WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: preferred format for a Frequently Asked Questions page

for

From: Greg Gamble
Date: Dec 19, 2014 11:03AM

I like a bulleted list of questions, grouped by type ... for instance, filling out a form. What do I need before filling it out? What should I not do afterward? It should show basic Information to get me going in the right direction.
I also like it if the grouped questions are hidden, accordion style, so the page is easier to read.

FAQ's work, you just need to know where users are having problems, and address them. Also, If you can track what questions are being accessed then you can get some insight on where people are having issues on the site.
They are also good for answering questions on what the site can't or doesn't do, and then guide a user to someplace where they can get what they're looking for.

Here is one we created that seems to work well: https://gedverify.org/faq.aspx


Greg

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Jennifer Sutton
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2014 11:55 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] preferred format for a Frequently Asked Questions page

Thanks to those who responded, both on and off list. I'm a bit surprised at how few responses I've gotten.

So I'd like to send out yet one more call for sample FAQ pages that people like/have been tested, etc.

Despite Cliff's comments (which come from an unachievable ideal goal, in most cases, in my experience), I actually *like* FAQs and do use them. When they're done right, they can save me one heckuva lot of time reading a bunch of prose and poking around a site.

Sometimes, as shocking as this may seem to some, *I* go straight to that page, especially when I'm on a technology-based site, and I'm trying to solve what I think could be a common problem. One example that comes to mind is on phone carriers' sites which tend to be filled with marketing jargon and sales pitch pages, rather than specific step-by-step guidance.

As a fyi, I haven't specified what kind of site I'm focusing on here, primarily to avoid the very philosophical debate Cliff raises.

Again, as I said originally, I have a chance to set up a good design pattern for FAQS, and I'd welcome any additional ideas people have to help me "get it right."

Thanks.
Best,
Jennifer