---
title: "Distinguish statuses using text as well as color"
description: "Verify a workflow exposes explicit status labels and independently checked accessible names so state remains understandable without interpreting badge colors."
canonical_url: "https://vostride.com/agent-library/accessibility-flows/status-without-color-only.md"
md_url: "https://vostride.com/agent-library/accessibility-flows/status-without-color-only.md"
content_kind: "recipe"
topic: "accessibility-flows"
---

# Distinguish statuses using text as well as color

Verify a workflow exposes explicit status labels and independently checked accessible names so state remains understandable without interpreting badge colors.

## Risk

Red, amber, and green badges can be indistinguishable to some users or in altered display settings. This journey checks redundant status information, not a numerical contrast ratio from an ordinary screenshot.

## Fixtures

- A test board has three records in states Failed, Running, and Complete, each with a distinct immutable key.
- The design contract includes visible text for every status and a semantic equivalent for compact icon-only presentations.
- A prepared semantic audit checks accessible status names; a separate contrast measurement tool is available if contrast thresholds are an explicit requirement.

## Steps

1. Open the board and verify the Failed, Running, and Complete fixture records are all visible.
2. Verify each status is identified by readable text or the specified non-color indicator, with the correct record association.
3. Open each detail and verify its explicit status agrees with the board label and fixture manifest.
4. At the supported compact viewport, verify any shortened status presentation still provides the product-defined distinguishable cue.
5. Run the prepared semantic check for accessible status names and record any required contrast measurements separately from the visual journey.

## Expected results

- Each fixture state is distinguishable through information beyond badge hue.
- Board and detail labels agree with the independently seeded state of each record.
- The semantic audit confirms meaningful status names; this focused check does not certify color contrast or overall accessibility.

## False-pass traps

- An agent recognizing green as Complete does not prove a non-color alternative exists.
- A tooltip that requires an inaccessible interaction may not satisfy the compact-status contract.

## Cleanup

- Delete the three status fixtures and restore the default board viewport preferences.

## Use with agent-qa

Adapt this test design to your application's acceptance criteria and configured target using the [recipe execution guide](/agent-library/software-factory/turn-a-recipe-into-an-agent-qa-test.md). External fixture setup and non-UI checks require your own supported hooks or test tooling. Validate the authored test, execute it, and inspect the completed evidence; this recipe is not a recorded test result.

## References

- [agent-qa test](/docs/agent-qa/configuration/test.md)
- [agent-qa first test](/docs/agent-qa/guides/first-test.md)
- [agent-qa web testing](/docs/agent-qa/guides/web-testing.md)

- [Accessibility workflow QA recipes](/agent-library/accessibility-flows.md)
- [Software factory QA library](/agent-library.md)