UX Compliance Audit

UX Compliance Audit

Comprehensive evaluation of user experience, accessibility, and compliance with Google's UX standards. Ensures your site is accessible, navigable, and ad-friendly for all users across all devices.

Scoring Mode & Aggregation Contract

Output fields required (for aggregation by ads-readiness-assessment):

• score_mode: one of Core 79, Core 79 + Profile, Full 105
• pillar: UX
• items_evaluated: list of item IDs actually checked
• critical_flags: any UX items rated Critical (e.g., UX09)
• extension_findings: any UX16–UX18 issues observed even when in Core 79 mode

Rule: Items not in scope for the chosen mode must be labeled not_in_scope — never omitted silently.

Purpose

Verify that your UX meets User Experience (UX) criteria:

• Clear navigation and site structure
• Content-to-ad ratio appropriate
• No intrusive interstitials or deceptive UI
• Readable typography and layout
• Accessibility compliance (WCAG AA)
• Mobile usability and responsiveness

Quick Start

Input: Website URL or design files Output: Visual survey + screenshots + WCAG report Manual Checks: Navigation, typography, accessibility Time: 20-30 minutes

Workflow

Step 1: Site Structure Assessment

Evaluate navigation and site architecture:

• Clear site navigation menu visible on all pages (UX01)
• Logical information hierarchy
• Category organization
• Search/filter functionality for large sites (UX10)

Step 2: Ad & Content Analysis

Verify ad placement and content ratio:

• Content-to-ad ratio acceptable (<30% ads) (UX02)
• Ads not intrusive or deceptive (UX03, UX06)
• Ad placement doesn't interfere with navigation (UX08)
• No return-button hijacking (UX09)

Step 3: Readability & Typography

Assess visual presentation:

• Font size ≥14px for body text (UX04)
• Sufficient line-height and spacing
• Proper color contrast (WCAG AA) (UX11)
• Content not cramped or crowded
• Logical reading flow

Step 4: Accessibility Verification

Check accessibility compliance:

• Alt text on informative images (UX12)
• Color contrast ratios ≥4.5:1 normal, ≥3:1 large (UX11)
• Keyboard navigation functional
• Screen reader compatible
• WCAG AA compliance

Step 5: Cross-Browser & Mobile

Verify compatibility:

• Chrome, Firefox, Safari rendering (UX07)
• Mobile responsiveness (UX07)
• Touch target sizing
• Mobile viewport configuration

Step 6: Deceptive Elements Check

Scan for problematic UI:

• No fake "close" X buttons (UX06)
• No fake download buttons
• No misleading CTAs
• Navigation buttons not obscured by ads

Step 7: Generate Report

Produces detailed UX report with:

• Overall UX compliance score (0-100)
• Per-criterion evaluation
• Accessibility report (WCAG)
• Mobile usability assessment
• Screenshots highlighting issues
• Recommendations for improvement

Checklist

1. ✓ Evaluate site navigation (UX01)
2. ✓ Measure content-to-ad ratio (UX02)
3. ✓ Check for intrusive interstitials (UX03)
4. ✓ Verify typography and readability (UX04)
5. ✓ Check internal link paths (UX05)
6. ✓ Scan for deceptive UI elements (UX06)
7. ✓ Test cross-browser compatibility (UX07)
8. ✓ Verify ad placement (UX08)
9. ✓ Check return button integrity (UX09)
10. ✓ Verify search/filtering (UX10)
11. ✓ Test color contrast (UX11)
12. ✓ Check image alt text (UX12)
13. ✓ Verify link functionality (UX13)
14. ✓ Test mobile responsiveness (UX14)
15. ✓ Verify footer/legal links (UX15)
16. ✓ Run accessibility audit (WCAG)
17. ✓ Generate comprehensive report
18. ✓ Export annotated screenshots
19. ✓ Route to ux-optimization-roadmap for fixes

Process Flow

digraph ux_audit {
    "Navigation Assessment" [shape=box];
    "Ad Analysis" [shape=box];
    "Typography Check" [shape=box];
    "Accessibility Audit" [shape=box];
    "Mobile Test" [shape=box];
    "Browser Compatibility" [shape=box];
    "Deceptive Elements" [shape=box];
    "Analyze Results" [shape=box];
    "Generate Report" [shape=box];
    "Export Results" [shape=box];
    "Route to Fix" [shape=doublecircle];

