Input assistance Archives

‘Redundant Entry’ requires websites to auto-fill or provide information that’s required more than once in the same process.

Introduction

When a user is following a multi-step process, they may need help if information is asked for on more than one step of the process.

Requiring users to remember, re-type or replicate information within a process may be difficult for some users due to the cognitive requirements. Users with memory issues or who experience cognitive fatigue will benefit from fields auto-filling with information entered previously.

How to Pass ‘Redundant Entry’

If a process requires information that a user has previously provided to be entered again in the same process:

auto-fill the information; or
make the information available to select.

Exceptions

Where re-entering the information is essential

If the re-entering is required for security
When information entered previously is no longer valid

‘Redundant Entry’ Tips

A browser’s auto-fill feature is not sufficient.

Your website doesn’t need to retain information between distinct sessions for a user.

Making information available could include auto-filling, providing drop down options or a check box to copy across previous responses.

Introduction

Although it can be important to authenticate users, those with cognitive impairments may have difficulty with remembering passwords or typing in one-time codes.

Some users will be unable to recall a password or series of gestures to access their accounts and require help or alternative means to authenticate.

This builds on Accessible Authentication by removing the exceptions around identify objects or non-text content the user had provided.

How to Pass ‘Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)’

If you are authenticating a user, avoid:

asking for a memorised password; and
requiring them to type in certain characters; and
making the solve any kind of puzzle, calculation or test.

Exceptions

You can ask a user to complete a cognitive test if you also provide:

an alternative authentication method that doesn’t require a test; or
help for the user in completing the test.

‘Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)’ Tips

Where you use multi-factor authentication, each stage of the process must comply.

Password recovery processes must also meet this guideline.

Personal information such as an email address or phone number is fine to use, as this is consistent across all website and unique to the user.

Supporting password autofill and password managers is providing help.

Further help could be allowing copy and paste into password fields to reduce re-typing.

Enable users to toggle hidden characters on and off, for example when typing in a password.

Avoid asking for certain characters from a password as this means the user cannot use copy and paste.

You can send an authentication link to a user and skip the need for passwords.

Introduction

Although it can be important to authenticate users, those with cognitive impairments may have difficulty with remembering passwords or typing in one-time codes.

Some users will be unable to recall a password or series of gestures to access their accounts and require help or alternative means to authenticate.

How to Pass ‘Accessible Authentication’

If you are authenticating a user, avoid:

asking for a memorised password; and
requiring them to type in certain characters; and
making the solve any kind of puzzle, calculation or test.

Exceptions

You can ask a user to complete a cognitive test if you also provide:

an alternative authentication method that doesn’t require a test; or
help for the user in completing the test; or
a test which requires the user to identify objects; or
a test which requires the user to identify non-text content they provided previously.

‘Accessible Authentication’ Tips

Where you use multi-factor authentication, each stage of the process must comply.

Password recovery processes must also meet this guideline.

Personal information such as an email address or phone number is fine to use, as this is consistent across all website and unique to the user.

Supporting password autofill and password managers is providing help.

Further help could be allowing copy and paste into password fields to reduce re-typing.

Enable users to toggle hidden characters on and off, for example when typing in a password.

Avoid asking for certain characters from a password as this means the user cannot use copy and paste.

Introduction

When a user is going through a process that results them submitting information, it’s more important than ever to try and prevent mistakes.

Although all users are susceptible to making mistakes, some disabilities and impairments can make users more likely to make errors. For example, people with reading or writing difficulties may type words incorrectly and those with motor disabilities may press keys in error.

How to Pass ‘Error Prevention (All)’

If a process results in the submission of information, at least of of the following is true:

submissions are reversible;
input is checked for errors and users are given a chance to correct mistakes; or
users are given a chance to review and confirm all input before submitting.

‘Error Prevention (All)’ Tips

Remember this covers both submission of data and its deletion.

To make a submission or deletion reversible, provide users with a set time in which they can undo or change the action.

Check for input errors as users enter each field.

Replay all inputs to a user (or the information about to be deleted) and ask them to confirm they are correct before saving the submission.

Introduction

While many guidelines cover highlighting mistakes and remedying them, it’s useful to help users avoid making errors in the first place. Users with disabilities, such as impairments with reading, focus or understanding, are more likely to make mistakes than others.

Where a label or control isn’t as clear as it can be, adding contextual assistance can prevent users from making errors.

How to Pass ‘Help’

Provide contextual assistance whenever part of a website may be hard to understand.

‘Help’ Tips

For a form, it can be useful to provide links to contextual assistance about certain fields. For example, why the question is being asking and the type of response expected.

Where a form field has a required input type or format, explain this.

Help can be by tooltip, a link to a new page or simply a good explanation near the element you’re providing help for.

Introduction

When a user is going through a process that results in a serious financial or legal commitment, or a change in data storage, it’s more important than ever to try and prevent mistakes.

