation approach
• Consider if they're blocked by other dependencies

Exporting Results

Export scan data for external use:

PDF Reports

Professional documents for stakeholders:

• Executive summaries
• Technical details
• Remediation timelines
• Compliance statements

CSV/Excel

Spreadsheet data for:

• Issue tracking in external tools
• Custom analysis and filtering
• Team assignment workflows
• Progress tracking spreadsheets

JSON/API

Machine-readable data for:

• Integration with CI/CD pipelines
• Custom dashboard creation
• Automated issue creation in Jira/GitHub
• Historical data analysis

Prioritization Strategy

Use this framework to prioritize fixes:

1. Quick Wins: Issues affecting many pages with simple fixes
2. High Impact: Critical issues on high-traffic pages
3. Legal Risk: Issues most likely to cause compliance problems
4. User Complaints: Issues users have specifically reported
5. Technical Debt: Systematic issues requiring architectural changes