Re: A question about immediate feedback

I agree, there is a distinction between popup models and notification toast
messages. Modals are for requiring a user decision and an action and are
role="alertdialog", a toast is simply a notification.

A successful download popup sounds like a toast. These should be visible
for long enough to read (using role alert), focus should not switch to them.

role="alert" is really meant for messages that need the users immediately
attention. I would consider aria-live="polite" for something like a
download notification.

The <dialog> tag for modals is really helpful, especially with respect to
CSS, but I don't think this should be a modal.



On Thursday, June 26, 2025, Adam Cooper <cooperad@bigpond.com> wrote:
> This is a simple status message so please do not move focus to it or
require  it to be dismissed using a close button. It should be onscreen for
as long as you believe it is necessary for everybody to consume its content
and then disappear.
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> This is difficult to get right across user agent combinations.
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> You can try experimenting with various combinations of role=”alert” and
aria-live=”assertive” when the popup is invoked and feature detection to
make it cross-browser compatible.
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> Alternatively, using the HTML <dialog> element can simplify some of the
positioning etc., but be warned  - it is as tricky to get right as a custom
element.
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> However, by the sounds of it, this popup is likely entirely unnecessary
so consider removing it altogether – problem solved.
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> Also, 3.2.2 doesn’t have anything to do with returning focus to a trigger
point if it is activated.
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> If the user agent dialogs are not announced by a screen reader, then
that’s not your problem to fix.
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> From: Mike Cleary <mike.cleary@grantsolutions.gov>
> Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2025 3:45 AM
> To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
> Subject: A question about immediate feedback
>
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> Hello all,
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> Does a user action like a download need to be confirmed in the immediate
aftermath of taking that action? or is it acceptable if the confirmation is
consistently announced, albeit after a little navigation?
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> We have an application where a user clicks a "Download" link on a popup
form, and a second popup displays to say the download succeeded or failed.
However, screen readers don't read the confirmation popup right away.
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> Browsers post their own equivalent popups about the download, which seem
to compete for focus. Screen readers read the browser confirmation in
Firefox, but don't manage to read those confirmations in Edge or Chrome.
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> If the download works, the focus ends up on original Download link (per
SC 3.2.2). When that popup form with that link is closed, screen readers
always read the popup confirmation next.
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> Is it a problem that the screen reader doesn't always provide immediate
feedback?  Or is WCAG 2.0 satisfied because the screen reader always
eventually gets there.
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> Please advise.
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> Mike
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> Mike Cleary (Contractor) | Scrum Master
>
> Guidehouse, Inc.
>
> mike.cleary@GrantSolutions.gov
>
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>
> On Assignment With
>
> GrantSolutions
>
> Office of Grants, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial
Resources (ASFR)
> U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
>
> Mobile: 703.627.7501