RE: Checking need for unique labels, headers, graphic labels, etc.

Hi Mike, there are a few different criteria that come into play here such as SC 2.4.6 Headings and Labels which indicate that labels (including those on buttons) need to communicate the topic or purpose.  SC 2.4.4 for link purpose and SC 1.1.1 for non-text content such as the images you bring up.   For links in SC 2.4.4 the SC allows for link purpose to be communicated in context of the surrounding sentence, paragraph, list item, table cell, and table cell/header combination.

So, the brief answer is that it depends on the context, other elements, on the page, groupings/regions, and other factors.  It is not a hard rule one way or the other as there are so many other things that go into making the determination.  There are certainly opportunities to go beyond conformance is as well and improve use beyond the minimum.  On the flip side extra verbosity can sometimes not be helpful either – but it’s safer than missing something.

It would be good to built out specific scenarios such as subheadings with the same text but differentiated by different parent headings that are unique, etc. and get a consensus among both basic users and experts.   Related to the heading discuss there is a sufficient technique that lean toward being more verbose in subheadings https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Techniques/general/G130


Jonathan

From: Mike Cleary <mike.cleary@grantsolutions.gov>
Sent: Thursday, June 9, 2022 2:13 PM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Checking need for unique labels, headers, graphic labels, etc.

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Hi all,
I'm looking for guidance about when we need unique button labels, graphic labels, headers, etc. Our 508 tester flags all the duplicate names she sees in JAWS lists of buttons, graphics, etc., out of concern that users will not be able to distinguish between them. I'm afraid we may be going too far -- or that I don't know enough.
Unique labels may have some value on form with multiple fields or controls with the same purpose -- a long unbroken string of "delete buttons," for example.
But is this an absolute rule in all cases? Do we need unique subheaders, even when they mean the same thing and are embedded in different tables that have their own title headers?
Do we have to uniquely label all dollar-sign graphics for a financial table with multiple rows and columns? (Or can we get away with hiding them all as decorative images?)
We have forms with buttons with the same names, but lots of buttons in between, often within a numbered structure of data fields. For example, Outcome 1, field 1; Outcome 1, field 2, etc.?. Wouldn't that provide context for occasional identical buttons that fall under different Outcome numbers?

Please advise!

Mike

--
Mike Cleary | Scrum Master
mike.cleary@grantsolutions.gov<mailto:mike.cleary@grantsolutions.gov>

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