Accessibility score calculation

The score of a report reflects the screens captured in that scan, the rules selected, and the rule-engine version the scan ran on. A score change between two scans can come from any of the following:

• App changes: New failures, fixed failures, or shifts in rule applicability from changed screens.
• Scan configuration: A different rule selection, or a different set of flows scanned.
• Rule-engine updates: New, updated, or refined accessibility rules from BrowserStack that can shift the score even when your app hasn’t changed.

Yes. The same formula, severity weights, and multipliers apply to both Manual and Automated App Accessibility test reports.

A rule is applicable to a report when both of the following are true:

• You’ve selected the rule to run as part of the scan configuration.
• At least one element in the report is in consideration for the rule. For example, the Touch target size and spacing rule assesses interactive elements in the UI. Therefore, this rule is applicable if there is even a single interactive element in the app.

Regardless of whether you hide the issue, the score depends on the total number of rules failed or passed. The impact is as follows:

• There is no impact on the score if the hidden issue was a failure and at least one other failure exists for the same rule in the report.
• The score increases if the hidden issue is the only failure for the rule and the rule has at least one passing case. In this scenario, the rule is considered as passed.
• The score increases if the hidden issue is the only failure for the rule, and the rule has no passing cases. In this scenario, the rule is considered as not applicable.
• There is no impact on the score if the hidden issue is a Needs Review case that requires your assessment.
• If you review and confirm the Needs Review issues, they are treated as failures. Depending on whether other failures exist for the same rule, the score either stays the same or increases when you hide such issues.

The impact depends on the original state of the issue and whether other un-hidden issues exist for the same rule:

• There is no impact on the score if the un-hidden issue is a Needs Review case that requires your assessment.
• There is no impact on the score if the un-hidden issue was a confirmed case and at least one other un-hidden issue exists for the same rule in the report.
• The score decreases if the un-hidden issue was a confirmed case and no other un-hidden issue exists for the same rule. In this scenario, the rule is considered as failed.
• If you review and confirm the Needs Review issues, they are treated as failures. Depending on whether other failures exist for the same rule, the score either stays the same or decreases when you un-hide such issues.

Needs Review issues are not treated as failed. They are treated as passed until you review and confirm them as valid accessibility violations. Based on your review, the score can change as follows:

• If you confirm a Needs Review issue as a violation, it is treated as a rule failure. Depending on whether other failures exist for the same rule, the score either stays the same or decreases.
• If you undo a confirmation, the issue reverts to a Needs Review issue and the score is re-adjusted to reflect the change.
• Marking a Needs Review issue as a non-issue doesn’t affect the score.

The accessibility score isn’t calculated in the following scenarios:

• The scan is still in progress.
• The scan completed but no screens were captured.
• No accessibility rules are applicable to any of the captured screens.
• The score calculation service encountered an error after the scan completed. The report is still viewable. You can try running the scan again or contact BrowserStack Support.