RE: [Techs] proposed definitions re: my May 11 WCAG TTF Action Item

Tim has located several possible definitions for the terms "technology"
and "techniques" which appear in the techniqures requirements document.
 
 
Definition of "Technology"
Since the Working Group reached consensus on a definition of
"technology" on the 4 May call, one option (as Tim notes) is to use the
same definition in the Requirements document:
 
<blockquote>
technologydef1 - A definition from the WCAG2.0 Glossary [2] "a markup or
programming 
language, application programming interface (API), or communication
protocol". 
Do we want to keep this same definition in [1] for consistency?
</blockquote>
Yes! Definitions and usage should be consistent
 across the set of documents for WCAG 2.0.
 
Definition of "techniques"
As for the term "techniques," I think we use it in *both* senses (2) and
(3) below:
 
<blockquote>
technniquesdef2 - Another definition from dictionary.com [5] "a method
or body of methods for 
accomplishing a desired end"

technniquesdef3 - In ATAG2.0 Glossary [6], "techniques" are defined as
"informative suggestions 
and examples for ways in which the success criteria of a checkpoint
might 
be satisfied"
</blockquote>

The individual techniques conform to the first definition quoted above:
each one offers a method of accomplishing a desired end.
 
The techniques *documents* (HTML Techniques, Client-Side Scripting,
etc.) conform to the definition as it appears in the ATAG 2.0 glossary:
the techniques documents contain "informative descriptions and examples
of methods and bodies of methods that may be used to satisfy particular
success criteria"
 
I suggest that the WCAG 2.0 Glossary define the word "technique" as "a
method or body of methods that may be used to satisfy the success
criteria defined in WCAG 2.0"
 
This definition should also be used in the Requirements document.
 
I also propose that we describe the techniques *documents* as providing
informative descriptions and examples of methods thta may be used to
satisfy success criteria defined by WCAG 2.0"
 
I don't think the latter belongs in the Glossary, but it does belong in
the Requirements document, and it might also be used in the introductory
section of WCAG 2.0, for example in the section on "How to Read this
Document" where we list the various documents and types of documents
that make up the WCAG 2.0 collection.
 
JOhn
 

"Good design is accessible design."

Dr. John M. Slatin, Director 
Accessibility Institute
University of Texas at Austin 
FAC 248C 
1 University Station G9600 
Austin, TX 78712 
ph 512-495-4288, fax 512-495-4524 
email jslatin@mail.utexas.edu 
Web  <http://www.ital.utexas.edu/>
http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility 

-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On
Behalf Of Tim Boland
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 8:18 AM
To: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
Subject: [Techs] proposed definitions re: my May 11 WCAG TTF Action Item


My action item from the May 11 WCAG TTF teleconference was to propose
definitions 
for terms "technology" and "techniques" used in the "Requirements for
WCAG2.0 
Checklists and Techniques" Document [1].   In fulfillment of that action
item:



Proposed "technology" Definitions (identified as "technologydef"):

technologydef1 - A definition from the WCAG2.0 Glossary [2] "a markup or
programming 
language, application programming interface (API), or communication
protocol". 
Do we want to keep this same definition in [1] for consistency?

technologydef2 - A definition from dictionary.com [3] "the application
of science, especially 
to industrial or commercial objectives", or "the scientific method and
material 
used to achieve a commercial or industrial objective"

technologydef3 - Another definition from dictionary.com [3] "the
practical application of science 
to commerce or industry", or [3] the "discipline dealing with the art or
science of 
applying scientific knowledge to practical problems"

technologydef4 - Still another definition from [4] "the practical
application of knowledge 
especially in a particular area"


NOTE: The previously-mentioned proposed "technology" definitions have
different nuances which may 
or may not be important for WCAG work.   What are the preferences of WG
members for
which "technology" definition should be included in [1]?

--------------------------end of proposed "technology"
definitions---------

Proposed "techniques" Definitions (identified as "technniquesdef"):

technniquesdef1 - A definition from dictionary.com [5] "the systematic
procedure by which a 
complex or scientific task is accomplished

technniquesdef2 - Another definition from dictionary.com [5] "a method
or body of methods for 
accomplishing a desired end"

technniquesdef3 - In ATAG2.0 Glossary [6], "techniques" are defined as
"informative suggestions 
and examples for ways in which the success criteria of a checkpoint
might 
be satisfied"

technniquesdef4? - In SpecGL Section 1.5.1 [7], "techniques" are
mentioned to "illustrate basic 
(and non exhaustive) questions or methods to help realize the
Requirement/Good 
Practice and produce specification text", although there is no
definition for 
"techniques" currently in the SpecGL Glossary.


NOTE: The previously-mentioned proposed "techniques" definitions have
different nuances which may 
or may not be important for WCAG work.   What are the preferences of WG
members for
which "techniques" definition should be included in [1]?   Since
"techniques" are referenced in multiple W3C specifications, I think it
would be good to use a common definition across W3C WGs if possible..

--------------------------end of proposed "technniques"
definitions---------


[1]:  <http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-wcag2-tech-req-20050503.html>
http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-wcag2-tech-req-20050503.html 
[2]:  <http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/#glossary>
http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/#glossary 
[3]:  <http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=technology>
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=technology 
[4]:  <http://63.240.197.92/cgi-bin/mwdictaj?technology>
http://63.240.197.92/cgi-bin/mwdictaj?technology 
[5]:  <http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=technique>
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=technique 
[6]:  <http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/WD-ATAG20-20041122/#definitions>
http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/WD-ATAG20-20041122/#definitions 
[7]:  <http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-qaframe-spec-20050428/>
http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-qaframe-spec-20050428/