Run Theme Assistant Accessibility Checks Before CSS Approval

Outcome

By the end of this tutorial, you will know how to use SophMate for WordPress accessibility AI review while keeping the work reviewable inside WordPress.

Scenario

A designer has a polished homepage CSS draft, but the agency needs to confirm it does not create contrast or mobile usability problems.

What the image shows

The tutorial image shows Theme Assistant context: live preview, design controls, responsive review, and presentation-oriented workflow areas for visual changes.

Before you begin

• Confirm SophMate is active and the relevant module is available to your user role.
• Check provider, budget, and approval settings before asking SophMate to draft or execute work.
• Keep customer data, API keys, and private credentials out of prompts unless the workflow is explicitly designed to handle that context.

Guardrail

Use scoped CSS, responsive checks, accessibility review, and history notes before publishing visual changes.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Approving CSS after checking only the desktop preview.
• Using broad selectors that affect unrelated templates, checkout states, or mobile layouts.
• Skipping accessibility notes because the change looks visually small.

Step 1: Open the exact design proposal

Run accessibility review against the proposed CSS state, not an unrelated page. The reviewer should know which change is being tested.

Step 2: Check contrast and hierarchy first

Review text contrast, heading structure, button prominence, and whether important actions remain visible at the intended breakpoints.

Step 3: Review tap targets on mobile

Switch to mobile and inspect buttons, links, nav controls, cards, and checkout-adjacent CTAs. Small visual tweaks can still reduce usability.

Step 4: Ask for scoped fixes

When Theme Assistant finds an issue, ask for a narrow correction that preserves the approved visual direction. Avoid accepting a broad reset that changes unrelated components.

Step 5: Record the approval evidence

Add a note describing the checks performed and any remaining caveats. This makes client review and later rollback easier.

Review checklist

• Accessibility review is performed on the proposed CSS state.
• Mobile tap targets are checked.
• Approval notes include any caveats.

Success signal

The Theme Assistant workflow is successful when the change is scoped, reviewed at key breakpoints, accessibility concerns are documented, and the team can revert or explain the CSS history.

What to document

Document target page, selector or component family, desktop/tablet/mobile checks, accessibility notes, CSS history label, and approval status.

Owner and cadence

A designer owns visual intent, while the site owner or developer owns production impact. Review every meaningful CSS change before publishing.

Escalate when

Escalate when CSS affects checkout, account, accessibility, mobile navigation, or theme structure beyond the intended visual scope.

Related SophMate paths

• Features/Theme Assistant
• Features/Action Plans Approvals

Next action

Run this workflow on a low-risk example first. Once the result is easy to review and explain, decide whether it should become a repeatable playbook, workflow, watcher, agent, or documented team process.