A button should expose a meaningful name and perform an observable action. Clear controls help people using assistive technology and give browser agents better information about what a click will do.
Check the visitor’s path
- Use a button for an action and a link for navigation.
- Name icon-only controls with their actual purpose.
- Expose disabled and selected states rather than relying on color alone.
- Show a visible result or useful error after activation.
Three unlabeled shopping-bag icons may mean cart, wishlist, and add-to-cart. A human might infer the difference from placement; software should not need to guess. Meaning belongs in the control’s accessible name.
A check you can run
Navigate the main task using only a keyboard. Inspect the control names and verify that focus and result messages make each transition understandable.
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