Harden RC9 UX and performance states

scripts/README.md

@@ -2069,3 +2069,19 @@ The command is intentionally live and creates missing Area records, an export,
 an assistant conversation and explicit technical demo AI records. It never
 fetches fake production provider data. Evidence is written below the requested
 ignored `artifacts/` directory as screenshots plus `manifest.json`.
+
+## RC-9 UX and performance audit
+
+Run the non-mutating frontend audit against a deployed runtime:
+
+```bash
+bash scripts/run_rc9_ux_audit.sh \
+  http://192.168.10.150:1202 \
+  artifacts/rc9-ux-audit
+```
+
+The audit checks the map-first flow at mobile, desktop and ultrawide
+viewports; rejects page-level horizontal overflow and visible controls without
+an accessible name; verifies keyboard tabs and skip-link focus; simulates a
+slow project bootstrap; and proves coverage timing is visible. It writes only
+ignored screenshots and `manifest.json`.

scripts/run_rc9_ux_audit.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+cd "$ROOT"
+
+BASE_URL="${1:-${GE_INTEL_BASE_URL:-http://127.0.0.1:1202}}"
+OUTPUT_DIR="${2:-artifacts/rc9-ux-audit}"
+
+if ! command -v npm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Node.js/npm is required to execute the RC9 UX audit." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+npm --prefix frontend run test:e2e:ux -- \
+  --base-url "$BASE_URL" \
+  --output "../$OUTPUT_DIR"

scripts/run_readiness_check.sh

@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ ${PYTHON_BIN} -m compileall backend/app
 (cd frontend && npm run typecheck)
 (cd frontend && npm run build)
 "${NODE_BIN}" --check frontend/e2e/releaseJourneys.mjs
+"${NODE_BIN}" --check frontend/e2e/uxAudit.mjs
 bash -n scripts/live_migration_smoke.sh
 bash -n scripts/deploy_tower.sh
 bash -n scripts/verify_release_fresh_install.sh
@@ -160,4 +161,5 @@ bash -n scripts/verify_golden_qa_benchmark.sh
 bash -n scripts/verify_demo_cleanup_dry_run.sh
 bash -n scripts/capture_workbench_screenshots.sh
 bash -n scripts/run_rc8_release_journeys.sh
+bash -n scripts/run_rc9_ux_audit.sh
 echo "== Run readiness check passed =="