Beyond the checklist: Why WCAG 3.0 could be a game-changer

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) have long been the go-to standard for building inclusive digital experiences. And while they’ve done a lot of good, any designer who’s ever navigated the world of accessibility knows: passing a technical check doesn’t always mean a product works for everyone.

Especially not for users with disabilities — who often face barriers that don't show up in an audit report.

Now, with WCAG 3.0 on the horizon, that’s starting to shift. It’s still a draft (and a long read, if you're brave), but it’s already challenging the way we define and measure accessibility. As someone who’s committed to designing products that are genuinely usable and inclusive, I’m paying close attention.

From binary to nuanced: What’s changing?

Right now, WCAG 2.2 (and all versions before it) follows a simple formula: test a page against a list of criteria, mark each one as pass or fail, and tally the results. Those criteria are grouped into three levels — A, AA, and AAA — with AA widely seen as the realistic standard for most projects.

It’s structured. It's measurable. And it’s also… limited.

WCAG 3.0 is aiming for something more ambitious. Rather than simply asking “Did we pass?”, it’s nudging us toward “How well are we doing for real people using this?”

Here’s what’s on the table:

• Outcome-based evaluation – focused on whether users can successfully complete tasks, not just whether boxes are ticked
• A flexible scoring model – not a strict pass/fail, but a scale that reflects how well a guideline is met
• New conformance levels – Bronze, Silver, and Gold instead of A/AA/AAA
• Wider scope – including not just websites but also apps, documents, ePub files, VR environments, and emerging tech

In other words, it’s not just a new version — it’s a whole new mindset.

Why this matters for UX Designers

Designers have been saying for years that accessibility is more than a checklist. WCAG 3.0 finally seems to be listening. (It’s not quite singing from the same hymn sheet yet, but at least it’s in the same choir.)

Let’s be clear though: accessibility is complex. WCAG is a crucial part of the picture, but it’s not the whole canvas. Guidelines help, but they can't capture the full range of human experience, particularly when you’re designing for people with varied, intersecting needs. Real accessibility is contextual, iterative, and often messy — and that’s okay.

That’s why WCAG 3.0 feels like a step in the right direction. It supports the kind of inclusive, user-focused, and feedback-driven approach many of us are already practising (or at least trying to).

Here’s what I find promising:

• It rewards design thinking. Scoring based on outcomes means your design process — not just your code — matters. It backs up what we’ve always said: accessibility has to be baked in, not bolted on.
• It gives richer feedback. No more failing an entire component because of a single contrast issue. Instead, you get a sense of how accessible something is, and where to focus your energy.
• It puts users at the centre. Want to hit Silver or Gold? You’ll need to involve people with disabilities in testing. Not as an afterthought, but as an essential part of the process — as it should be.

Of course, there are trade-offs:

• It’s more ambiguous. Flexibility means interpretation, and interpretation means potential disagreements. Teams will need to align on what “good enough” really means — and that might take some real conversations.
• It’s not light-touch. You won’t reach Silver by refreshing your colour palette or adding a few ARIA labels. It takes strategy, time, and actual human input.
• It could be gamed. Like SEO or page speed scores, anything with a score can be “optimised” at the expense of intent. Let’s not forget: the point isn’t a gold badge — it’s better experiences for people.

What It Means for Organisations

If your business or service relies on digital products — and let’s face it, most do — this isn’t just an accessibility update. It’s an opportunity to improve your product’s real-world usability, for a broader, more diverse group of users.

Here’s what stands out to me:

• More meaningful measurement. You’ll get a clearer picture of what’s working and what’s not
• Progressive improvement. Bronze, Silver, and Gold create space for staged ambition, not all-or-nothing compliance
• A market differentiator. Inclusive products aren’t just ethical, they’re commercially smarter

It also makes one thing crystal clear: accessibility isn’t something you can sprinkle on at the end. It needs to be considered from the first post-it note to the final release. That’s not just a best practice anymore — it’s how you get on the scoreboard at all.

WCAG 3.0 is still a work in progress, and it will no doubt evolve. But it marks a shift many of us have been hoping for: one that moves accessibility out of the realm of checklists and into the realm of designing for people.

It’s not perfect — but it's a step towards something more thoughtful, more flexible, and frankly, more human.

As a designer, I’m optimistic. Not because it’ll be easy (it won’t be), but because it’s a chance to build better — and not just for some, but for everyone.