W3C User Interest Group (Draft) Charter (UIG)

This charter is written in accordance with section 3.2.3 of the W3C Process document.

1. Mission
2. Scope
3. Deliverables
4. Dependencies
5. Duration
6. Success
7. Communication
8. Confidentiality
9. Voting
10. Participation

Information on how to join the UIG will be available.

1. Mission

The mission of the Usability Interest Group (UIG) is to work within the context of the W3C to improve the Web through better usability.

2. Scope

The UIG will support the Web community by making the Web more usable. It will:

• Identify and encourage the adoption of Web usability best practice
• Provide a resource for Web usability information
• Support the W3C in integrating usability into its processes and products
• Be an advocate for users of the Web (end users, developers, designers)
• Take a leadership role in recommending improvements to Web technology to enhance usability

3. Deliverables

As an Interest Group, the UIG is not primarily focused on production of deliverables. However, it plays a critical role in:

• reviewing and providing comments on applicable draft deliverables from W3C Working Groups
• raising issues which become inputs to working groups.
• the implementation of a Web-based repository of usability guidelines applicable to the Web
• partnering with other W3C groups to improving the usability of W3C selected products (website, specifications, etc.)
• the foundation of a Working Group or Groups

Review of deliverables

The UIG conducts reviews of draft deliverables from W3C working groups. These reviews help ensure consideration of the perspectives of users of W3C technology, whether they be authors, end users, or any other person using the technologies.

Review periods are two weeks or more, with advance notice of upcoming reviews so that interested individuals can review background materials and set aside time. Chairs or staff contacts of working groups whose deliverables are reviewed by the UIG send a summary to UIG of comments received and changes made as a result of the review, or send a link to such a summary or list of resolved issues.

Raising of issues

The UIG's on-going discussion of technical and implementation issues related to Web Usability helps identify issues for other working groups. In addition, working groups may occasionally refer discussion on key questions to the UIG for additional comment and reflection as needed.

4. Dependencies

The UIG provides review and comment on draft deliverables from any relevant working group within the W3C. However, there is a strong relationship between Usability and Accessibility that indicates the need for coordination with the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) groups within W3C.

Coordination with other W3C groups

1. QA
2. Accessibility
3. Communications Team
4. Internationalization
5. Implicitly all Working Groups, particularly those within the Interaction Domain
6. Expected contacts with external groups include:
   • ACM/SIGCHI
   • UPA
   • HFES
   • STC

The Chair of the UIG sits on the Hypertext Coordination Group (Member-only) which is the coordination group within the Interaction Domain.

5. Duration

The UIG is initially chartered for 24 months, with the intent to re-charter for another 24 months as appropriate.

6. Success

Criteria for UIG success include:

• useful review comments from UIG members on draft deliverables from working groups;
• discussion on the UIG list that assists in identifying issues to raise to other working groups;
• effective exchange of information on Web usability-related activities around the world.
• resource on Web usability guidelines
• foundation of working group
• improved usability of W3C products.

7. Communication

The primary forum for UIG discussion is the UIG mailing list.

7.1 Communication within the group

• UIG mailing list
• UIG home page
• Monthly teleconference
• Occasional face-to-face meetings at the annual CHI or WWW meeting
• IRC channel (#usability)

7.2 Communication with W3C

• UIG coordinates with other W3C working groups through the Hypertext Coordination Group, and email to the relevant lists
• UIG coordinates with W3C through the relevant Domain Leader
• The Domain Leader communicates about W3C and activities through postings to UIG

7.3 Communication with the public

• UIG communicates with the public through the UIG home page.
• UIG may also participate in external mailing lists, conferences, and other activities to advocate Web usability

8. Confidentiality

The UIG home page, mailing list, and charter are all public.

9. Voting

Voting: Issues will normally be decided by consensus. When consensus cannot be reached, a decision will be made by the UIG chair.

Referral: Working groups may refer unresolvable issues to the UIG for discussion and debate. If a matter remains unresolved after UIG comment, it is referred to the Interaction Domain Leader and finally to the W3C Director as needed.

10. Participation

10.1 W3C Member and invited expert participation

The UIG welcomes participation from representatives of W3C Member organizations, and all others interested in promoting usability of the Web.

There are no minimum requirements for participation in this Interest Group; however, UIG members are strongly encouraged to take advantage of frequent opportunities to participate in the ongoing activities of the Interest Group. The UIG mailing list is self-subscribing.

10.1 W3C Team resources

• 5% TBD -- team contact

10.3 Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

The purpose of the UIG is to produce public documents available royalty-free to everyone, following W3C standard IPR terms. Therefore, anyone commenting in the UIG will be considered to offer these ideas as contributions to W3C documents. Organizations and individuals with IPR in areas related to work under discussion in the UIG must disclose IPR as described in the W3C Process regarding IPR and W3C's IPR fact sheet.

10.4 How to join

Information about how to join the UIG (will be) available.

Last updated by Steven Pemberton, 22 January 2003