SC 3.2.2: proposed new failure due to incorrectly or incompletely describing a change of context

[cstrobbe]

The following suggestion for a new failure is based on an issue that was reported to me but cannot be accessed without authentication. It was initially less obvious which success criterion was being violated than appears from the text below.

Failure of Success Criterion 3.2.2 due to incorrectly or incompletely describing a change of context when the user changes the selection or value of a user interface component

Applicability

HTML, XHTML and other technologies that support scripting that may cause a change of context

This technique relates to Success Criterion 3.2.2: On Input (Failure).

Description

This document describes a failure that occurs when changing the selection of a radio button, a check box or an item in a select list
or when entering a value in an input field causes a change of context and the user is not correctly or completely informed about the nature of this change of context.
The success criterion allows changes of context if "the user has been advised of the behavior before using the component". However, if the warning does not completely or accurately describe the nature of the change of context, users may get confused or disoriented and find it difficult to continue the task they were trying to achieve on the page.
(Even with an accurate warning, the user experience may be suboptimal.)

This failure technique is not limited to HTML and XHTML because there are other technologies that support scripting that may be used to add content or change the focus, such as JavaScript in PDF.

Examples

Example 1

A web page provides a faceted search: in addition to entering search terms, users can scope search results based on document type, document status, language and other characteristics (the "facets"). The user is advised above the search form that search results are updated dynamically when a facet is selected or deselected. In addition to updating the search results, using a facet also moves the focus to the beginning of the page instead of managing focus properly by keeping it on the facet or possibly moving it to the first search result. The user is not warned in advance of the change of focus (which is also a change of context); consequently the warning does not completely describe the change(s) of context.

Note: the recommended type of remediation for this example is not to update the warning but to manage focus properly.

Tests

Procedure

1. Find each form in a page.
2. For each form control that is a radio button, check box or an item in a select list, check if changing the selection of the control causes a change of context.
3. For each input field, text area or combo box, check if entering a value causes a change of context.
4. For each change of context, check if the warning completely and accurately describes the change(s) of context.

Expected Results

If step #4 is false, then this failure condition applies and content fails the Success Criterion.

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For background, see the definition of change of context:

(...) Changes in context include changes of:

1. user agent;
2. viewport;
3. focus;
4. content that changes the meaning of the Web page

Note: this suggestion reuses some language from F37: Failure of Success Criterion 3.2.2 due to launching a new window without prior warning when the selection of a radio button, check box or select list is changed.

[patrickhlauke]

search results are updated dynamically when a facet is selected or deselected. In addition to updating the search results, using a facet also moves the focus to the beginning of the page

that sounds odd. most common scenarios i've encountered where a form would fail 3.2.2 reload the page (i.e. they don't change the results "dynamically" - via JS in the page - but rather reload the search page with the new parameters). in what you describe, an author would have had to go out of their way to first dynamically change the results AND THEN move the focus to the start of the page

i'd say it's also a failure IF the explanation only says that results will be changed dynamically, and THEN on change focus is yanked to the first result. a separate variation of failure of 3.2.2

[JAWS-test]

See discussion at #898: A description about the context change should only be made where the context change makes sense and helps with further operation. If the context change means additional work, no correct operating description will help.