RE: Finding Help

Hello Alastair,

maybe we can use the example to illustrate what I would like to see as online help (specifically context help).

I opened that app, and I have no clue what it does. No explanation, no input help.
No clue.
Even after interaction (“try one of these” – I chose one) I have no clue what this app does.
My colleague found out what it does: It compresses image files.

So what it needs (let’s imagine it was accessible and well-designed):

  *   An explanation what it does and which options it provides. Amount: a few lines, maybe half a page.
  *   Context help that answers the questions (with the respective UI element):
     *   How can I zoom the image with keyboard?
     *   How can I pan with keyboard?
     *   …
Amount: some words or a sentence each

Our main concern is that context help should be provided.
Most user questions arise around how interaction is done for specific UI elements, and here specifically with keyboard.

The help should be adequate for the complexity of the application / web site.
A small app might need a one-pager next to it and some context help.
A large business application might need a handbook which explains interaction as well as the application, next to context help inside the application itself.
The handbook for the large application is rarely missing.
The context help inside the application is often missing, independently of the size of application.

I agree a search mechanism is not adequate in all cases and thus might be recommended in case of complex sites with a large help, but a search mechanism should not be requested for all applications / web sites.

Best regards,
Gundula


From: Alastair Campbell <acampbell@nomensa.com>
Sent: Dienstag, 14. April 2020 15:35
To: Niemann, Gundula <gundula.niemann@sap.com>; Rachael Bradley Montgomery <rachael@accessiblecommunity.org>; Keim, Oliver <oliver.keim@sap.com>; WCAG <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>; Delisi, Jennie (MNIT) <jennie.delisi@state.mn.us>
Subject: RE: Finding Help

Hi Gundual,

> I do object to accepting an FAQ to fulfill the requirement. An FAQ is a nice-to-have, but it does not suffice the intention of the SC: to ensure available help for the end-user.

A lot of the smaller organizations (/people) I work with would not be able to provide a full help section, especially with a search mechanism.

There are small websites and single page apps that do one thing, e.g. https://squoosh.app/.

(Just an example that came to mind, no personal connection and I’m not saying it is paragon of accessibility.)

Including a help section bigger than the rest of the website is an odd requirement to make.

Kind regards,

-Alastair