Keyboard Access and Focus: DHS Trusted Tester Study Group Session 3

In the digital landscape, we often design for the mouse. We obsess over hover states, smooth cursor transitions, and the “joy of use” for pointer users. Yet, for users relying on keyboards, screen readers, or alternative input devices, the mouse stays invisible. Session 3 of our Trusted Tester study group tapped into Topic 4: Keyboard Access and Focus. As you already know, the Trusted Tester Process is based on WCAG 2.0, but lucky us, the relevant success criteria on this topic stay the same in WCAG 2.2. 4.A Keyboard Access: The Foundation The rule is simple but non-negotiable: All functionality must be operable through a keyboard interface. This isn’t just about links and buttons, it covers dropdown menus, form fields, and even tooltips containing essential information. For example, during the session, we tested a shipping information form. While most fields were accessible, the “City” and “Area Code” input fields were completely unreachable via the Tab key. Even though they were visi