Finding Help
Help content, support page or support function is reachable with one user action.
When human help is available the correct contact information or help is reachable within
one user action for voice menus and a maximum of two user actions in other modalities.
Suggestion for Priority Level: AA
AA
Related Glossary additions or changes
user action: the intentional interaction taken by the user to manipulate the content of the page.
Principle and Guideline
Principle 2 Operable, Guideline 2.4 Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
or
Principle 3, Guideline 3.5 'Help' or Principle 3, Guideline 3.1 'Readable'
Description
Help content enables a user to conveniently access information needed to understand how to use the website effectively.
Users who need help content are usually already confused. The existence of the help content or support page and support function
should be obvious to the user and reachable within one user action whenever they require it.
When human help is available the correct contact information or help is reachable within one user action for voice menus and a maximum
of two user actions in other modalities. Human help includes:
Live help option. Note: It must be easy and clear to close the window.
A phone number that will automatically call via an interoperable Voice over IP specification.
A simple contact us form.
Use available standards to get human help such as using the 0 digit on voice menu systems.
Benefits
This Success Criterion enables users to:
access quick answers to questions
easily get human help when available
Related Resources (optional)
Resources are for information purposes only, no endorsement implied.
Gap analysis Table 4: Help and support
User needs Tables Table 3: Entering data, error prevention & recovery
Background research document
Semantics for adaptive interfaces
Personalization and Preferences
Voice Menu Systems
COGA Techniques
Testability
Procedure
- Check that help content, support page or support function exist and is reachable with one user action.
- When human help is available the correct contact information or mechanism should be reachable within two user interactions.
Expected Results
- All checks above are true
Techniques
- Making the help content reachable with one user action.
- Making the human help reachable within two user interactions.
- Providing a link to help content in the header and footer, especially on long pages and the home page.
- Using COGA semantics to enable extra help on standard controls
- Using COGA semantics to enable symbols
- using personalization to make help easily available
working groups notes (optional)
- Benefits - should we use “easily get human or beginner’s help when available” to be consistent with SC human help
- Benefits - should we use “easily get human or beginner’s help when available” to be consistent with SC human help