Comments for todays call

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>