    "Navigation Assessment" -> "Ad Analysis";
    "Ad Analysis" -> "Typography Check";
    "Typography Check" -> "Accessibility Audit";
    "Accessibility Audit" -> "Mobile Test";
    "Mobile Test" -> "Browser Compatibility";
    "Browser Compatibility" -> "Deceptive Elements";
    "Deceptive Elements" -> "Analyze Results";
    "Analyze Results" -> "Generate Report";
    "Generate Report" -> "Export Results";
    "Export Results" -> "Route to Fix";
}

Detailed Criteria

Navigation & Structure (UX01, UX05, UX10, UX13)

UX01: Clear Site Navigation

• Menu or nav bar visible and accessible
• Links to main categories present
• Navigation consistent across all pages
• Mobile menu accessible on smaller screens

UX05: Internal Link Paths

• Every page reachable within 3 clicks from homepage
• No orphan pages (unreachable from navigation)
• Breadcrumbs helpful where applicable
• Related content links present

UX10: Search & Filtering

• If site has >30 pages, search box present
• Category filters functional
• Results relevant and complete

UX13: Link Functionality

• All links working (no 404s in navigation)
• Links open in expected context (not unexpected new tabs)
• Link text descriptive

Ad & Content Presentation (UX02, UX03, UX06, UX08, UX09)

UX02: Content-to-Ad Ratio (Active Phase Critical)

• Ads occupy <30% of visible viewport
• Content is dominant visual element
• Users see content before scrolling

UX03: No Intrusive Interstitials

• No full-screen pop-ups on page load that block reading
• Pop-ups either absent or easily closeable
• Google requires dismissal to proceed to content

UX06: No Deceptive UI

• No fake "close" buttons disguised as X
• No fake download buttons linking to ads
• No misleading CTAs (e.g., "Skip Ad" buttons)
• Ad labels clear and honest

UX08: Ad Placement

• Ads not directly adjacent to navigation buttons
• Ads not above search bars
• Ads not obscuring important content
• Clear separation from interactive elements

UX09: Return Button Not Hijacked

• Browser back button works correctly
• Doesn't redirect to unexpected page
• Native behavior preserved

Typography & Readability (UX04, UX11)

UX04: Readable Typography

• Body text ≥14px (16px ideal)
• Line-height 1.4-1.8 for readability
• Sufficient letter-spacing
• Paragraph lengths reasonable (not walls of text)
• Font choices readable (avoid excessive decorative fonts)

UX11: Color Contrast (WCAG AA)

• Normal text: contrast ratio ≥4.5:1
• Large text (≥18px): contrast ratio ≥3:1
• Test all text colors against backgrounds
• Tools: WAVE, Axe, WebAIM Contrast Checker

Accessibility (UX12 + WCAG)

UX12: Image Alt Text

• Informative images have descriptive alt text
• Decorative images use alt=""
• Alt text concise but descriptive
• Not just filename or "image"

WCAG AA Compliance:

• Perceivable: Text alternatives, adaptable content, distinguishable
• Operable: Keyboard accessible, enough time, seizure prevention
• Understandable: Readable, predictable, input assistance
• Robust: Compatible with assistive technologies

Browser & Device Compatibility (UX07, UX14)

UX07: Cross-Browser Compatibility

• Chrome: Recent version
• Firefox: Recent version
• Safari: Recent version
• Layout, content, functionality work on all

UX14: Mobile Responsiveness

• Viewport meta tag present and correct
• Layout adapts to mobile screen sizes
• Touch targets ≥48×48px
• Text readable without zooming
• Navigation accessible on mobile

Footer & Legal (UX15)

UX15: Footer/Legal Links

• Privacy policy link accessible
• Contact information present
• Social media links (if applicable)
• Copyright notice
• About/contact footer links

Output Formats

Visual Survey Report

# UX Compliance Report
## Overall Score: 74/100

### Critical Issues
[Screenshot] UX02: Content-to-ad ratio 45%
  → Ads take up more than 30% of viewport
  
[Screenshot] UX03: Intrusive pop-up on page load
  → Full-screen overlay blocks content for 3 seconds

