Re: Distractions - always negative?

Interesting read from the perspective of someone applying for Jobs online:

http://www.theguardian.com/careers/online-job-applications-dyslexia-challenges

Perhaps we need to consider form filling (or generically entering data
online) as a separate issue paper. There is so much in there we have just
touched the surface. It overlaps into so many areas. Filling in forms
incorrectly can have such a huge impact. Putting people off filling in
forms at all also - Jobs, Medical, Registering for things - you name it.

T





On 1 May 2015 at 15:59, Steve Lee <steve@opendirective.com> wrote:

> So ARIA already has aria-live to let the user control async interruptions.
> How about we use / extend that?
>
> https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh465711.aspx
>
>
>
> Steve Lee
> OpenDirective http://opendirective.com
>
> On 1 May 2015 at 15:53, Anthony Doran <t.doran@texthelp.com> wrote:
>
>> Good point about the form filling and leaving validation to the end - I
>> had not considered validation messages, those too are a distraction and
>> when left to the end of a process may result in having to repeat, fix
>> errors, repeat, fix errors in a loop of increasing frustration.
>>
>> Front loading the validation messages is a great idea IMO. Thanks you
>> Jamie.
>>
>> T
>>
>> On 1 May 2015 at 15:39, Jamie Knight <Jamie.Knight@bbc.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello Everyone,
>>>
>>> Good question. I can't answer immediate because I didn't really know
>>> what the word distraction means.
>>>
>>> I had a look in the dictionary and it have two definitions:
>>>
>>> 1: a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else.
>>>
>>> 2: extreme agitation of the mind.
>>>
>>> With that in mind here are my first thoughts:
>>>
>>> 1: distractions are always bad. I don't want my mind agitated.
>>> Distractions are about stealing focus. They _prevent_ a user from focusing
>>> on something and completing a task etc.
>>>
>>> 2: There are a great many messages which need to be communicated to
>>> users. Sometimes they may be communicated in a way which distracts the user.
>>>
>>> 3: limiting distractions is about making recommendation for how to
>>> effectively communicate messages in non distracting non blocking ways
>>>
>>> 4: the messages mentioned in the other emails are either TIMELY (eg like
>>> the delete button) or there for COMPLIANCE (cookie notice)
>>>
>>> 5: Therefore perhaps we need to discuss methods of communicating
>>> important or timely messages without distracting the user.
>>>
>>> For example (based on what works for me)
>>>
>>> - rather than leave form verification to the end of a big form. Break it
>>> down into smaller chunks (many smaller forms) and do the validation inline.
>>> Eg I know each form Inout is valid before i move on to the next element.
>>> Create forms which only display a submit button when the form is valid and
>>> are effective in communicating invalid data rather than a model block or
>>> warning step at the end.
>>>
>>> - create a cookie warning which on the second page defaults to
>>> acceptance (this removing the distraction side effect quickly). This is how
>>> the BBC cookie warning works.
>>>
>>> So in summery. I think distractions are bad, they are the side effect of
>>> ineffective messaging between the page the user.
>>>
>>> It's a bit like using bold. If you use bold a small amount it is
>>> effective.
>>>
>>> If you use bold all the time it becomes useless.
>>>
>>> Effectively many pages turn into a an attention seeking shouting match
>>> as every page element tries to be important.
>>>
>>> Does that make any sense at all? Just my opinion *blush*
>>>
>>> Hope that helps,
>>>
>>> Jamie + Lion
>>> ________________________________________
>>> From: Anthony Doran [t.doran@texthelp.com]
>>> Sent: 01 May 2015 14:36
>>> To: EA Draffan
>>> Cc: Neil Milliken; public-cognitive-a11y-tf@w3.org
>>> Subject: Re: Distractions - always negative?
>>>
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> I've been kicking this around some more...I think there's more here - a
>>> broader question. How should a user's attention be drawn to something
>>> effectively? There are two sides to distraction - what you should *not* do,
>>> and what you *should* do in it's place. It is often a requirement/need to
>>> draw attention. This is not always commercially driven. Cookie
>>> notifications, legal requirements, location restrictions, copyright notices
>>> etc. We cannot be abstinence only here, it's just not realistic IMO.
>>>
>>>  With emphasis in text we know that the most effective way is to bold
>>> the text as italics, underline and all caps all have issues. Bold does too,
>>> but less so.
>>>
>>>  Which brings back the question - how does someone effectively draw
>>> attention, with minimal impact on those with Cognitive challenges? At the
>>> end of it all we need to give developers recommendations they can follow.
