QA Checklist

Works alongside: Test Plan · Release Checklist · Security Checklist

The template

Instruction lines are marked with > — delete them once the document is filled in.

Release: _______________ Date: _______________ Completed by: _______________

Mark N/A with a reason. A blank box is not a pass.

1. Requirements coverage#

• [ ] Every requirement has at least one test case
• [ ] Every test case has a recorded result
• [ ] Traceability matrix complete and current
• [ ] Requirements changed during build have been re-tested
• [ ] Acceptance criteria met, as written — not as reinterpreted

2. Functional#

• [ ] Happy path verified for every user role
• [ ] Negative cases: missing input, wrong type, out of range
• [ ] Boundary values tested at min, max, and one either side
• [ ] Permissions verified per role, including what each role must NOT see
• [ ] Concurrent access to the same record behaves correctly
• [ ] Repeat submission does not create duplicates
• [ ] Interrupted operations leave consistent state

3. Data#

• [ ] Calculations verified against an independent source
• [ ] Rounding rules correct and consistent
• [ ] Dates and time zones correct, including a daylight-saving boundary
• [ ] Currency handling correct, including negative values
• [ ] Migration verified: counts, totals and spot-checked records
• [ ] Empty states handled — zero rows, no history, first-time user

4. Integration#

• [ ] Each interface tested with realistic payloads
• [ ] Failure of each dependency handled gracefully
• [ ] Timeouts and retries behave sensibly
• [ ] No silent failures — everything that fails is visible somewhere

5. Performance#

• [ ] Response times measured under expected concurrent load
• [ ] Behaviour at peak volume verified, not extrapolated
• [ ] Largest realistic dataset tested
• [ ] No obvious query problems (N+1, missing index, full scans)

6. Accessibility#

Target WCAG 2.2 Level AA. In the EU this is not optional for consumer-facing products and services: the European Accessibility Act has been enforceable since 28 June 2025, with EN 301 549 as the harmonised standard. The current EN 301 549 v3.2.1 incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA; v4.1.1, expected during 2026, moves it to WCAG 2.2 AA. Build to 2.2 now and you are ahead of it.

WCAG 2.1 AA — the current legal baseline

• [ ] Whole flow completable by keyboard alone, with no traps
• [ ] Screen reader announces labels, state, errors and dynamic updates
• [ ] Text contrast at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text)
• [ ] Non-text contrast (controls, focus indicators, meaningful graphics) at least 3:1
• [ ] Meaning never conveyed by colour alone
• [ ] Focus visible at all times
• [ ] Text resizes to 200% without loss of function; reflows at 320px width
• [ ] Every form field has a programmatically associated label
• [ ] Errors identified in text, with a suggestion for correction

WCAG 2.2 — the nine additional criteria

• [ ] Focus not obscured by sticky headers, cookie banners or overlays
• [ ] Focus appearance — the indicator is large enough and has sufficient contrast
• [ ] Dragging movements have a single-pointer alternative (no drag-only interactions)
• [ ] Target size at least 24×24 CSS pixels, or adequately spaced
• [ ] Consistent help — support links appear in the same relative order across pages
• [ ] Redundant entry — information already provided is not requested again in the same process
• [ ] Accessible authentication — no cognitive test (puzzle, memorisation, transcription) required without an alternative; password managers and paste are not blocked

7. Compatibility#

• [ ] Supported browsers verified
• [ ] Mobile and tablet layouts verified on real devices
• [ ] Print output correct, if used

8. Content#

• [ ] No placeholder or lorem text anywhere
• [ ] Error messages tell the user what to do, not just what failed
• [ ] Spelling and terminology consistent with the glossary
• [ ] Legal and disclaimer text present where required

9. Operability#

• [ ] Logging sufficient to diagnose a failure without reproducing it
• [ ] Monitoring or alerting exists for the failure modes that matter
• [ ] Runbook or SOP exists for known operational tasks
• [ ] Rollback tested

10. Defects#

• [ ] Zero open Critical or High
• [ ] Medium defects triaged and explicitly accepted
• [ ] Known issues documented for support
• [ ] Every fix verified, and regression run after the last fix

Sign-off#

Known issues released with:

Standards this is based on#

Checked 2026-08-04. Re-verify before relying on any date below.

Accessibility conformance requires human testing with assistive technology. Automated checks typically detect only a minority of real barriers — passing them is a floor, not evidence.