# Accessibility audit — C1 + S8 (T9.5, 2026-08-19)

Approved Aug 14 2026 (C1): any component rebuilt ships accessible or it is not
done. This document records the audit at the end of wave 9 against the wave 0
baseline, per CLAUDE.md's rules. Every number below is re-measured by a probe
on every run — the citations name which one.

## The metrics

| Metric | Wave 0 baseline | Now | Target | Verified by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `<div>` / `<span>` with `onclick` | 12 / 2 | **0** | 0 | `helptip_check.py` (grep, comments stripped) |
| `.help-tip` unreachable by keyboard | 15 (18 by wave 6) — re-measured at T9.5 start: **20** | **0** | 0 | `helptip_check.py` (driven with real keys and taps) |
| `aria-live` regions | 0 | ≥1 per toast system and banner (login, both toasts, release banner, autosave indicator, list-import reports, field toast) | ≥1 each | `a11y_check.py`, `warning_check.py`, `creator_dialogs_check.py` |
| Text below 4.5:1 | present | none found on the audited surfaces | 0 | `a11y_check.py` (creator sweep), `frame_check.py` BL-013 note |
| `outline: none` without replacement | present | **0** (grep with replacement detection) | 0 | `helptip_check.py` |
| Native dialogs | 79 | **21** | 0 or documented | `creator_dialogs_check.py` prints the count; see the gap below |

**The count went up before it went down, exactly as the task predicted:** the
wave 6 exit counted 18 unreachable help-tips; at the start of T9.5 there were
**20** (T6.x and wave 7/8 tasks reused the component as designed). All 20 are
buttons now — the fix is in the component (`help.js` upgrades every badge at
load and exposes `helpTipUpgrade()` for late renders), so a badge added
tomorrow is born reachable.

## The documented gap — 21 native dialogs

`admin.js` (6), `users.js` (10), `index.html` (5). These are the operator
consoles and the launcher — surfaces **no S1 task ever named** (S1's two
halves were the wizard, T5.8, and the creator, T7.9; both measure 0). They are
admin-only or low-frequency flows, every one a genuine confirm-before-destroy.
Logged as **BL-024** for conversion to the T7.9 dialog kit rather than done
here: converting three more pages inside the audit task is the drive-by
CLAUDE.md forbids.

## The help-tip component (S8)

- The badge is a `<button>` with `aria-label`, `aria-expanded`, and a
  `:focus-visible` ring from the shared `--cds-focus` token.
- The tooltip is one `role="tooltip"` bubble, viewport-clamped on both axes —
  which also ended BL-001: the old CSS `::after` escaping its badge was the
  creator's last 390px overflow.
- Paths: keyboard (focus shows, Escape hides), touch (tap toggles, tap
  elsewhere closes), pointer (hover shows). Driven at 390px by
  `helptip_check.py`.
- The injected styles now use theme tokens; the block previously carried four
  raw hexes of the kind S5 counted.

## Keyboard-only primary flow

Sign in → pick a project → SOP wizard → create a work package → issue it.
Covered by probes that dispatch **real CDP key events** (synthetic
`KeyboardEvent`s never reach native activation — the wave 5 lesson, recorded
in `form_structure_check.py`):

| Leg | Probe |
|---|---|
| Sign in | `server/smoketest.py` (form submit), `login.html` roles verified in `a11y_check.py` |
| Launcher → project | `launcher_check.py` (B3, keyboard section) |
| SOP wizard steps | `stepper_check.py` (A4/S9: ten real buttons, keyboard operable) |
| Creator sections + save | `form_structure_check.py` §7 (Tab/Enter/Space on rail and headings), `creator_dialogs_check.py` (validation focus order) |
| Issue | `hold_check.py` (the status control end to end) |

## Per-page results

| Page | Interactive elements | Announcements | Focus | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| login.html | native form controls | `role="alert"`/`role="status"` (the app's reference pattern) | visible | the pattern every other page copies |
| index.html (launcher) | buttons/links | status line announced | visible | 5 native dialogs → BL-024 |
| work-package-suite.html (wizard) | 0 div/span handlers; library entries are buttons (T9.5) | `wp-toast` role-differentiated | T3.4 ring | 0 native dialogs |
| wp-creation-index.html (creator) | 0 div/span handlers; chips are buttons (T9.5) | toast + release banner + field errors, all live regions | ring on all 120+ focusables (`a11y_check`) | 0 native dialogs |
| field.html | buttons throughout, 44px targets | `role="status"`/`alert` toast | visible | offline drawings reachable (files_check) |
| admin.html / users.html | buttons | banners | visible | 16 native dialogs → BL-024 |