When users visit a help centre, they expect clarity. But for people with visual, cognitive, or motor disabilities, help centres can quickly become difficult to use. Designing for accessibility is not just a best practice—it’s necessary. This guide breaks down a simple, practical WCAG checklist tailored specifically for help centres, with a focus on workflows often supported by Diziana’s theme ecosystem.
Why Accessibility Matters in Help Centres
Help centres are where people go when they need help the most. If the interface is confusing or inaccessible, users get stuck, frustrated, and unable to complete tasks. Following WCAG guidelines ensures your help centre is readable, navigable, and usable by everyone.
Accessibility also:
- Reduces support ticket volume
- Improves trust and usability
- Makes content easier to maintain
- Helps meet legal compliance requirements
What Is WCAG?
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) provides global standards for making digital content accessible. It covers visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor accessibility needs. For help centres—where clarity and usability matter—WCAG serves as a reliable blueprint.
WCAG Checklist for Help Centres
1. Perceivable: Users Must Be Able to See and Understand Content
Provide Text Alternatives (WCAG 1.1.1)
Every image needs meaningful alt text.
Good example: “Help centre homepage showing search bar and category cards.”
This helps both screen readers and SEO.
Maintain Strong Color Contrast (WCAG 1.4.3)
Minimum contrast requirements:
- Normal text: 4.5:1
- Large text: 3:1
Consistent contrast is essential, especially in navigation, buttons, and links.
Support Text Resizing (WCAG 1.4.4)
Your help centre should remain readable when zoomed to 200%.
Layouts used in Diziana’s themes already support responsive resizing, but always test custom elements.
2. Operable: Users Must Be Able to Navigate Easily
Ensure Keyboard Accessibility (WCAG 2.1.1)
Many users rely on keyboards.
Tabs, links, buttons, and accordions must all be reachable and usable without a mouse.
Use Predictable Navigation (WCAG 2.4.5)
Consistency reduces confusion.
Help centres should keep:
- The same search bar position
- Clear breadcrumbs
- Logical category structures
Write Descriptive Link Text (WCAG 2.4.4)
Avoid vague phrases like “read more.”
Better: “Learn how to reset your password.”
3. Understandable: Content Must Be Clear and Easy to Follow
Use Simple Language (WCAG 3.1.5)
Help centre articles work best when written in short, direct sentences.
Avoid jargon unless necessary.
Keep UI Patterns Consistent (WCAG 3.2.3)
Users expect the same icon styles, button designs, and layouts across articles.
Diziana’s theme system helps teams maintain that consistency without extra effort.
Make Forms Accessible (WCAG 3.3.4)
If your help centre includes feedback or contact forms:
- Label fields clearly
- Provide guidance text
- Show error messages in plain language
4. Robust: Content Must Work Across Devices and Assistive Tools
Support Screen Readers (WCAG 4.1.2)
Screen readers rely on semantic HTML.
Your help centre should have:
- Clear heading levels
- ARIA labels where needed
- Identifiable navigation regions
Ensure Mobile Accessibility
Over 60% of users access help content on mobile devices.
Responsive layouts ensure that articles, menus, and search elements adapt smoothly.
Quick WCAG Checklist for Help Centres
Perceivable
- Alt text on images
- Strong contrast
- Zoom-friendly layouts
Operable
- Keyboard navigation
- Predictable menus
- Descriptive links
Understandable
- Clear language
- Consistent templates
- Accessible forms
Robust
- Semantic HTML
- Works with screen readers
- Mobile-friendly
Example: Applying Accessibility in a Diziana-Based Help Centre
A support team using Diziana themes noticed users struggled to find articles. After implementing accessibility updates—improved link labels, higher contrast, and better keyboard navigation—they saw:
- 22% lower bounce rate
- Higher article completion
- Fewer repeated tickets
Small accessibility changes can create a meaningful impact.
Conclusion
Accessibility is not an extra step—it’s part of creating a usable, trustworthy help centre. WCAG provides a clear path to making your support content work for everyone. Start with small improvements: clearer headings, better contrast, and predictable navigation. Your users will feel the difference immediately.
If you found this checklist helpful, share your thoughts or bookmark it for future accessibility reviews.
If you're working on improving accessibility in your help centre or planning a redesign, Diziana can help you get there faster. Its theme ecosystem is built with clean UI patterns, accessible components, and flexible layouts that align with WCAG guidelines. You get consistency, scalability, and a foundation that supports every user.
Explore how Diziana can simplify help centre accessibility and make your support experience more inclusive:
https://www.diziana.com
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