Success Criterion 3.2.6
Conformance level A

Help Option Missing on the One Step Users Struggle With Most

3.2.6 — Consistent Help

Scenario

Setting

A hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler

What’s wrong

Help present on all steps except the one where users struggle (removal mid-set — inconsistent availability/order within the set).

Example

A tester reviewing a hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler finds this: help present on all steps except the one where users struggle (removal mid-set — inconsistent availability/order within the set).

Why it matters

People with cognitive disabilities and anyone who needs help quickly during a task. On a hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler specifically, they lose confidence they're in the right place.

How to test

Check every step of a multi-step process for the help mechanism: if it's present on all steps except the one where users are most likely to struggle, it fails.

How to fix

Help mechanisms must appear in the same relative order/position on every page where they occur.

Outcome

Fixed, a visitor to a hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler can find the same feature in the same place, specifically for the “Help Option Missing on the One Step Users Struggle With Most” issue on a hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler.

Who is affected

People with cognitive disabilities and anyone who needs help quickly during a task.

Learn more

Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)