# Manual accessibility review checklist

Automated axe checks do not establish WCAG conformance. A human reviewer must
review all six route records in `artifacts/tests/a11y-manual/` against one
release candidate and sign them. The required scope is derived from the route
registry: `APP_HOME`, `EXAMPLES_UI`, `EXAMPLES_STATES`, `EXAMPLES_AUTH`,
`SAMPLE_RESOURCE_LIST`, and `NOT_FOUND`. Copy the template fields exactly; the
gate rejects blank identity/timestamp/signature fields, pending verdicts,
mismatched release IDs, or missing routes.

Allowed item verdicts:

- `pass`
- `not-applicable (<specific reason>)`

Required record:

```text
Status: reviewed
Route ID: APP_HOME
Release ID: <immutable release ID>
Reviewer: <human reviewer identity>
Reviewed at: <RFC 3339 timestamp>
Signature: <reviewer identity or approved signature reference>
Attestation: accepted
M1 Keyboard: pass
M2 Visible focus: pass
M3 Route focus: pass
M4 Modal focus: not-applicable (no modal on this route)
M5 Error association: not-applicable (no form error on this route)
M6 Color signal: pass
M7 Reduced motion: pass
Screen reader: pass
Notes: <observations and linked defect IDs>
```

The reviewer must verify:

- M1: every action works without a pointing device
- M2: every focused element has a visible indicator
- M3: route transitions move focus to a deterministic target
- M4: modal focus is trapped and restored, when a modal exists
- M5: errors are programmatically associated with their controls, when present
- M6: state never relies on color alone
- M7: non-essential motion is suppressed with reduced-motion preference
- Screen reader: headings, live regions, errors, and actions are announced once

`EXAMPLES_UI` requires real M4 modal and M5 field-error review; those items must
not be marked not-applicable on that route. Passing automated evidence means
only that tested pages had no critical or serious axe findings under the
recorded Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit runs.