EXPANSION · source-linked operating design
Browser and accessibility regressions across a complete task
Lead: R05 for environment-specific behavior; R07 for accessibility assessment. Consulted roles: R03, R04, R05, R07, R21, R25, R26. Mode: read-only diagnosis until actual authorization.
Entry condition
A critical task fails in a browser/device or cannot be completed with keyboard/screen-reader operation. The acceptance matrix must identify actual versus emulated environments.
Sequence and ownership
1. Record the environment
Capture OS, device, browser/version, input mode and assistive technology. State whether the test uses a branded product, engine build, emulation or actual device.
2. Map the complete process
Include discovery, navigation, form entry, validation, error recovery and confirmation. A homepage screenshot is not task coverage.
3. Isolate and repair
R05 produces a minimal reproduction; R07 maps access failures to criteria and process impact; R04 proposes a semantic/behavioral repair with R03 contract review.
4. Retest interactions
Run appropriate automated regression checks through R21, but retain manual keyboard/screen-reader and actual-device requirements. Check zoom/reflow and affected alternate states.
5. Accept honestly
R26 verifies required matrix rows. Report real environments unavailable for testing as BLOCKED rather than substituting WebKit for Safari or a desktop resize for an iPhone.
Evidence package
Preserve task/run IDs, exact environment/build, timestamped observations, safe synthetic inputs, expected versus observed state, tool/browser versions, raw private artifacts and separately hashed public-safe redactions. Record unavailable tools and tests not executed. Attach the handoffs rather than compressing distinct observations into one success flag.
Acceptance
- Required environment rows identify exactly what was run
- Critical process works under agreed keyboard/assistive workflows
- Automation and manual assessment scopes remain distinct
Stop or block
No automated score is a complete WCAG conformance verdict. Missing real-device coverage cannot be silently relabeled. Avoid changing a UI based only on one screenshot without a reproducible behavior.
Role and source references
Primary-source IDs: D07, D08, D11, D12. See the source register for URLs, scope and currentness boundaries. The sequence is custom operating design; it is not a promise that every case has the same cause.