How to test
Touch & Pointer
Touch and assistive-pointer users need forgiving targets and simple interactions. Test that controls are big enough, complex gestures have single-pointer alternatives, and actions can be cancelled.
What to test
- Interactive targets are at least 24 × 24 CSS px, or have enough spacing around them.
- Multipoint or path-based gestures (swipe, pinch, drag) have a single-pointer alternative.
- Drag operations have a non-dragging alternative — buttons, a menu, or inputs.
- Actions complete on pointer-up so they can be aborted by moving away first.
- Motion-actuated features (shake, tilt) have a UI alternative and can be disabled.
How to test
- 1Measure interactive targets; flag anything under 24px without adequate spacing.
- 2Try every gesture-based interaction using only a single tap or click.
- 3For drag-and-drop, confirm a non-drag path exists.
- 4Press down on a control, move off it, and release — it must not activate.
- 5Test any motion-triggered feature with motion disabled and via a normal control.
Common failures
- Tiny icon buttons or close (×) targets under 24px.
- A carousel or slider that only responds to swipe or drag.
- A sortable list that can only be reordered by dragging.
- Buttons that fire on touchstart/mousedown with no way to abort.
- Shake-to-undo with no on-screen equivalent.