WCAG 3.0 Draft vs 2.2: A Designer’s Cheat‑Sheet

WCAG 3.0 Draft vs 2.2: A Designer’s Cheat‑Sheet

Accessibility standards are evolving. WCAG 2.2 introduced new success criteria, but WCAG 3.0 is shaping up to redefine how we evaluate accessibility altogether. The cheat-sheet delivers vital information to designers about the fundamental differences between WCAG 2.2 and WCAG 3.0 along with the required design workflow adjustments for 2025 compliance.

What’s New in WCAG 2.2

WCAG 2.2 builds upon the accessibility standards of 2.1 by introducing new requirements for mobile accessibility and cognitive clarity standards.

The following new features stand out:

• 3.2.6 Consistent Help – persistent help options
• 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) – no hidden focus indicators
• 2.5.7 Dragging Movements – alternatives to drag gestures
• 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) – minimum 24x24px touch areas

These are all Level A or AA—meaning they are critical for compliance.

What WCAG 3.0 Is Trying to Solve

WCAG 3.0 exists as a draft document which introduces a scoring system that evaluates outcomes instead of traditional pass/fail assessments.

It focuses on:

• The framework emphasizes holistic accessibility through content analysis and context evaluation and user goal achievement.
• The new system uses scored outcomes instead of traditional binary success criteria.
• The framework provides greater flexibility when working with different technologies including mobile devices and VR systems and IoT devices.
• The framework uses plain language to make it accessible to non-technical stakeholders.
  The system becomes more intricate yet delivers more practical results.

Key Differences Designers Need to Know

Tip: WCAG 3.0 is not backward-compatible, so you’ll need to update processes—not just checklists.

How to Prepare for WCAG 3.0 Today

Even if it’s still a draft, you can align your workflow now by:

• Designing with outcome-based thinking
• Tracking contrast ratios and interaction feedback
• Using user testing with assistive tech
• Moving from checklists to heuristics and scoring tools

This mindset shift will make future compliance smoother—and better for real users.

Conclusion

WCAG 2.2 provides us with more specific guidelines to achieve better accessibility. WCAG 3.0 focuses on achieving results instead of following rules. Designers who want to stay ahead of the curve should create clear designs that produce high impact while considering all users. Accessibility has evolved from being a simple checkbox into the essential building block for creating outstanding user experiences.