accessibility-guidelines

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Instructions should not rely on sensory characteristics

On this page:

Summary
Requirements
Guidance for Design
More info

Summary

If you give tips or instructions, do not assume that users can perceive colour, size, shape, sound or the location of elements on screen.

Instructions must not depend on sensory characteristics like shape, size, colour, or location.

Requirements

Do not use shape, size, colour or visual location to communicate instructions.

Common mistakes

An instruction tells users to “Click the green button”;
An instruction tells users to “Use the menu on the left of the page”;
An instruction tells users they can “Find more information in the square box”;
Users are told that “Instructions are in the right-hand column”;
Users are told that “A beeping sound indicates you may continue”.

Why?

This ensures that instructions can be understood by users who are unable to see or recognise information communicated using sensory characteristics.

Official wording in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics: Instructions provided for understanding and operating content do not rely solely on sensory characteristics of components such as shape, size, visual location, orientation, or sound. (Level A)

See the W3C’s detailed explanation of this guideline with techniques and examples.

Guidance for Design

Providing textual identification of items that otherwise rely only on sensory information to be understood technique in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines