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How mature is your accessibility programme?
Rate your organisation against the W3C Accessibility Maturity Model, one dimension at a time. You get a level for each of the seven dimensions, a chart and table of where you stand, and next steps for the weakest areas. Answers stay in your browser, and you can download them as Excel or PDF.
Overview
0 of 135 proof points answered
How the assessment works
The model looks at seven dimensions of how an organisation works. For each one you rate its proof points, the evidence the model looks for, against four levels. Choose “Not sure” when you don't know and “Does not apply” when a proof point doesn't fit your organisation. The W3C suggests doing this with people from across the organisation rather than alone.
Answers are saved in this browser as you go, so you can stop and come back. Nothing is sent to us.
The four levels
- Inactive
- Little or no awareness that accessibility is needed, and almost nothing being done about it.
- Launch
- The need is recognised and planning has started, but the work is not yet organised.
- Integrate
- There is a roadmap, and the organisation's approach is defined and well organised.
- Optimize
- Accessibility is part of how the whole organisation works, it is checked consistently, and the results of those checks lead to action.
Shown on the Excel and PDF downloads.
The seven dimensions
- Communications0 of 22 answered
- ICT Development Lifecycle0 of 29 answered
- Knowledge and Skills0 of 15 answered
- Oversight and Culture0 of 16 answered
- Personnel0 of 13 answered
- Procurement0 of 19 answered
- Support0 of 21 answered
Based on the W3C Accessibility Maturity Model (W3C Group Note, 4 November 2025). Proof points are paraphrased in our own words; dimension and level names are the W3C's.
What the W3C model measures
WCAG tells you whether a page is accessible. The Accessibility Maturity Model asks a different question: does the organisation have what it takes to keep producing accessible products and services? It is a W3C Group Note published on 4 November 2025, and this tool follows that version, checked on 28 October 2026. It looks at seven dimensions:
- Communications
- Whether everything the organisation communicates, inside and outside, formal and informal, and whether written by staff or by contractors, can be used by as many people as possible and meets accessibility standards.
- ICT Development Lifecycle
- Whether accessibility is built into every stage of a digital product's life: the first idea, design, development, testing, conformance reporting, user research, maintenance and retirement, with training that keeps the skills current.
- Knowledge and Skills
- Whether people at every level know enough about accessibility for their role, and understand how their work supports the organisation's accessibility goals. Skills that belong to one dimension are assessed in that dimension.
- Oversight and Culture
- Whether leadership's values, policies and processes make disability inclusion part of how the whole organisation operates, and whether everyone understands what digital accessibility means for their own role.
- Personnel
- Whether qualified disabled people work at every level and in every part of the organisation, so that their own experience informs its decisions.
- Procurement
- Whether accessibility is part of how the organisation finds, chooses and contracts for goods and services. Most digital products arrive through procurement, so this is where accessible products and services are won or lost.
- Support
- Whether disabled employees and customers get the help they need with the organisation's digital products, from workplace adjustments for staff to accessibility support for customers.
Each dimension is judged on four levels. Inactive means little or no awareness. Launch means the need is recognised and planning has started. Integrate means there is a roadmap and a defined approach. Optimize means accessibility is part of how the whole organisation works and is checked and improved continually. The levels build on each other, so a dimension reaches one only by meeting the ones below it first. Our W3C Accessibility Maturity Model guide explains the model in full, with example proof points and how to turn results into a roadmap.
How we summarise your answers
The Note has no numeric score. Its proof points are evidence, and the evaluator decides which level that evidence supports. To give you something to act on, this tool adds a summary for each dimension, and that summary is ours, not the W3C's.
A dimension sits at the level that at least half of its rated proof points have reached. It reaches Optimize only when every rated proof point is at Optimize, because the Note says proof points must be fully complete at that level. Not sure and Does not apply answers are left out, and a summary resting on fewer than half of a dimension's proof points is marked provisional. The table under the chart shows how many answers sit at each level, so you can see the spread behind the summary.
What a self-assessment can't tell you
- The result is only as good as the evidence behind each rating. Use the notes to record what you looked at, and ask the owner of each area rather than guessing.
- It is not a conformance check. A mature programme can still ship an inaccessible page, so test your products against WCAG as well, for example with an accessibility audit or the WCAG 2.2 checklist.
- The proof points are our paraphrase of the Note. Where the wording matters, for a contract or a policy, quote the Note itself.
- The Note says its proof point lists are not exhaustive and can be adapted. If a proof point does not fit your organisation, mark it Does not apply rather than forcing a rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the W3C Accessibility Maturity Model?
A W3C Group Note, published on 4 November 2025, for judging how well an organisation builds accessibility into the way it works, rather than whether one website passes WCAG. It covers seven dimensions, from communications and procurement to personnel and support, and describes four levels of maturity: Inactive, Launch, Integrate and Optimize. Each dimension lists proof points, the evidence an organisation can show for its level.
Who should fill in the assessment?
The Note is written for executives, the managers responsible for accessibility, and the people who own policy and process. It recommends a cross-functional team, because no one person sees procurement, development, HR and customer support at once. A practical approach is for one person to work through it with the owners of each dimension, using the notes field to record the evidence behind each rating.
How is my level for each dimension worked out?
The Note has no numeric score: an evaluator judges which level the evidence supports. To give a summary, we use our own rule. A dimension sits at the level that at least half of its rated proof points have reached, and reaches Optimize only when every rated proof point is at Optimize, because the Note says proof points must be fully complete at that level. Not sure and Does not apply answers are left out, and a summary based on fewer than half of a dimension's proof points is marked provisional.
Is this an official W3C tool?
No. It is our independent self-assessment based on the W3C Note. The dimension and level names are the W3C's, and every proof point is paraphrased in our own words with the same meaning. The Note links to its own assessment spreadsheet, which it describes as experimental and a work in progress.
Where are my answers stored?
In your browser's local storage on this device, and nowhere else. Nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browser data, or using a private window, removes them, so download the Excel file to keep a copy or to share it with colleagues. Start over clears the saved answers after asking you to confirm.
How often should we reassess?
The Note advises reassessing regularly, to track progress and to catch areas that slip back, without setting a frequency. Pick a rhythm that matches your planning cycle, such as once a year, and keep each export so you can compare.
Essential Accessibility Resources
Comprehensive tools, checklists, and guides to help you create inclusive digital experiences