Re: Animation conveying information

In which case, ensure such instruction does not interfere with other users’
processing.

Maybe an enable/disable feature/control for user?

On Sat, Aug 3, 2024 at 4:45 PM Benjamin Love <benjamin.james.love@gmail.com>
wrote:

> I feel like I am missing something here.
>
> Ms J, is the project creating an added layer of support through this
> animation to assist sighted users who may be experiencing text-based
> literacy barriers but for whom other users not needing that support can
> access the controls/features/process?
>
> Do the functional controls referenced by the animated instruction include
> programmatically accessible text-based labeling (and do not break with any
> other access requirements for functional elements)?
>
> Is the overall process required (not the animation add on but the source
> experience) meaningfully conveyed to end user?
>
> If so, what is the concern or question? This all reads like an secondary
> rather than primary feature or component. In short, an accessible
> alternative.
>
> But I could absolutely be misunderstanding something.
>
> Ben
>
> On Sat, Aug 3, 2024 at 3:14 PM Ms J <ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Good question, I am looking at it as a third party and they've asked for
>> a WCAG perspective as I think they want an idea of how accessible it is.
>> There is a lot of content on the site that can't be made accessible by
>> its nature (because it is about interacting with images for example so it
>> would need a different version entirely for screen reader users). But where
>> it can be made accessible, I would like to give them alternatives. For
>> example, a written instruction would actually work for screen reader users,
>> because it'll be read aloud by the screen reading software. So even if
>> other users can't read it, a screen reader user actually can read it with
>> their software.
>>
>> But the animation conveying instructions issue is something that could
>> feasibly appear on another website (albeit in my 4 years working in
>> accessibility it's never cropped up before...) It's an interesting one for
>> me though, just from the perspective of it being a type of information
>> which doesn't quite fit any description... it feels aligned with non-text
>> content, a state, time-based media, an instruction and yet it doesn't
>> really fit any of those perfectly.
>>
>> My initial instinct was that it's video only content and I'm sort of
>> coming back around to that in my head? In theory, you could create a whole
>> HTML/CSS and JS animated scene and then it would be considered a video, so
>> would this not just be a video in its simplest form?
>>
>> In fact, I just looked at the definition of 'video' content in wcag
>> again, and it says 'the technology of moving or sequenced pictures or
>> images. Note: Video can be made up of animated or photographic images,
>> or both.'
>>
>> This fits the animated image pointing to content, but maybe doesn't quite
>> fit the animated button... unless you consider the visual display of the
>> button a 'picture', which I think I may just so as to not overthink this!
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Sarah
>>
>>
>> Sent from Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* Michael Livesey <mike.j.livesey@gmail.com>
>> *Sent:* Saturday, August 3, 2024 10:25:45 PM
>> *To:* Ms J <ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com>
>> *Cc:* Ricky Onsman <ronsman@tpgi.com>; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org <
>> w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
>>
>> *Subject:* Re: Animation conveying information
>>
>> Thanks for the context, Sarah.
>>
>> From you description it sounds like they are instructions, albeit not
>> written.
>>
>> It sounds like your use case is very specific to a particular user group.
>> Whereas WCAG is a set of rules designed for as wide an audience as possible.
>>
>> The obvious question is therefore, does this site need to be WCAG
>> compliant? And  if so, would an alternative mode or conforming site be more
>> appropriate?
>>
>> On Saturday, August 3, 2024, Ms J <ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Not sure if this context helps, but the service is for people who can't
>> read... so they are trying to offer instructions on what to do without
>> using written instructions. It tells you (in audio) to follow an example,
>> and then uses movement to show you what to click in order (no audio
>> equivalent for this). So you click the first animated button, the next
>> button is then animated and so on, so you can follow the animation through
>> the process. So the movement is definitely a prompt or non-verbal
>> instruction - sensory characteristics does feel like a good fit to me,
>> although the movement as an instruction is technically not 'referring to
>> the item by visual characteristics', but it is referring to the item - it's
>> essentially 'pointing at it' directly/ drawing attention to it. It's a bit
>> of a meta reference in a sense, because it's just pointing at itself and in
>> doing so there's an implicit instruction... it's sort of equivalent to
>> saying 'the button is 'this one', therefore click it'
>> > Thanks
>> > Sarah
>> >
>> >
>> > Sent from Outlook for iOS
>> > ________________________________
>> > From: Michael Livesey <mike.j.livesey@gmail.com>
>> > Sent: Saturday, August 3, 2024 12:43:05 PM
>> > To: Ricky Onsman <ronsman@tpgi.com>
>> > Cc: Ms J <ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com>; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
>> >
>> > Subject: Re: Animation conveying information
>> >
>> > Hmm, I think your wide definition of "instructions" would be difficult
>> uphold.
>> >
>> > The understanding text of 1.3.3 defines instructions as a "description"
>> that doesn't rely on shape/location. e.g click the round green button below
>> to continue.
>> >
>> > A pulsing button with no instruction is certainly drawing attention to
>> itself, but I would argue that it has no instruction as to it's meaning per
>> se. For instance, if I saw a pulsing button, I wouldn't think, yep, that's
>> how to submit this form.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On Saturday, August 3, 2024, Ricky Onsman <ronsman@tpgi.com> wrote:
>> >> Michael,
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> You’re assuming instructions can only be given in text. That’s not the
>> case here. The pulsing change of size itself is providing the instructions,
>> as Ms J says “to show that you must click a button next, the button pulses”.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> The normative requirement to “not rely solely on sensory
>> characteristics of components such as shape, color, size, visual location,
