SC Shortname: Familiar Design (AA)

SC Text

Familiar design: Navigation mechanisms and common icons are easily identifiable and available to the user in one or more of the following ways:

  • Platform specific: A platform specific user interface design.
  • An adaptive user interface design that can be personalized.
  • User interface from a prior version: A user interface design that was used successfully by users in a prior version of the application.


An exception is available if the style is an essential part of the main function of the site, such as for a game.

Alternative wording

A familiar layout of navigational elements and common icons are easily available such as: the standard for the  user platform or, a previous versions of this product that the user is familiar with and has successfully used.

Suggestion for Priority Level:

A

Related Glossary additions or changes

common icons

 

What Principle and Guideline the SC falls within.

Principle 3, Guideline 3.2: Predictable

Description

The intent of this success criteria is to ensure a clear relationship between the cues provided for navigation and the intended action. Icons, symbols and other mechanisms used for navigation should be consistent throughout a platform. If abstract designs are used, alternatives should be provided that are understandable to as many users as possible.

The intent is to help as many users as possible understand the site and know how to use it. This often involves using things that are clear and familiar to the user so that they do not have to learn new symbols, terms or design patterns. As many users, for example, people with memory impairments such as dementia, cannot learn new designs, this is essential for them to be able to use the content. Personalization and good use of semantics can help make symbols and design as familiar to the user as possible.

Many people cannot easily learn new design metaphors or remember things that they have learned for example, people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia. Without these skills it can be much harder or impossible to:

  • Locate desired items to interact with
  • Know what the interaction will do

Using familiar design, terms and symbols is key to being able to use the Web for people who cannot remember new symbols for example, some people with memory related impairments like dementia. Therefore this success criteria addresses the user need tfor hings to be familiar including:

  • Location of elements
  • Symbols

Note: Familiar text is addressed in another SC.

An adaptive user interface design which changes based on user preferences allows users with a variety of cognitive disabilities to adjust an interface based on their specific needs. Various platforms may offer guidance for creating user interface designs. Following such guidelines helps to create consistency not only within a single application but across multiple applications. These guidelines reinforce consistency which is known to have a positive impact on users with a variety of cognitive disabilities.

It should be noted that the task force has worked to show the viability of easy personalization with:

  • Easy to tailor symbols, user interface for user profiles
  • Easy to get help that works for this user profile
  • General help and context sensitive help

JSON is being used for collections of name/value pairs for each skin.

We are also standardizing the relevant semantics and personalization settings to support alternative implementations.

 

Benefits

Consistent navigational cues benefit all web users, providing clear, effective and efficient way finding. It has particular benefit for those who have cognitive impairments, which may have an impact on memory, visual and auditory perception and comprehension. These users should not be faced with barriers such as complex abstract imagery or ambiguous navigational elements.

For example, a user may have used an email program for the last few years. Now the interface has been updated and with these changes the user needs to learn new icons, and navigation. If the user is learning impaired or has an impaired memory and is not able to learn the new navigation this may keep them from reaching and using the content.

As one user with mild dementia stated "I have great difficulty remembering things, working things out, and interpreting things."

As long as interfaces are familiar the user can continue to use the Web.

Using common icons in the expected position help. But, because what is familiar to one person may not be familiar to another person enabling personalization of icons is the most useful approach.

 

Related Resources

Resources are for information purposes only, no endorsement implied.

Testability

Identify any icons and navigation element. Where item 1, 2 or 3 can be applied, confirm that either item 1, 2 or 3 bellow is true for each icon and navigation element:

1. The icons and navigation conforms to a standard identified in a WCAG technique or the UI standard of the native platform

2. Semantics are used to enable personalization

3. A role back option to the previous interface that has been in use by the user is available (this case the role back user interface must have been widely used)

 

Techniques

The more predictable your content is the easier it is to know how to use it.

  • Using COGA semantics such that common components and icons programmatic determinable enables their positions to be standardized via personalization.

  • Use standard Web layout design, so it is easy to find common content. In 2015 in English sites this includes:
    • The search box is in the right hand corner
    • A link to home page in the left hand corner
    • The site map in the footer, etc.
    • Main menus are at the top of the page under the log and search or on the left hand side.
    • Links are underlined
    • Using common icons :
      • Icons used in a standard or common operating system.
      • A question mark for help
      • An exclamation mark for warnings
  • For iOS on each screen UI Bars, UI Views and UI Controls align with iOS Human Interface Guidelines

Follow the standard user interface guidelines for a specific platform.

working groups notes (optional)

The reword document also includes the following notes:

Add at level A

Familiar layout: Help, navigation to help and search forms are easily identifiable and available to the user in one or more of the following ways: