Re: Comments for todays call

To help todays conversations along I looked over the latest version of
collaborative
environments <https://w3c.github.io/ctaur/> as David requested and added
two items. I put @*Suggestion to add: @ *next to them.

here are the latest version of comments
*General comment *

*1. *I found the sentences <In addition, non-normative guidance of a
general nature on improving accessibility for people with cognitive and
learning disabilities has been published in [coga-usable]. ?</quote> a bit
negative about our work. Why call it "of a  general nature" why point out
that it is non-normative? just say that
 " improving accessibility for people with cognitive and learning
disabilities is addressed in [coga-usable].  " (reduced as requested by
Janina)


*2 I could not find the following items in the document. Did I miss them?*

* 2.  Language, icons symbols, and the interface patterns should be
familiar *. We also need to have  short clear paths for common tasks. This
was covered in  our suggestions for Common pitfalls


<quote>Collaborative tools often have unique interfaces and a lot of
essential functions and processes. Users with learning and cognitive
disabilities, including age related forgetfulness, may struggle to learn
new interfaces and new proprietary design patterns. Reducing the
requirement to learn new patterns, and follow complex process will help
more users be able to use your application effectively. This includes

Coga Suggested User Need  1: As a user with a language, processing, or
memory impairment, I need the interface and language used to be clear and
easy for me to understand. As a user with short and medium-term memory
impairment and impaired executive function
<https://www.w3.org/TR/coga-usable/#dfn-executive-function>, I need a
familiar interface so that I do not need to figure out and remember new
interfaces. This may take a few weeks of repetition and I may not manage to
learn it all if I have a condition affecting learning new things, such as
dementia.

Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement)  1: Help users understand what things are
and how to use them. Use things that are familiar to the user so that they
do not have to learn new icons, symbols, terms, or design patterns. People
with cognitive and learning disabilities often need common behavior and
design patterns. For example, they may know the standard convention for
links (underlined and blue for unvisited; purple for visited).. This
includes:

   -

   Keep it simple. Keep process and workflow as simple as possible
   -

   Have short critical paths with as few steps as possible, Do not require
   the user to open multiple tabs, windows or pannels to complete a task as
   remembering and navigating though this content can dissorentate the user.
   -

   Use familiar terms, such as save, Help, Copy. Avoid making the user need
   to learn new terms such as mode or Fork.
   -

   Do not make the user learn new terms or language for editing, such as a
   markdown, html or other syntax that they may not know. For example, provide
   an edit button and  WYSIWYG (you see is what you get) HTML editor.Familiar
   icons, such as the help icon, with the word help.
   -

   Use common design patterns when you can. Do not require a new way of
   thinking just to  something simple like create/edit/make available a simply
   formatted text document
   -

   When new processes are necessary, keep them as familiar to the user as
   possible. Always allow users to roll back to an older interface. This
   allows older users to continue being productive.
   </quote>

It was also in  Coga suggestion 6: <quote>Use plain language names for each
feature or process. Example: Using words like "fork" do not describe the
feature using concrete language related to the task. Use chat instead of
IRC . <quote/>I could not find this in the document is it included?


  Was comment  8) For collaboration tools that also allow document editing,
editing tools/collaboration tools should be available, as well as a view ,
 in a method that is very familiar to both document editors and
collaborators."
(The above is paraphrased from the COGA doc "Issues using W3C Tool and
Processes")

4.

Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement  2 Help users correct mistakes. A good
design makes errors less likely. When errors occur, the user should find it
easy to correct them. Be forgiving. When the user makes a mistake make it
easy to roll back, make changes, undo and go back.

5. Coga Suggested User Need  3: As a user who finds some web sites hard to
use and struggles with finding the right control for what I need to do, I
sometimes need in-page and inline support so that I can use the content.
However, with an attention impairment any support required needs to be in
my control to avoid distractions.
6.  Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement 3) Provide help. (key details follow in
the document at
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CJhBYRI-zk2rl_mohHZ63xAGZxzpDMxhHhXT66bjFBI/edit
 )

*Note following is  about the environment providing support in for form  a
consistent place to fill this information   *

7.  Coga Suggested User Need 4 :As a user with a memory impairment,
attention impairment, or executive function
<https://www.w3.org/TR/coga-usable/#dfn-executive-function> impairment or
as a user with a communication disability who uses symbols, I need to know
the purpose of the content so that I know if I am in the right place, and
what I am doing, even if I lose attention and focus for a time.

