SC Shortname

Task completion

SC Text

Task completion: Successfully completing tasks does not rely on users memorizing information presented in the current, or previous, user-interaction dialog steps.

Note that the following requirements must apply: understandable language; clear structure and relationships; and clear and unambiguous separation of menu items, which must be level A in this scope. (This may be addressed by reiterating these requirements here to increase conformance.)

Exception: This success criterion does not apply if memorizing, or otherwise mentally processing information, is the primary purpose of the dialog step (e.g., a step in a game which deliberately tests the player’s memory skills).

Suggestion for Priority Level (A/AA/AAA)

A

Related Glossary additions or changes

NA

What Principle and Guideline the SC falls within.

Priciple 2 : Operable

Guidleline 2.4 Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.

(It can also be under

• 3.3 Help users avoid and correct mistakes.

Description

In multi-step user-interaction dialogs, such as voice-menu systems, there is a risk that users will encounter a barrier, which prevents them from completing a step, and as a result, which prevents them from achieving whatever they wished to achieve. Unlike visually-presented menus, which can be examined at the user’s leisure, the options in a voice menu are presented serially. They often have to be held in working memory until a user is able to decide which of the options best meets their goals. The intent of this success criterion is to make these systems useable for people with low working memory.

Benefits

Without this SC, many people cannot use an application at all. See Voice Menu Systems issue paper for a full description of this issue; and how it stops many people from using services that are often critical. Many people cannot make doctors' appointments, etc. by themselves, get their water turned back on, etc.. This may be partly responsible for the lower life expectancy of people with learning and cognitive disabilities.

The benefit of this SC is to ensure that users are not prevented from completing a user-interaction dialog because they have limited abilities to process information stored in working memory. Systems that do rely on user memorization will cause people significant stress, time spent repeatedly listening to the same voice menu, and a need to resort to techniques such as writing down the options (if they have the ability to write things down). Such problems could cause unacceptable delays, and possibly failure to access what could be vitally-important services (e.g., emergency health services). Real-life examples, where failing this success criterion impacts people, include an inability to get a telephone line re-connected, getting urgent access to a doctor, etc..

User-interaction dialogs, in which completion actions have a one-to-one mapping to simple discrete options, may meet this SC. Examples of user-interaction dialogs that do not depend on user memorization are ones where a voice-menu system has an alternative visual-menu system, or ones where there is easy access to a human operator who can help users achieve their goals.

Related Resources (optional)

Issue papers Voice Menu Systems

See also:

• Gap analysis;
• User needs table; and
• Background research document
• Failing health services and delays impacting on life expectancy
• Health Inequality
• Death by Indifference

Testability

Test option 1: Check if one of the methods offered in task completion techniques conforms to the sufficient techniques,

Test option 2:

• Step 1. Identify all the actions that complete a user-interaction dialog step.
• Step 2. Identify if the choice of the appropriate completion action might be dependent on information acquired from more than one serially-presented chunk of information (including short term memory, such as remembering a number). Also identify if the menu items use simple terms and have a one-to-one mapping to simple, discrete options.
• Step 3. Identify if there is an alternative way, which does not rely on memorized information, to complete a dialog step.

Acceptable  outcomes for test option 2:

No to step 2
OR

Yes to steps 2 and 3

Techniques

Included Techniques

• Using user interaction dialogs in which
  1. completion actions have a one-to-one mapping to simple, discrete options; and
  2. ach option is described before a number is associated with it and
  3. clear language is used and conforms to the SC X.X (understandable language)
• Using a user-interaction dialog, such as the standard "0" from any point, where there is easy access to a human operator who can help users achieve their goals.
• Human help is offered at any step that does not conform to Method 1 and
  • the option for human help is described before a number is associated with it; and
  • clear language, which conforms to the SC X.X (understandable language), is used for the human help option.
• Advisory technique: Cue users to write something that may be useful at a later point, and give them time to do so.

 

A voice-menu system offers an alternative visual-menu system.

More details on this issue and on alternatives are available at https://rawgit.com/w3c/coga/master/issue-papers/voice-menus.html