4.6 Agentic readiness (Lever 9) ✦MediumVerified

Actions not keyboard/programmatically reachable

If key actions can only be triggered by a mouse, keyboard users and automated agents cannot perform them. Every action should be reachable programmatically.

What it is

Interactions need a mouse only.

Why it matters

Agents and AT can’t complete tasks.

How to fix it

Make actions keyboard-operable.

How to find it on your site

  1. Try to operate the page using only the keyboard.
  2. Find actions that cannot be reached or triggered.
  3. Implement proper focus management and accessible controls.
  4. Re-test with keyboard and assistive tech.

Cross-reference to ranking and citation factors

Programmatic, keyboard-reachable actions are what let agents and assistive tech operate the page. Mouse-only actions exclude them.

Impact

Low-medium. Direct (WCAG).

Evidence

Operability is required for AT/agents. W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2

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