SC Shortname

Reminders

SC Text

Reminders: The user is able to set a reminder for date and time sensitive events. Reminders must be set only at the users request and the user must be able to personalize the reminder method. Where a standard mechanism exists for the platform or technologies, it must be used.

Suggestion for Priority Level (A/AA/AAA)

AA

Related Glossary additions or changes

Date and time sensitive event:
Any event that has to be completed by a certain time. The time constraints on such an event may be defined by a calendar date and time or by the total elapsed time.

What Principle and Guideline the SC falls within.

Principle 3, Guideline 3.3 - Input Assistance

Description

Managing events that are time bound (such as meetings, submitting a request by a certain date or completing a form within a specified time period) can present significant barriers to users with cognitive accessibility needs. The intent of this Success Criterion is to ensure that when required, a user can set reminders and the delivery method of the reminder can be personalized by the user.
For example:

• A user may have difficulty processing and retaining time based information.
• A user may have difficulty in sequencing time bound events.
• A user's skills decreases when tired to such an extent that they have to stop a task. They may wish to reschedule the task.

Benefits

The benefit to users with cognitive accessibility needs is that they can manage appointments, deadlines and scedules. The ability to set reminders can reduce the cognitive load associated when processing time bound tasks. Time dependent activities  may be monitored and tracked by the user to ensure that they are completed in a timely manner. This Success Criterion addresses two broad classes of issues associated with this type of information:

• If the user perceives the activity to be too complex the user may decide to abandon the activity and therefore be excluded from the information and/or services derived from the completion of the activity.
• If the activity relies on a number of distinct events being carried out sequentially over an extended period of time or if a single event must be completed by a specified date and time then the likelihood of errors being made during the activity increases, particularly for users with cognitive accessibility needs. Activities are often missed because the date and time is confused.

While the ability to set reminders is of benefit to all users, it is of particular benefit to a wide range of users with differing cognitive accessibility needs including users with:

• Learning disabilities
• Cognitive and memory related disabilities
• Disabilities that effect executive function and decision making
• Focus and attention related disabilities

Providing a mechanism to allow users to set reminders not only benefits users with diverse cognitive accessibility needs but also benefits any user who uses electronic calendars and task managers. Therefore, the benefits are not restricted to a relatively small subset of users.

These use cases are fully discussed at:

User needs Table 2: Context and distractions

Related Resources

Resources are for information purposes only. No endorsement is intended or implied.

• Background research document
• Gap analysis section
• Background research document
• Semantics for adaptive interfaces
• Distraction Issue Paper
• COGA Techniques

Testability

The basis of the Success Criterion is that there is a mechanism for a user to set a reminder for a date or time sensitive event. Manual assessment of the success or failure of this Success Criterion will depend on the tester having a degree of familiarity with what is considered a time sensitive event.
Test Procedure

• Identify any time sensitive events
• Check that the user is given the option to set a reminder for the event , using a WCAG technique or other standard's technique (when available)
• Check that the user is given the option not to set a reminder
• Recommended: Ensure that any reminder mechanism method can be personalized by the user
• Recommended: Ensure that the method of setting a reminder is obvious to all users

Techniques

• Enable the user to set a reminder for date and time sensitive events. Reminders should be set only at the user's request and the user should be able to personalize the reminder method.
• Using standard scripts and COGA semantics to set reminders