Re: Distractions - always negative?

Further down the rabbit hole in forms:

WCAG

http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/SCR18.html

"If errors are found, an alert dialog describes the nature of the error in
text. "!

This is an alert, prescribed by WCAG. It will be a "wanted" distraction.

There is no guide as to how this should or should not be done. "Alert" is
too general. Guidance should be provided. But what?

T




On 1 May 2015 at 16:10, Anthony Doran <t.doran@texthelp.com> wrote:

> 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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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Anthony Doran
>>>> Product Manager
>>>>
>>>> T: +44(0)28 9442 8105<tel:%2B44%280%2928%209442%208105>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Texthelp, Lucas Exchange, 1 Orchard Way, Greystone Road, Antrim,
>>>> Northern Ireland, BT41 2RU
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Anthony Doran
>>>> Product Manager
>>>>
>>>> T: +44(0)28 9442 8105
>>>>
>>>> [http://www.texthelp.com/designimages/fbemail.png]<
>>>> https://www.facebook.com/Texthelpers>  [
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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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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  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
>
>  <https://www.facebook.com/Texthelpers>   <https://twitter.com/texthelp>
> <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
>



-- 
*Anthony Doran*
Product Manager

T: +44(0)28 9442 8105

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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.