>> orientation, or sound” is not limited to text.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Ricky
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> From: Michael Livesey <mike.j.livesey@gmail.com>
>> >> Sent: Saturday, August 3, 2024 4:37 PM
>> >> To: Ricky Onsman <ronsman@tpgi.com>
>> >> Cc: Ms J <ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com>; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
>> >> Subject: Re: Animation conveying information
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> You don't often get email from mike.j.livesey@gmail.com. Learn why
>> this is important
>> >>
>> >> CAUTION:EXTERNAL EMAIL SENDER!
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> I think 1.3.3 applies to the instructions rather than the control
>> itself? So it would only fail 1.3.3 if there was an instruction that read -
>> "Please click the pulsing button to proceed".
>> >>
>> >> If there were no instructions, or the instruction read - "Please click
>> the pulsing button labelled Next", it would pass.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Sat, Aug 3, 2024 at 2:25 AM Ricky Onsman <ronsman@tpgi.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Ms J,
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Since it’s relying solely on a change of size to convey information,
>> I’d suggest 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics applies.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Cheers,
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Ricky
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> From: Ms J <ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com>
>> >> Sent: Saturday, August 3, 2024 4:37 AM
>> >> To: Steve Green <steve.green@testpartners.co.uk>; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
>> >> Subject: Re: Animation conveying information
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> You don't often get email from ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com. Learn why this
>> is important
>> >>
>> >> CAUTION:EXTERNAL EMAIL SENDER!
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Hi all
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Thank you for replying. For clarity, I have already noted the
>> nonconformance for pause, stop, hide. However, I don't feel this is
>> sufficient alone (in response to the my direct email replies) because even
>> if they provide a mechanism so that it can be paused, say, that still
>> doesn't solve the problem that there is no alternative for screen reader
>> users.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Colour isn't used as a means of conveying any information so use of
>> colour doesn't come into it.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> The animation is simply the button transitioning smoothly between a
>> small and big size so it prompts users to interact with it by 'pulsing' - I
>> guess something similar visually would be the way apple programmes you have
>> open on a mac jump up and down at you from the bottom ribbon to tell you
>> you have a notification.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> So my question really is when I suggest it needs an alternative for
>> screen reader users, what SC would I align it with?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> I could consider motion a state and therefore fail it for 1.3.1 and
>> 4.1.2 as you suggest Steve. But then I have a follow up question. So I also
>> have other animated content on the website. So there is an image of a
>> pointing finger which moves to indicate what to click. This image has no
>> text alternative. Would you then fail it for 1.1.1 and 1.3.1 and 4.1.2? I
>> feel like that makes sense, but I believe 4.1.2 only applies to user
>> interface controls not images? So then I couldn't fail all animated content
>> in the same way for the same...  it leads to the problem where motion is a
>> state for a UI control, but not for an image?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Does the fact it's animated make it time based media? It's position is
>> dependent on time so it feels like time based media? Like video only
>> content? I'm thinking of 1.2.1, but appreciate it doesn't really feel like
>> it fits.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Thanks
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Sarah
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Sent from Outlook for iOS
>> >>
>> >> ________________________________
>> >>
>> >> From: Steve Green <steve.green@testpartners.co.uk>
>> >> Sent: Friday, August 2, 2024 7:08 PM
>> >> To: Ms J <ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com>; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org <
>> w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
>> >> Subject: RE: Animation conveying information
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> It may be a non-conformance of SC 1.4.1: Use of Color if the change of
>> colour does not have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Also, if the button changes from not pulsing to pulsing it would be
>> indicating a change of state, so the information would need to be conveyed
>> programmatically as per SC 1.3.1 and 4.1.2.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> It may also be a non-conformance of SC 2.3.1: Three Flashes or Below
>> Threshold and/or SC 2.2.2: Pause, Stop, Hide.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Steve Green
>> >>
>> >> Managing Director
>> >>
>> >> Test Partners Ltd
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> From: Ms J <ms.jflz.woop@gmail.com>
>> >> Sent: Friday, August 2, 2024 5:11 PM
>> >> To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
>> >> Subject: Animation conveying information
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Hello
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> This is maybe niche and something I haven't seen before. I have a
>> website which uses animation to convey information. For example, to show
>> that you must click a button next, the button pulses. This is information
>> conveyed by movement. It isn't really time based media and it isn't really
>> non-text content... it is animation/movement used to convey instruction.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> What SC would you align this with please? It is almost sensory
>> characteristics but the instruction is implicit in the animation....
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> It needs an alternative for people who can't perceive the animation,
>> would this be 1.1.1? Or 1.2.1?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Thanks
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Sarah
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Sent from Outlook for iOS
>>
>