Assessing uncertain results

Some requirements cannot always be decided even by a real browser. If text sits on a background image, its contrast cannot be measured reliably. Instead of guessing, the service puts such spots in front of you.

Where to find uncertain results

In the scan report, in the review section, with the count in brackets. Each occurrence names the page, the spot and – where available – a screenshot.

How to assess an occurrence

Look at the spot on your website and choose:

• “not a defect” – the requirement is met here. The occurrence disappears from the list.
• “is a defect” – the requirement is not met. The occurrence becomes an open finding and appears in the statement until it is fixed or you assess it differently: Reviewing findings.

What “neither” means

As long as you have not assessed an occurrence, it counts in no conformance statement: neither as a defect nor as passed. It does not block publication.

If there are more uncertain results than the report evaluates individually, it says so: the remaining ones count as not evaluated, not as passed.

Typical cases

• Contrast of text over images or gradients. Check whether the text is easy to read everywhere – including over the lightest part of the image.
• Consistent labels in the navigation. If the same destination has different names on different pages, that is often a defect.
• Focus in a dialog. If a dialog – such as a consent layer – deliberately keeps the focus, that is not an error as long as it can be closed.

Not to be confused with manual checks

Uncertain results are individual occurrences. Manual checks are questions about the whole website – and those must be answered before publishing: Answering the manual checks.