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Re: UI toasts, notifications and conforming to time limits (2.2.1)

for

From: Matt Gregg
Date: Jul 12, 2018 8:46PM

Thanks. My reading of the first part of intent covers any content that needs to be read or acted on:
"are given adequate time to interact with Web content whenever possible."
"may require more time to read content or to perform functions such as filling out on-line forms."
Which is why I've been surprised to see this in so many design systems with this and the dilemma we're (or I'm) having. A toast or notification is to give the user a message so it's intended purpose seems fall within this no?

To Jonathan's point, I see there could be avenues to explore around allowing users to turn this off, adjust, or extend as enumerated in the criterion. I just wanted to see if my interpretation was incorrect or there was another consensus view about this success criteria which would support having these disappearing UI messages. The turn off, adjust, or extend seems potentially tricky to do well too but haven't started down that path yet to find a solution that supports disappearing toasts/notifications and these preferences in a simple solution that doesn't add complexity for everyone using it.
Anyone seen any good examples they'd point to which support this?

Matt


On 7/11/18, 3:07 PM, "glen walker" < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

Matt, we also discussed this same timing question on slack recently (July
4th).

https://web-a11y.slack.com/archives/C042TSFGN/p1530688615000057

Eric posted the question and then I replied and then there were a couple
follow-ups. My personal opinion was that a toast message does not violate
2.2.1, provided the toast is being used for its intended purpose, but that
preference settings were a good idea (as Jonathan mentioned here). I also
mentioned having an "earcon" option for the toast.

The key phrase in the "Understanding" section (
https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/time-limits-required-behaviors.html)
was:

"If Web functions are time-dependent, it will be difficult for some users
> to perform the required action before a time limit occurs."
>

There shouldn't be any "required actions" in the toast message. It's just
an informal, "by the way" type message, that if ignored, does not hurt
anything.