Note that this is about the environment providing support in for form  a
consistent place to fill this information

Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement 4Help the author make the topic and
connections to other documents is clear. For example provide automated
breadcrumbs showing the drive name and the document title.

*SUggestion to add: This can include *

Review a summary of current work history on a project

Allow the user to determine the storage location of the collaboration space.

Allow search through a page, whole document, a group of documents (such as
a project or directory).

*0* Allow the user to structure the collaboration space.

SUpport wayfinding/orientation space within a collaboration tool such as

where within the tool they are to complete certain tasks.

·         The names and locations available within the tool used for a
specific group. Example: if there are multiple document libraries within a
collaboration space, this makes finding the one related to a project
difficult to find.

·           Upcoming important deadlines and tasks should also be available
and easily found. This place needs to be:

·         Persistent




8. Coga Suggested User Need5 :As a user who finds some web sites hard to
use and struggles with remembering and following instructions , I sometimes
need in-page instructions so that I can do the correct task

Note that this is about the environment providing support in for form  a
consistent place to fill this information

9. Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement  5)Instructions from the author are easy
to find. For example, an icon and link to a readme document is always
available on the main toolbar

Note that this is about the environment providing support in for form  a
consistent place to fill this information

*SUggestion to add: **10. *User Need X: People with cognitive disabilities
need to be able to follow comments , track what they have read and not read
and track and replies with becoming overwhelmed with many levels or needing
to navigate between the levels can be difficult.

REQ Xa: The structure of comments and conversations are visually Clear. For
example, by using icons and different colors to emphasize the different
levels of comments.

REQ Xb: There is a consistent, visually and programatically clear way to
find and jump though responses that the user has not yet read

REQ Xc: Multi levels can easily be expanded or closed.

REQ Xd: The current draft of wording should be easy to see at the top of a
thread or in the text.


On Wed, Mar 27, 2024 at 12:09 PM Lisa Seeman <lisa1seeman@gmail.com> wrote:

