Confirming 3rd bullet of Character Key Shortcuts

[mbgower]

While working on the techniques for character key shortcuts, I realized that bullet three of the SC creates potential confusion:

Active only on focus
The keyboard shortcut for a user interface component is only active when that component has focus.

The intent of this bullet was to ensure that if something like a select element had focus, no one would think it was a failure to be able to use the first letter shortcuts to move between items. However, I think there is at least the potential for someone to misinterpret 'user interface component' to a much richer and more far-reaching widget/view.

For example, in gmail, the shortcuts are enabled when the user is in the mailbox view and not enabled when the user is in the compose view But since both views can be on screen at the same time (the compose view is effectively a non-modal dialog), it is possible for users to think they're in the compose view while focus is really in the mailbox view. So when users begin typing, they are sending single character key shortcuts to the mailbox view (rather than a stream of typing tot he compose view).

For users where this is a common experience, the ability to turn off the shortcut keys is vital. However, I was concerned that someone may consider the Compose dialog to be a 'user interface component', and thus decide that the ability to disable the shortcuts was not necessary since the shortcut only occurs when in that view.

On further reading, the definition of user interfact component is:

a part of the content that is perceived by users as a single control for a distinct function

Conclusion:
I read that to mean that a more robust widget like the compose view in gmail would not meet the definition of user interface component, and so users would not be able to point to the 'only on focus' bullet.

If folks agree, it may be an idea to ensure the language in the Understanding doc makes that a bit clearer. If folks disagree, then this is a hole I think we need to plug.

[mbgower]

@alastc Am I right thinking that you concur, given that you have tagged this with Understanding?

[awkawk]

@mbgower I can see the possible confusion but don't think that we intended "email compose window" to be viewed as a single control, so support clarification in understanding

[alastc]

in gmail, the shortcuts are enabled when the user is in the mailbox view and not enabled when the user is in the compose view...
I was concerned that someone may consider the Compose dialog to be a 'user interface component', and thus decide that the ability to disable the shortcuts was not necessary since the shortcut only occurs when in that view.

I think the text-box (or whatever it is technically) within the compose dialogue would be a component, but not the whole dialogue.

That's what we are familiar with for a user-interface component, a single control, but it wouldn't hurt to clarify that in the understanding for those less familiar with the definition.

(So: Yes.)

[mbgower]

Thanks, I'll write up something.

[mbgower]

Reviewing this again, I think that trying to clarify this distinction is in fact making the guidance overall less clear. Given the link to the definition of user interface component, and the wording of "single control for a distinct function" I think it can be left as is. Closing