EU Accessibility act · WCAG 2.2 AA · SDLC & Governance
From reactive audits to EAA-proof digital quality by design
Allxs helps product, engineering and compliance teams move away from last-minute accessibility fixes.
We embed EAA and WCAG requirements into your design system, SDLC and procurement so that accessibility becomes a repeatable quality outcome, not an emergency project.
For Heads of Digital, Product, Engineering, Procurement and Compliance who need confidence before the EU Accessibility Act starts to bite.
What changes with accessibility governance
Illustrative results from a 12-month engagement on one product line.
Critical WCAG issues at go-live
−72%
From late audits to early design reviews.
Time spent on rework
−54%
Teams fix once in the design system.
Channels in EAA scope under governance
100%
Web, apps and docs use one playbook.
Figures are indicative and depend on your current maturity. The pattern is consistent: once accessibility is embedded in your SDLC and design system, the cost of “surprises” drops sharply.
- Article: From reactive audits to EAA-proof digital quality by design
- Reading time: ~10 minutes
- Audience: Digital leaders, compliance, procurement
Chapter 1 · Problem
Why audit-only accessibility keeps failing you
Many organisations treat accessibility as a compliance task at the very end of a project: a yearly audit, a report with WCAG issues and a rushed remediation plan.
It feels like progress, but structurally very little changes. The same issues reappear in every new release, and EAA obligations turn into a permanent fire-fighting exercise.
The EU Accessibility Act raises the bar: accessibility is no longer a “nice to have” but an enforceable requirement across multiple digital channels, products and services.
To meet that standard in a predictable way, you need more than audits. You need accessibility embedded in the way you design, build, test and procure digital products.
1.1 Typical symptoms of audit-only accessibility
If your approach is built around external audits, you may recognise some of these patterns:
- Issues are found only after launch, when changes are most expensive.
- Developers receive long reports with little context or prioritisation.
- Designers are not involved, so patterns that cause issues never change.
- Product owners see accessibility as an unpredictable risk, not as part of the roadmap.
- Accessibility knowledge sits with a few specialists instead of being shared across teams, vendors and partners.
1.2 Risk, cost and reputation
The EAA turns these patterns into concrete risks: formal complaints, regulatory attention, and exclusion of customers with disabilities.
But even before fines appear, the operational cost is high: teams patch issues one by one while your design system, SDLC and procurement processes remain unchanged.
Core idea: Allxs helps you move from reactive, audit-driven compliance to proactive, system-level digital quality. Audits become confirmation of what your teams already do by design.
Why organisations work with Allxs
Design system first
−50 –70%
Reduction in accessibility rework
100%
Products in EAA scope covered by one model
Once accessibility is embedded in your SDLC and design system, the cost and risk of “surprises” drops sharply and remains under governance.
Typical starting point
- You already run WCAG audits but see the same issues returning.
- You need an EAA plan that executives and teams both understand.
- Your design system is growing, but accessibility is not yet embedded.
- Procurement is unsure how to ask vendors for accessibility guarantees.
Chapter 2 · System
Embedding accessibility into your SDLC
Allxs works from the assumption that accessibility is a quality outcome of your product development system.
We connect EAA and WCAG requirements to concrete checkpoints in your existing SDLC – without forcing you to adopt a completely new process framework.
2.1 SDLC phases mapped to accessibility actions
Accessibility actions per SDLC phase
| SDLC Phase | Risk without accessibility governance | Allxs intervention | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery & analysis | Accessibility is not captured as a requirement. EAA scope is unclear, and business owners assume “we will fix that later”. | Clarify EAA scope, define non-functional accessibility requirements, and align on success criteria per channel. | Accessibility is visible in the backlog and budget from the start, not added under time pressure. |
| UX & UI design | Designers reuse patterns that do not meet WCAG 2.2 AA. Contrast, focus, structure and states are decided ad-hoc per screen. | Align your design system tokens and components with WCAG 2.2 AA, and introduce review checklists that fit your tools (Figma, Sketch). | Designers work with accessible defaults. Fewer issues later, and less rework for engineers. |
| Implementation | Developers implement visual designs without semantic structure, ARIA roles or keyboard behaviour. Component libraries grow without clear ownership. | Define coding standards, code examples and linting rules for accessibility; connect them to your CI/CD pipeline. | Accessibility issues are caught as part of normal code review and build checks, not in production. |
| Testing & Release | Manual testing is sporadic and undocumented. External audits become the only documented signal of quality. | Introduce risk-based accessibility testing: targeted manual checks, automated scans on key flows and structured reporting. | You know which journeys meet your standard, and where exceptions exist – with clear owners and timelines. |
| Operations & procurement | Vendors and third-party tools are not covered by your accessibility strategy. Contracts ignore EAA obligations. | Align procurement templates, SLAs and vendor assessments with EAA and WCAG requirements | Reduced vendor risk and a clearer conversation about accessibility with partners and suppliers. |
2.2 Design system first, then individual products
Fixing issues one page at a time is not sustainable.
Allxs starts from your design system and component libraries, so improvements propagate to every product that uses them.
Accessibility becomes part of your shared language: tokens, components, patterns, guidelines and governance.
Chapter 3 · Business impact
From regulatory cost to quality lever
3.1 Direct and indirect benefits
EAA compliance is often framed as a regulatory cost.
In practice, organisations that invest in accessibility by design report benefits far beyond risk reduction:
- Lower cost of change due to less rework and cleaner design system governance.
- Reduced risk of complaints, formal procedures and reputational damage.
- Improved UX for everyone, not only customers with disabilities.
- Stronger procurement position: you can ask vendors for the same standard you apply internally.
- More inclusive brand and better employee experience for colleagues with disabilities.
3.2 EAA as a quality lever, not a checkbox
Treating the EAA purely as a legal obligation underestimates its strategic potential.
When accessibility becomes a measurable part of your digital quality model, it helps you:
- Clarify ownership across product, tech, legal and procurement.
- Prioritise work across channels and brands based on risk and impact.
- Demonstrate progress with metrics instead of PowerPoint promises.
Chapter 4 · How we work
How Allxs works with your teams
Allxs is not a generic consultancy dropping a one-off report.
We work alongside your teams to embed accessibility into the systems that already run your digital delivery: your SDLC, design system, governance and procurement.
Chapter 5 · What you get
What you get when you work with Allxs
Every engagement is tailored to your context, but most programmes include the following deliverables:
- A practical EAA and accessibility governance model that fits your organisation.
- Updated design system and coding standards aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA.
- SDLC and procurement templates that embed accessibility by default.
- Clear accountability across digital, compliance, and procurement.
- A roadmap for continuous improvement after our engagement ends.
Discuss your EAA and accessibility roadmap
Whether you already run audits or are just starting to map your obligations, a short conversation can clarify what “accessibility by design” would mean in your context. No sales script – just a focused discussion on where you are now and what would make progress visible.
Ideal for Heads of Digital, Product, Engineering, Compliance and Procurement working on EAA, WCAG or accessibility governance.
Contact
Email: info@allxs.tech
LinkedIn: Connect on LinkedIn
Preferred
Typical next step: a short call to map scope, timelines and stakeholders – followed by a concise proposal in plain language.
