smukh Accessible forms
Review the user journey, not isolated inputs.
Workflow
- Identify every available state: initial, invalid submission, corrected input, and successful submission. Test at least initial, invalid, and successful states when they exist.
- Apply references/forms-checklist.md to labels, instructions, required communication, autocomplete, grouping, and authentication.
- Submit invalid data. Verify errors are identified in text, programmatically connected to fields, announced or focused appropriately, and summarized when the form size warrants it.
- Correct the form and verify stale error state is removed without losing needed instructions.
- Prefer native form elements and associations. Add live regions only for dynamic changes that need announcement; avoid duplicate announcements.
- Preserve the deterministic scan and interaction evidence, then add a user-behavior regression test.
Boundaries
Do not invent labels, requirements, validation copy, autocomplete purpose, or authentication policy. Escalate missing product meaning for human decision. A machine-detectable label does not establish that the label is clear or correct.