Where the errors are legally binding, this can lead to serious consequences.

How to Pass ‘Error Prevention’

If a process results in:

a legal commitment;
a financial commitment;
modification or deletion of stored data; or
submission of test responses

at least of of the following is true:

submissions are reversible;
input is checked for errors and users are given a chance to correct mistakes; or
users are given a chance to review and confirm all input before submitting.

‘Error Prevention’ Tips

Remember this covers both submission of data and its deletion.

To make a submission or deletion reversible, provide users with a set time in which they can undo or change the action.

Check for input errors as users enter each field.

Replay all inputs to a user (or the information about to be deleted) and ask them to confirm they are correct before saving the submission.

Error Prevention (All) widens this guideline to include the submission and deletion of any data, so rather than judging if the submission is financial or legal, apply the solutions to all submissions and deletion requests.

Introduction

All users make mistakes – they’re only human after all. When they make mistakes on your website (whether it’s their fault or not), they get frustrated.

Input errors are common, especially where fields are mandatory or will only accept input in a specific format. Gong beyond identifying errors to suggesting corrections is particularly helpful to users with cognitive or visual limitations.

How to Pass ‘Error Suggestion’

Ensure that:

You identify input errors and suggest corrections where possible
.
When the error is missing a required field, communicate this to the user with a text suggestion.
If the error is in the format of the input, the suggestion shows the correct format (for example, ‘The date must be in the form DD/MM/YYYY’).
If the error is because the input needed to be from a limited list of values, provide these values and explain them.

Tips

This guideline builds on 3.3.1 – Identify Errors by adding a requirement to make a suggestion for user input to fix errors.
Be specific.
If a user makes an error, provide a list of links that the user can follow to jump back to correct their input.
Make it easy to re-submit incorrect forms by retaining all correct data.

‘Error Suggestion’ Exceptions

You don’t need to provide suggestions if:

It would negatively impact data security; or
It goes against the purpose of the content.

Introduction

Most websites have at least some elements that require user input. For example, these might be controls or forms. It’s essential to label controls such as radio buttons and checkboxes so that users understand what they are selecting.

It can also be useful to provide users with clear instructions around forms and controls, especially if there are validation rules around inputs. Be wary that overdoing instructions can make controls harder to understand.

How to Pass ‘Labels or Instructions’

Use descriptive labels on form fields and controls.
Provide text instructions at the beginning of a form or section of a form.
Show users the expected format of free text entries.
Indicate required fields.
Use text to identify required fields that have been missed.

‘Labels or Instructions’ Tips

Keep your labels simple – too much explanation can be counter-productive. Things like ‘First name’, ‘Email’ and ‘Your message’ are fine.

The same goes for instructions, ‘Required fields are in red and have a * symbol’ works great. So does ‘Fill in this form and click ‘Submit’ to get in touch’.

Think about how your use of colour affects things like required fields if you want to highlight them by colour. Don’t highlight by colour alone, pick a symbol too.

Consider error identification as well, and make sure that you give helpful instructions when your users make mistakes on forms.

Introduction

Users of all kinds will make mistakes when using your website, so it’s important to clearly identify and describe errors. Input errors include users not providing required information as well as providing informating that doesn’t meet validation criteria.

Be as specific as possible when highlighting an error, so a user has the best chance of fixing their mistake and continuing. This means doing more than adding a red box around a missed field for example.

How to Pass ‘Error Identification’

Identify and explain to the user any mistakes that you can detect automatically.
Add error explanation close to the error, showing what is wrong and how to fix it.

‘Error Identification’ Tips

If a form requires input in a certain format, show and describe the required format.
If a mandatory field is empty, highlight the field and explain what’s required.
Build forms to be forgiving, accepting variations on the formats you prefer.
Don’t ask for too much information, just what you need.
Be specific. Use clear, concise instruction and form field labels.
Highlight mistakes in forms with colours and symbols.
Don’t clear a form if a user makes a mistake. Save the information and allow the user to edit their error and continue.
Provide extra help by giving your contact details on all pages (the header or footer are great) and especially near forms.

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Redundant Entry’

Exceptions

‘Redundant Entry’ Tips

See Also

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)’

Exceptions

‘Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)’ Tips

See Also

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Accessible Authentication’

Exceptions

‘Accessible Authentication’ Tips

See Also

‘Error Prevention (All)’ requires a website to check, confirm and allow reversal of pages that require users to submit information.

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Error Prevention (All)’

‘Error Prevention (All)’ Tips

See Also

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Help’

‘Help’ Tips

See Also

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Error Prevention’

‘Error Prevention’ Tips

See Also

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Error Suggestion’

Tips

‘Error Suggestion’ Exceptions

See Also

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Labels or Instructions’

‘Labels or Instructions’ Tips

See Also

Introduction

How to Pass ‘Error Identification’

‘Error Identification’ Tips

See Also

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