Critical features and important information are above the fold and are accentuated in the main modality of the content.
Under principle 2, Operable
2.4 Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
Or
Under principle 3 Understandable
3.2 Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways,
Or
Under principle 3 Understandable
3.3 Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
The intent of this Success Criterion is that users who do not remember to use the scroll will be able to use critical features.
When the main features are under the fold, these users will be unable to complete the main task. Therefore, designers should either have critical features above the fold or have a clearly labeled mechanism to help users find critical feature (such as a menu button).
This can also be achieved via personalization.
For example , in an application for drafting an email, the send button is a critical feature without which the application has no use. The author must put any critical features, such as send, above the fold.
See the section on testability for additional clarity.
People with low executive function, impaired memory, and other cognitive and learning disabilities may not be able to find features that are under the fold and that require the use of the scroll bar.
Many users are happy with important features being "discoverable" where they have to figure out or learn how to use them. The interface becomes a problem to solve. However people with some cognitive and learning disabilities may lack the executive function to figure this out, and people with impaired memory may not remember to use the scroll as a mechanism for finding content.
Testing requires three parts:
Part one: Identify critical features
Part two: Confirm that they are above the fold in the main modality of the content.
Part three: Confirm that they are accentuated in the main modality of the content.
Step 1 Identify critical feature
Identify the main role or tasks of the page, such as:
Note that the main role is usually identified in the page title
Perform a dry run of the task. Review the steps involved. Identify what information needs to be read or what events need to be activated for each step and/or the main task. These are the critical features.
For example:
Step 2: Confirm they are above the fold
Load the page in the main modalities of the content, such as a laptop and mobile device. Confirm critical features are viewable, or a clearly labeled mechanism is available to reach them (see sufficient techniques).
Step 3: Confirm that they are accentuated in the main modality of the content.
Note: We may need to define semantics in the header, accessibility conformance statement or other mechanism for declaring the main modality.
Sufficient techniques for "Critical features are above the fold"
Sufficient techniques such that critical features are accentuated