APA and COGA at TPAC

Structure v2

WIP as of September 27, 2024

Objective 1: Design is clear and helpful

Recognizable purpose

• Make the purpose of your page clear
• Use clear visible labels
• Use familiar and consistent design patterns
• Clearly identify controls, their use, and their relationship to the content they affect

Distinguishable

• Make it easy to find the most important features and tasks on the site
• Make it easy to find the most important actions and information on the page
• Ensure foreground content is not obscured by background
• Use white spacing

Consistent

• Ensure controls and content do not move unexpectedly
• Use a consistent visual design
• Use a predictable hierarchy

The visual, aural, and media design supports the user to easily understand the purpose and meaning of components, the hierarchy of the page and site, and how to navigate the layouts.

Objective 2: Interactions are clear and straightforward

Informative

• Clearly state the results and disadvantages of actions, options, and selections
• Do not rely on the user performing calculations
• Do not rely on the user memorizing information
• Notify users of fees and changes at the start of a task
• Provide information so a user can prepare for a task
• Provide feedback based on user action
• User knows if they are on a new URL/domain/space

Logical

• Make short critical paths
• Make each step clear
• Provide step by step guidance
• Separate each instruction
• Provide guidance for forms and non-standard controls

Safe and reliable

• Design and build forms to prevent mistakes
• Make it easy to recover from errors and undo actions
• Enable users to go back
• Help users restore focus and understand context
• Limit interruptions

The flows, tasks, and events provide clarity for the user to understand how to interact with the system, and what will and has happened based on how they interact with the interface.

Objective 3: Functionality is supportive

Supportive

• Avoid data loss
• Avoid or support the user through timeouts or timed tasks
• Provide a login that is clear, single step, and does not rely on cognitive skills
• Provide reminders
• Provide help with geographic directions
• Inform returning users of user interface changes

Flexible

• Provide search
• Accept different input formats
• Allow misspelling and imprecise formatting in text entry fields (including search)

Customizable

• Let user control when the content moves or changes
• Support the use of APIs, extensions, and assistive technology
• Support user interface (UI) simplification
• Support a personalized interface

Functional is incorporated to proactively help the user “behind the scenes,” and/or provides the user with customization / personalization options.

Objective 4: Content is understandable

Concise

• Keep the content concise
• Break the content into chunks
• Include only one idea per block (sentence, paragraph, page)

Direct meaning

• Use clear words
• Use literal language
• Use a simple tense and voice
• Avoid double negatives or nested clauses
• Explain implied content
• Use clear, unambiguous formatting and punctuation

Meaningful presentation

• Provide alternate content for complex information and tasks
• Provide alternatives for numerical concepts
• Use icons that help the user
• Avoid all caps in written content
• Avoid centering or full justifying text that runs more than 2 lines
• Include symbols and letters necessary to decipher the words
• Use familiar metrics and units

The language, imagery, media, and other content is easy to understand, and/or provides other ways to be understood by those who are better supported with other formats.

Objective 5: Help is available and useable

Available

• Make it easy to find help
• Provide human help that can be found in context

Alternative paths

• Let users avoid navigating voice menus
• Provide alternative content formats such as easy read
• Provide summary of long documents and media

Accept user feedback and thoughts

• Make it easy to give feedback

The user is able to complete their journey in an alternate way - including potentially outside of the system - if they choose to.