> I looked over the latest version of collaborative environments
> <https://w3c.github.io/ctaur/>
> It looked much better, but I still have some comments.
>
> *General comment *
>
> *1. *I found the sentences <In addition, non-normative guidance of a
> general nature on improving accessibility for people with cognitive and
> learning disabilities has been published in [coga-usable]. ?</quote> a bit
> negative about our work. Why call it "of a  general nature" why point out
> that it is non-normative? Why not say, follow our suggestion:
>
> (Coga general comment 3: Add recommendation to follow Making Content
> Usable for People with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities as follows:)
>
> <quote>In addition it is essential that Making Content Usable for People
> with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities
> <https://www.w3.org/TR/coga-usable/#>is also followed. This document is a
> supplement to WCAG 2.1 and supports people with learning and cognitive
> disabilities to also collaborate. This ranges from specific learning
> disabilities (such as dyslexia), age related cognitive decline,
> intellectual disabilities, neurodiversity and others. Further, Include
> within the tool clear and easy to access information about how to use it,
> such as commands and help documentation, which support users with cognitive
> and learning  disabilities. (The above is paraphrased from the COGA doc
> "Issues using W3C Tool and Processes".)</quote>
> or just say that "many of the gaps in WCAG on improving accessibility for
> people with cognitive and learning disabilities has been   addressed in
> [coga-usable].  "
> I also found the whole  paragraph about other specifications difficult to
> follow and it could do with a rewrite.
>
>
> *2 I could not find the following items in the document. DId I miss them?*
>
> * 2.  Language, icons symbols, and the interface patterns should be
> familiar *. We also need to have  short clear paths for common tasks.
> This was covered in  our suggestions for Common pitfalls
>
>
> <quote>Collaborative tools often have unique interfaces and a lot of
> essential functions and processes. Users with learning and cognitive
> disabilities, including age related forgetfulness, may struggle to learn
> new interfaces and new proprietary design patterns. Reducing the
> requirement to learn new patterns, and follow complex process will help
> more users be able to use your application effectively. This includes
>
> Coga Suggested User Need  1: As a user with a language, processing, or
> memory impairment, I need the interface and language used to be clear and
> easy for me to understand. As a user with short and medium-term memory
> impairment and impaired executive function
> <https://www.w3.org/TR/coga-usable/#dfn-executive-function>, I need a
> familiar interface so that I do not need to figure out and remember new
> interfaces. This may take a few weeks of repetition and I may not manage to
> learn it all if I have a condition affecting learning new things, such as
> dementia.
>
> Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement)  1: Help users understand what things
> are and how to use them. Use things that are familiar to the user so that
> they do not have to learn new icons, symbols, terms, or design patterns.
> People with cognitive and learning disabilities often need common behavior
> and design patterns. For example, they may know the standard convention for
> links (underlined and blue for unvisited; purple for visited).. This
> includes:
>
>    -
>
>    Keep it simple. Keep process and workflow as simple as possible
>    -
>
>    Have short critical paths with as few steps as possible, Do not
>    require the user to open multiple tabs, windows or pannels to complete a
>    task as remembering and navigating though this content can dissorentate the
>    user.
>    -
>
>    Use familiar terms, such as save, Help, Copy. Avoid making the user
>    need to learn new terms such as mode or Fork.
>    -
>
>    Do not make the user learn new terms or language for editing, such as
>    a markdown, html or other syntax that they may not know. For example,
>    provide an edit button and  WYSIWYG (you see is what you get) HTML
>    editor.Familiar icons, such as the help icon, with the word help.
>    -
>
>    Use common design patterns when you can. Do not require a new way of
>    thinking just to  something simple like create/edit/make available a simply
>    formatted text document
>    -
>
>    When new processes are necessary, keep them as familiar to the user as
>    possible. Always allow users to roll back to an older interface. This
>    allows older users to continue being productive.
>    </quote>
>
> It was also in  Coga suggestion 6: <quote>Use plain language names for
> each feature or process. Example: Using words like "fork" do not describe
> the feature using concrete language related to the task. Use chat instead
> of IRC . <quote/>I could not find this in the document is it included?
>
>
>   Was comment  8) For collaboration tools that also allow document
> editing, editing tools/collaboration tools should be available, as well as
> a view ,  in a method that is very familiar to both document editors and
> collaborators."
> (The above is paraphrased from the COGA doc "Issues using W3C Tool and
> Processes")
>
> 4.
>
> Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement  2 Help users correct mistakes. A good
> design makes errors less likely. When errors occur, the user should find it
> easy to correct them. Be forgiving. When the user makes a mistake make it
> easy to roll back, make changes, undo and go back.
>
> 5. Coga Suggested User Need  3: As a user who finds some web sites hard
> to use and struggles with finding the right control for what I need to do,
> I sometimes need in-page and inline support so that I can use the content.
> However, with an attention impairment any support required needs to be in
> my control to avoid distractions.
> 6.  Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement 3) Provide help. (key details follow
> in the document at
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CJhBYRI-zk2rl_mohHZ63xAGZxzpDMxhHhXT66bjFBI/edit
>  )
>
> *Note following is  about the environment providing support in for form  a
> consistent place to fill this information   *
>
> 7.  Coga Suggested User Need 4 : As a user with a memory impairment,
> attention impairment, or executive function
> <https://www.w3.org/TR/coga-usable/#dfn-executive-function> impairment or
> as a user with a communication disability who uses symbols, I need to know
> the purpose of the content so that I know if I am in the right place, and
> what I am doing, even if I lose attention and focus for a time.
>
> *Note that this is about the environment providing support in for form  a
> consistent place to fill this information *
>
> Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement 4 Help the author make the topic and
> connections to other documents is clear. For example provide automated
> breadcrumbs showing the drive name and the document title. </comment end>
>
> *8. *Coga Suggested User Need5 : As a user who finds some web sites hard
> to use and struggles with remembering and following instructions , I
> sometimes need in-page instructions so that I can do the correct task
>
> Note that this is about the environment providing support in for form  a
> consistent place to fill this information
>
> 9. Coga Suggested REQ (Requirement  5)Instructions from the author are
> easy to find. For example, an icon and link to a readme document is always
> available on the main toolbar
>
> Note that this is about the environment providing support in for form  a
> consistent place to fill this information
>
> </comment end>
>
>
>
>
> --
> All the best
>
> Lisa Seeman-Horwitz
>
> LinkedIn <http://il.linkedin.com/in/lisaseeman/>, Twitter
> <https://twitter.com/SeemanLisa>
>