Begin in the real reading environment
A layout that looks clear on a large design monitor may become difficult on a phone or a printed handout. Identify the intended format and review a representative version at its actual size. Use ordinary working copy with realistic headings and paragraph lengths, rather than a short placeholder that hides crowding.
Give the reader a clear sequence: title, main point, supporting detail and next step. Use spacing and consistent type choices to show those roles. A colour palette is easier to judge when you can see what each colour does in the information structure rather than viewing isolated swatches.
Check text against its background
W3C’s explanation of WCAG 2.2 Contrast (Minimum) describes a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for ordinary text and 3:1 for large text, with stated exceptions. Use the criterion and its definitions when checking a web design. Do not guess that a muted colour is readable simply because it appears tasteful.
Test the combinations that actually occur, including navigation, buttons, small notes and text over images. A pale panel may change the result, and a photograph may place very different backgrounds behind the same heading. Record the tested foreground and background values so the decision can be checked again after a change.
Keep useful text as text
W3C’s Images of Text explanation favours actual text when the intended visual presentation can be achieved that way. Its exceptions include customizable or essential presentation, with logos treated as essential. Consider the actual role of the content instead of turning every heading into a flattened graphic for visual consistency.
For a web guide, an editable heading can remain readable when a reader changes display settings or enlarges the page. If a diagram includes necessary words, plan how those words and the diagram’s meaning will be available. An exported image should not be the only record of essential instructions.
Review hierarchy with realistic content
Try a long heading, a short heading, several paragraphs and a genuine footnote or label. Check whether the styles still communicate priority when the content changes. Avoid solving a crowded page by repeatedly shrinking the body text; reconsider the amount of information and its order before making everything smaller.
Ask a reviewer to find a particular fact without coaching them. Note where they pause or overlook a heading, then relate feedback to the task. “The section label blends into the paragraph” gives a collaborator a clearer issue than “the type feels wrong.” Keep observations distinct from personal preferences.
Record the limits of the check
Contrast and editable text are specific parts of accessible design, not proof that a page meets every accessibility or legal requirement. Record what you checked, in which format, and what needs another review. Recheck the exported or published version because cropping, rendering and content changes can alter the result.