MyCustoms
The Challenge
MyCustoms, a web-based customs declaration platform, was preparing to move from beta to production. As a critical system for HMRC compliance, the platform needed to meet strict WCAG AA accessibility standards before launch. With multiple parallel workstreams and a tight deadline, the team needed a comprehensive approach to accessibility that wouldn't slow down development.
The project required:
- WCAG AA compliance to meet HMRC regulatory requirements
- Automated testing infrastructure to catch issues early
- Team enablement to embed accessibility practices across workstreams
- UI migration planning from beta to production-ready interface
My Approach
I joined as an engineering leadership consultant to establish accessibility compliance and guide the platform toward production readiness:
1. Accessibility Compliance Framework
I assessed the current state and defined a clear path to WCAG AA compliance:
- Conducted comprehensive accessibility audits across the platform
- Identified critical violations and prioritized remediation efforts
- Established accessibility guidelines aligned with HMRC requirements
- Created documentation for common patterns and solutions
2. Automated Testing Infrastructure
To scale accessibility across teams, I implemented automated testing:
- Playwright Integration: Set up end-to-end testing framework
- AXE & A11y Tools: Integrated automated accessibility checkers
- CI/CD Pipeline: Added accessibility gates to prevent regressions
- Custom Test Suites: Created targeted tests for critical user flows
3. Team Guidance & Review Practices
I established processes to embed accessibility into the development workflow:
- Conducted training sessions on accessibility best practices
- Created review checklists and coding standards
- Implemented peer review processes for accessibility
- Set up ongoing monitoring and reporting
4. UI Migration Planning
I planned the transition from beta to production UI:
- Evaluated existing React and TypeScript components
- Designed component refactoring strategy for accessibility
- Created migration roadmap with minimal disruption
- Coordinated across multiple parallel development streams
Technical Implementation
The work spanned multiple technical areas:
- React & TypeScript: Refactored components for semantic HTML and ARIA
- Playwright: Built comprehensive E2E test suites
- AXE & A11y: Integrated automated accessibility scanning
- CI/CD: Added automated checks to deployment pipeline
- Documentation: Created living style guides and best practices
Results
The engagement successfully positioned MyCustoms for production launch:
- ✅ Achieved WCAG AA compliance across core user flows
- ✅ Established automated testing preventing future regressions
- ✅ Enabled team to maintain accessibility independently
- ✅ Created clear UI migration path to production
The platform now has a solid foundation for meeting HMRC requirements and serving users with diverse accessibility needs as it scales to production.