Prepare a realistic customer task
Choose one important journey before testing. Our recommendation is to start on the homepage, navigate to a service, open any relevant information and reach the enquiry form. Use a browser and device familiar to you, and make sure its keyboard-navigation settings allow access to page controls. Record the setup so a developer can reproduce what you see.
W3C’s keyboard criterion addresses operating functionality through a keyboard interface, with an exception for functions that inherently require path-dependent input. An ordinary service enquiry should not depend on mouse movement. This owner walkthrough is an initial check; it is not a substitute for a broader accessibility evaluation or testing with assistive technology.
Follow focus through the page
Press Tab to move forward through interactive controls and Shift+Tab to move back. Try Enter on links and the relevant activation keys on buttons and other controls. Follow the visible indication of where you are. W3C’s focus-visible criterion requires a way to see keyboard focus; if the indication disappears against your brand colours, record that as a problem.
Notice whether focus visits hidden items, jumps unexpectedly or takes you through dozens of repeated links before the content. If a skip link appears, try it. You do not need to diagnose the code. Write down the page, the last visible control and what happened after the next key press. A precise observation is more useful than “accessibility is broken”.
Check anything that opens, expands or overlays
Open the mobile-style menu, FAQ disclosures, image viewers and booking dialogs where present. Can you reach the controls inside, close the component and continue? W3C’s no-keyboard-trap criterion addresses being able to move focus away again with keyboard methods. A component that captures the user indefinitely needs attention even if its visual design looks correct.
Illustrative issue report: “On the contact page, pressing Enter on Book a call opens a dialog. Tab reaches the name and email fields but never reaches Close. Shift+Tab also remains inside, and the displayed close icon is not keyboard reachable.” Include the expected outcome and a short recording if convenient. Do not call the issue fixed until you repeat the steps.
Finish with a real form submission
Enter a clearly labelled test message. Deliberately leave one required field empty, try to submit and check whether you can find and correct the error. Then complete the request. Confirm the success message and the business notification. Keep this test separate from a real booking or payment so the business knows it is an operational check.
Prioritise blockers first: unreachable submit buttons, traps and missing controls. Next address confusing focus order and weak visual indicators. Assign each issue a page, reproduction steps and an owner. After a fix, repeat the same journey and one related journey that uses the same component, such as another form or the menu on a second page.
Your practical checklist
- Choose a complete customer journey.
- Record browser, device and keyboard settings.
- Watch where focus moves in both directions.
- Open and close menus, FAQs and dialogs.
- Test error correction and successful submission.
- Retest reported issues after repairs.
Written with AI-assisted research and drafting, with source checks and editorial review for this guidebook. Platform facts link to official documentation. Examples and recommendations are our own; no client results are implied. Sources reviewed October 8, 2026. About Getting Found Local