Re: Comments for todays call

Hi Lisa,

Could I refer you to the document I circulated tracking the progress of many of these items ?

COGA's feedback on Collaboration Tools Accessibility User Requirements<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CFJoA8DHst31mej6o2en49wXhoMMLVe15fUzQB-owk8/edit#heading=h.s0da6luc8vwr>

As you'll see from that, some of these issues were rejected by RQTF due to them being general software guidance/good practice rather than specifically applying to collaborative tools. Some issues have been accepted but RQTF are looking for a clearer/more appropriate example.

I think this meeting is going to be difficult enough to coordinate as it is with the number of outstanding issues, so please let's not introduce another layer of comments!

Many thanks,


David Swallow
Principal UX Consultant


TPG Interactive
https://www.tpgi.com<https://www.tpgi.com/>


A Vispero Company
https://www.vispero.com<https://www.vispero.com/>

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________________________________
From: Lisa Seeman <lisa1seeman@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2024 10:09 AM
To: public-cognitive-a11y-tf <public-cognitive-a11y-tf@w3.org>; public-rqtf@w3.org <public-rqtf@w3.org>
Subject: Comments for todays call

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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>



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All the best

Lisa Seeman-Horwitz

LinkedIn<http://il.linkedin.com/in/lisaseeman/>, Twitter<https://twitter.com/SeemanLisa>