RE: should we have a 2 year refresh cycle or a 4-5 year refresh cycle

David,

 

I completely agree. 

 

WCAG 2 is a standard that developers use to improve access for users - it is not a web language or protocol. It has to be right, as it is utilized by civil rights law around the world, and therefore it cannot be re-iterated every 6 months etc. It can be improved via continually updating the supportive non-normative documents and techniques.

 

We cannot just ignore the policy implications of our standards, and sprout "we are a technology consortium". We need to have standards that are respected and implementable, in order to help users with disabilities and to continue to be taken seriously by world governments.

 

I would like to see all instances of a 2 years cycle REMOVED from the charter. "Updated guidance" need to be seen as just that, guidance on how to use and understand, not a dot release version.

 

Those on the Working Group who may also agree, please ensure that you complete the survey on this : 

https://www.w3.org/2002/09/wbs/35422/WCAG2dot1charter/

 

 

​​​​​

 

 

 

* katie *

 

Katie Haritos-Shea 
Principal ICT Accessibility Architect (WCAG/Section 508/ADA/AODA)

 

Cell: 703-371-5545 |  <mailto:ryladog@gmail.com> ryladog@gmail.com | Oakton, VA |  <http://www.linkedin.com/in/katieharitosshea/> LinkedIn Profile | Office: 703-371-5545 |  <https://twitter.com/Ryladog> @ryladog

 

From: David MacDonald [mailto:david100@sympatico.ca] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 5, 2016 9:09 AM
To: WCAG <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
Subject: should we have a 2 year refresh cycle or a 4-5 year refresh cycle

 

I think we need to drop the 2 year refresh cycle for dot releases commitment from the charter. 

 

We are currently working under the WCAG 2 document structure for the dot releases. This structure provides for stable normative technology agnostic Success Criteria that are not frequently updated, along with non normative techniques that are frequently updated to keep up with the advancements of technology. I think  4 to 5 year cycle is the appropriate ballpark time frame for refresh of the SCs. 

 

The techniques can be frequently updated every 6 months with the help of EO. I don't recall much dissatisfaction about WCAG being out of date by stakeholders regarding a WCAG2 update until about 6 years after the release of WCAG 2. Blogs started talking about it around 2014. 

 

I don't think our stakeholders are expecting new SCs every 2 years. What they want is up to date guidance which can be provided in Techniques which hang off the stable SCs.

 

I'm concerned we don't have the bandwidth for updates every 2 years. ​I'm afraid legislators around the world will question the stability of the standard if we refresh every two years.




Cheers,
David MacDonald

 

CanAdapt Solutions Inc.

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