>>>
>>>   I am thinking along the lines of front loading - all necessary
>>> messages at the start of a process. "You are about to start filling in a
>>> form XY for ZY, would you like live help, or extra time or XXXXXXX" rather
>>> than an overlay after 5 minutes. Might be a good starting point for
>>> discussion.
>>>
>>> T
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 1 May 2015 at 09:47, Anthony Doran <t.doran@texthelp.com<mailto:
>>> t.doran@texthelp.com>> wrote:
>>> Ok - this is interesting stuff ;)
>>>
>>> How should a positive distraction work? - say if you do have a help pop
>>> up, or you do have a paywall or something else that *must* be there. What
>>> is the best possible user experience? Should we prefer one method over
>>> another, or ????
>>>
>>> There is ordering - distraction in the middle of something is worse than
>>> a notification as a part of starting something - say a form or similar.
>>> There is the form of the distraction - and how easy it is to close/banish
>>> forever/pay or whatever, for starters.
>>>
>>> Thanks, T
>>>
>>> On 1 May 2015 at 09:12, EA Draffan <ead@ecs.soton.ac.uk<mailto:
>>> ead@ecs.soton.ac.uk>> wrote:
>>> Absolutely especially if you are about to select something that might
>>> delete all your work if you are not alerted to that fact by something that
>>> makes you pause!
>>>
>>> Best wishes
>>> E.A.
>>>
>>> Mrs E.A. Draffan
>>> WAIS, ECS , University of Southampton
>>> Mobile +44 (0)7976 289103<tel:%2B44%20%280%297976%20289103>
>>> http://access.ecs.soton.ac.uk<http://access.ecs.soton.ac.uk/>
>>> UK AAATE rep http://www.aaate.net/
>>> http://www.emptech.info<http://www.emptech.info/>
>>>
>>> From: Neil Milliken [mailto:Neil.Milliken@bbc.co.uk<mailto:
>>> Neil.Milliken@bbc.co.uk>]
>>> Sent: 30 April 2015 14:50
>>> To: Anthony Doran; public-cognitive-a11y-tf@w3.org<mailto:
>>> public-cognitive-a11y-tf@w3.org>
>>> Subject: RE: Distractions - always negative?
>>>
>>> Hi Tony,
>>>
>>> You raise a very valid point.
>>>
>>> Neil
>>> ________________________________
>>> From: Anthony Doran [t.doran@texthelp.com<mailto:t.doran@texthelp.com>]
>>> Sent: 30 April 2015 14:41
>>> To: public-cognitive-a11y-tf@w3.org<mailto:
>>> public-cognitive-a11y-tf@w3.org>
>>> Subject: Distractions - always negative?
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>>    Just wanted to kick about an idea - is distraction always negative?
>>> For example if a site features some additional AT, say TTS or symbol
>>> support, they may wish to have an animation or something to draw your
>>> attention to it - or if they have active help they may have a help pop-over.
>>>
>>>    These things are distracting, and take focus from content consumption
>>> but do so for a positive reason.
>>>
>>>    So is distraction always a negative thing?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Anthony Doran
>>> Product Manager
>>>
>>> T: +44(0)28 9442 8105<tel:%2B44%280%2928%209442%208105>
>>>
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>>> --
>>> Anthony Doran
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>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> Texthelp, Lucas Exchange, 1 Orchard Way, Greystone Road, Antrim,
>>> Northern Ireland, BT41 2RU
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Anthony Doran
>>> Product Manager
>>>
>>> T: +44(0)28 9442 8105
>>>
>>> [http://www.texthelp.com/designimages/fbemail.png]<
>>> https://www.facebook.com/Texthelpers>  [
>>> http://www.texthelp.com/designimages/twemail.png] <
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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Texthelp, Lucas Exchange, 1 Orchard Way, Greystone Road, Antrim,
>>> Northern Ireland, BT41 2RU
>>>
>>> --
>>> Texthelp Ltd is a limited company registered in Belfast, N. Ireland with
>>> registration number NI31186 having its registered office and principal
>>> place of business at Lucas Exchange, 1 Orchard Way, Antrim, N. Ireland,
>>> BT41 2RU.
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> *Anthony Doran*
>> Product Manager
>>
>> T: +44(0)28 9442 8105
>>
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>>    <https://www.linkedin.com/company/texthelp>
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>> <http://www.texthelp.com/>
>>
>>
>>
>>  Texthelp, Lucas Exchange, 1 Orchard Way, Greystone Road, Antrim,
>> Northern Ireland, BT41 2RU
>>
>> --
>> Texthelp Ltd is a limited company registered in Belfast, N. Ireland with
>> registration number NI31186 having its registered office and principal
>> place of business at Lucas Exchange, 1 Orchard Way, Antrim, N. Ireland,
>> BT41 2RU.
>>
>
>


-- 
*Anthony Doran*
Product Manager

T: +44(0)28 9442 8105

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-- 
-- 
Texthelp Ltd is a limited company registered in Belfast, N. Ireland with 
registration number NI31186 having its registered office and principal 
place of business at Lucas Exchange, 1 Orchard Way, Antrim, N. Ireland, 
BT41 2RU.