### High Priority
[Screenshot] UX04: Body text only 13px
  → Some users may struggle to read
  
[Screenshot] UX11: Color contrast 3.2:1
  → Below WCAG AA requirement of 4.5:1

JSON Accessibility Report

{
  "audit_date": "2026-05-03",
  "site_url": "https://example.com",
  "score_mode": "Core 79 + Profile",
  "items_evaluated": ["UX01", "UX02", "UX03", "UX04", "UX05", "UX06", "UX07", "UX08", "UX09", "UX10", "UX11", "UX12", "UX13", "UX14", "UX15"],
  "overall_score": 74,
  "accessibility_score": 74,
  "wcag_level": "AA",
  "wcag_violations": [
    {
      "criterion": "1.4.3 Contrast",
      "level": "AA",
      "instances": 5,
      "elements": [...]
    }
  ],
  "passed_criteria": [...]
}

WCAG Audit Details

• All WCAG AA criteria status (Pass/Fail)
• Violations grouped by criterion
• Specific elements and line numbers
• Examples and fix suggestions

Supported Check Modes

URL Mode

• Visual crawl of live site
• Screenshot capture at various viewport sizes
• Automated accessibility scanning
• Real device testing (if available)

Design File Mode

• Upload mockups or design files
• Check design against UX standards
• Verify accessibility in design phase

Manual Mode

• Interactive guided UX assessment
• Manual screenshot upload
• Answer questions about UX decisions
• Step-by-step accessibility review

Automated Accessibility Testing

Optional scripts for accessibility scanning:

# Full accessibility audit
npm run a11y-audit https://example.com

# Generate WCAG report
npm run wcag-report

# Screenshot comparison tool
npm run screenshot-compare mobile desktop

Outputs:

• accessibility-violations.json - Issues by criterion
• wcag-report.md - Human-readable report
• screenshots/ - Annotated screenshots
• contrast-failures.csv - Color contrast issues

Integration with Other Skills

[ux-compliance-audit] provides input to:
└─→ [ux-optimization-roadmap]
    ├─→ Navigation restructuring
    ├─→ Typography improvements
    ├─→ Color/contrast fixes
    ├─→ Ad placement strategies
    └─→ Mobile optimization

[ads-readiness-assessment] calls this skill
[resubmission-readiness-check] verifies fixes

Common UX Issues & Fixes

Poor Contrast (UX11)

Problem: Text hard to read on background Fix: Adjust colors to meet 4.5:1 ratio Time: 30-60 min for whole site Priority: HIGH

Content Buried in Ads (UX02, UX03)

Problem: More ads than content visible Fix: Remove or relocate ads Time: 1-2 hours Priority: CRITICAL - blocks approval

Intrusive Interstitials (UX03)

Problem: Full-screen pop-ups blocking content Fix: Remove or make easily dismissible Time: 30-60 min Priority: CRITICAL - blocks approval

Tiny Text (UX04)

Problem: Body text <14px, hard to read Fix: Increase font size and line-height Time: 2-4 hours Priority: HIGH

No Mobile Menu (UX14)

Problem: Navigation unreadable on mobile Fix: Implement responsive mobile menu Time: 4-8 hours Priority: HIGH

Missing Alt Text (UX12)

Problem: Images lack descriptions Fix: Add descriptive alt text to all images Time: 30-60 min Priority: MEDIUM

Accessibility Best Practices

1. Test with Real Users: Get feedback from users with disabilities
2. Keyboard Navigation: Ensure all functions accessible via keyboard
3. Color Alone: Don't use color as only distinguishing factor
4. Text Alternatives: Alt text for images, captions for videos
5. Clear Language: Avoid jargon, use simple sentences
6. Responsive Design: Works on all screen sizes and devices
7. Page Structure: Proper heading hierarchy and semantic HTML

Next Steps

1. Critical Issues: Fix intrusive ads and poor contrast immediately
2. Accessibility: Add missing alt text and color contrast fixes
3. Mobile: Ensure responsive design and mobile menu
4. Testing: Re-run audit after improvements
5. Verification: Use resubmission-readiness-check before submission

Related Skills:

• Fix UX issues → ux-optimization-roadmap
• Full site assessment → ads-readiness-assessment
• Final verification → resubmission-readiness-check