- From: Jerry A. Silva <jassilva@ix.netcom.com>
- Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 23:20:44 -0800
- To: Jason White <jason@pc128-linux1.lib.unimelb.edu.au>
- CC: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
Jason White wrote: > In making determinations of relative priority, this working group has > already been taking into account considerations, albeit in an informal > manner, of the impact of various design techniques on the usability of > an electronic document for a range of identifiable groups. This is > clearest in the distinction between the first two priority levels > defined in the guidelines: if, for any recognizable class of users, it > is evident that failure to implement the suggested technique would > make the informational content completely inaccessible, in the sense > of being unavailable to sense perception, then it is accorded a first > level of priority. Discrimination between levels 2 and 3 is also > founded on likely impact, together with other considerations, such as > the extent to which the problem can be better addressed by other > solutions, such as improvements in user agent software. > > The broad expertise of the group, and the external review to which the > guidelines have been and are currently being subjected, are intended > to ensure that assessments of impact are far from arbitrary. > > I am unsure whether any kind of impact quanitifcation would yield more > reliable results than the processes already described. The > distinctions between priority 1 and 2 techniques seem clear and > largely, if not entirely, beyond dispute. As mentioned, a range of > considerations, not just likely effect on particular groups of users, > has been taken into account when differentiating priorities 2 and 3.
Received on Tuesday, 15 December 1998 02:24:22 UTC