hidden controls - wording and understanding

Hello,

thank you for sharing the most current version of the upcoming Success Criterion.
hidden controls<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DPtCqWHjrhj3QZ4afsqzmWDd-zMSf39RsMqSpR2QGCg/edit>

In fact I consider the previous wording (Proposed Text After AG Meeting 21 January 2020) much clearer.

First, making all controls permanently visible is in accordance to the requirement with the first wording.
In the new wording, it is just a technique to fulfill.

Second, the wording "when needed" leaves room for discussion, not only because it might be confused with "if needed".
The classic example is also mentioned in the "When Needed" section in the understanding: "when a form includes required fields be completed before the submit button becomes active, the submit button does not need to be persistently visible while it is inactive."
In fact, many users scan the page first for orientation, and if for example the submit button is missing, they assume the page has not loaded properly, or there is a second page to be filled before submitting.
In fact they need to see the whole functionality needed during the later performance of the process or task ahead.
There is another reason why making the submit button visible only after filling all (required) fields is critical: It is used (in fact misused) to indicate whether all required fields are filled, which violates error prevention.
Therefore I do not agree to this approach.

Third, the previous wording clearly states the exceptions.
In the current wording, the exceptions are listed in the Understanding document exclusively. This way, the understanding document becomes part of the requirement. Instead, the requirement should be clear and complete on itself. The Understanding document shall explain it, not give the regulation for gaps in the requirement.

In addition, I consider making the controls visible only by AT (Technique 3) disadvantages users using AT as well as users not using AT:
Users who use AT first have to recognize there is something they miss before they can adjust the personal setting.
Users who do not use AT have no chance to see the affected controls without interaction.

Therefore I propose the following wording:

For controls needed to progress or complete a process, at least one of the following is true:
- The controls are persistently visiblel
- A mechanism is available to make the controls persistently visible

except when:
- The equivalent control is persistent elsewhere on the same page

Note: Controls which remain visible on the page (but not necessarily within the current viewport), regardless of user action, are considered to be persistently visible for the purposes of this SC.

Best regards,
Gundula

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Dr. Gundula Niemann
SAP Accessibility Competence Center
SAP SE

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