WCAG 2.2, quick and simplified
The new version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are on the cusp of becoming a standard and will likely become a W3C Proposed Recommendation in early July.
I’ve written new simplified blurbs for each of the nine new requirements — and the working group is adopting them in a new section near the top of each Understanding page.
Hopefully these will let everyone more quickly grasp the key objective for each new requirement. The Understanding documents (linked in the headings below) provide lots of details and examples:
Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)
Goal: Keep the focused item visible
What to do: Ensure the item receiving keyboard focus is at least partially visible in the viewport
Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced)
Goal: Keep the focused item entirely visible
What to do: Ensure no content obstructs the item receiving keyboard focus
Focus Appearance
Goal: Make it easier to spot the keyboard focus
What to do: Use a focus indicator of sufficient size and contrast
Dragging Movements
Goal: Don’t rely on dragging for user actions
What to do: Provide a simple pointer alternative to any action that involves dragging
Target Size (Minimum)
Goal: Make controls easier to activate
What to do: Ensure targets meet a minimum size or have sufficient spacing around them
Consistent Help
Goal: Make it easier to find help and support
What to do: Consistently locate any user help that appears on multiple pages
Redundant Entry
Goal: Make it easier for users to complete multi-step processes
What to do: Don’t ask for the same information twice in the same session
Accessible Authentication (Minimum)
Goal: Make logins possible with less mental effort
What to do: Don’t make people memorize or transcribe something in order to log in
Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)
Goal: Make logins possible with less mental effort
What to do: Don’t make people recognize objects or personal information to log in
Similar brief summaries will soon appear for all the Understanding documents, under the heading “In Brief”. These should help folks quickly understand the purpose of new and existing WCAG requirements.
For more IBM guidance on current accessibility requirements, visit www.ibm.com/able.
Michael Gower is a Senior Consultant in Accessibility in IBM Design. Illustration by IBM Visual Designer Jess Lin.
The above article is personal and does not necessarily represent IBM’s positions, strategies, or opinions.
