Re: Testing guidelines for the resizing of text

On 14/01/2020 16:30, Savage, Angela (ITS) wrote:

 > WCAG does not have clear testing guidelines for the resizing of text 
in a browser.

Note that neither the main spec/normative success criteria, nor the 
informative understanding documents, usually don't include testing 
guidelines. Techniques (also non-normative/informative) generally do 
though (see for instance 
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Techniques/general/G142)

>   * When testing the resizing of text should I Zoom only or should I
>       increase text size in browsers too?

The requirement is that there's at least one way for the user to resize 
the text to 200% without loss of content/functionality. either one of 
those tests works. I usually test using browser zoom, as that's the most 
common way browsers these days cater to users. If that fails, then I try 
- in browsers that still allow it - pure text resizing.

>   * If I resize text in a browser what condition or conditions should
>     apply to the webpage when using Zoom, if any ?

Not sure what you mean by "conditions". If you mean "what's the end 
result", then it's that text can be resized to 200% without loss of 
content or functionality...

>   * The verbiage “resize” and “zoom” are used interchangeably. Is there
>     a distinction between the two words?
>       o 1.4.4 suggests that when the verbiage “zoom” is used, then a
>         user agent is being used to zoom in on text. Not necessarily,
>         resize text.

Resizing text would also be done via a user agent, so there's really no 
distinction here.
Zooming results in the text visually resizing. There are also other ways 
in which users can resize text (e.g. in browsers that still allow text 
to be sized independently from the rest of the page). But either method 
is fine, it's the end result (that users CAN/aren't prevented from 
resizing text) that matters. At least one mechanism needs to be 
available. If all else fails, a site can even provide its own text 
sizing buttons/functionality (rather than relying on user agent 
zoom/text resizing capabilities).

P
-- 
Patrick H. Lauke

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Received on Tuesday, 14 January 2020 18:40:04 UTC