Re: Succession Criteria 2.4.9 vs. 3.2.4

Ben, you mentioned links. How can I set my links to pass Succession Criteria 3.2,4, make Sucession Criteria 2.4.9 N/A, and still pass 2.4.4?

--- On Sun, 8/9/09, Benjamin Hawkes-Lewis <bhawkeslewis@googlemail.com> wrote:


From: Benjamin Hawkes-Lewis <bhawkeslewis@googlemail.com>
Subject: Re: Succession Criteria 2.4.9 vs. 3.2.4
To: "W Reagan" <wreagan1@yahoo.com>
Cc: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org, gv@trace.wisc.edu, public-comments-wcag20@w3.org
Date: Sunday, August 9, 2009, 4:31 PM


On 09/08/2009 02:08, W Reagan wrote:
> My health department wants me to adopt text links 2.4.4, but reject
> 2.4.9. The health department also wants me to adopt 3.2.3 (Consistent
> ID). There is a reference between 2.4.9 and 3.2.3. Please look at
> http://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/navigation-mechanisms-link.html
> "The intent of this Success Criterion is to help users understand the
> purpose of each link in the content, so they can decide whether they
> want to follow it. Links with the same destination should have the same
> descriptions (per Success Criterion 3.2.4
> <http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/REC-WCAG20-20081211/#consistent-behavior-consistent-functionality>),
> but links with different purposes and destinations should have different
> descriptions. Because the purpose of a link can be identified from its
> link text, links can be understood when they are out of context, such as
> when the user agent provides a list of all the links on a page."
> What does this mean in order to pass Succesion Criteria ?

It cannot have any normative effect on the Success Criterion in the Recommendation, because it's an informative note.

In other words, it's a document intended to help you pass the Success Criterion, but /cannot/ change the actual requirements.

> 1) In order to pass Succession Criteria, 3.2.4 as requested, I must
> first pass Succession Criteria 2.4.9, therefore I need both.

They are independent criteria. So strictly speaking, no.

> 2) Succesion Criteria 2.4.9 is one of many "Sufficient Techniques" to
> pass Succesion Criteria 3.2.4, therefore I can "opt-out" of 2.4.9

Success Criteria are not techniques. They are criteria to be tested. So no.

> OR
> 3) Even if Succesion Criteria 2.4.9 passed, Succesion Criteria 3.2.4 can
> still be a failure

That's true. They are independent criteria. For example, you might have one page that labels a link to the site help "Site Help" and another page that labels a link to site help "Site Assistance", and that /could/ be judged to pass 2.4.9 (you can work out what the links do from the link text) but fail 3.2.4 (the links are labeled differently, and that's  confusing).

(Please note I stress "could" because these are example personal judgements..)

> , but it [Success Criteria 2.4.9] reduces the workload of passing Succesion
> Criteria 3.2.4.

I think it means knowing the purpose of a link from the link text (2.4.9) is easier if you use consistent link text (3.2.4).

> Note: Under 3.2.4 Sufficient Techniques, we have no problem adopting
> example bullet #3.

[snip]

> Without forms it  is it [3.2.4, presumably?] still an applicable Succession Criteria?

Yes. For example, we know your webpages include links: those are components with functionality, and 3.2.4 applies to components with functionality.

--
Benjamin Hawkes-Lewis