- Success Criterion 3.3.3
- Conformance level AA
Invalid Entry Message With No Hint at the Expected Format
3.3.3 — Error Suggestion
Scenario
Setting
A childcare-booking service's scheduling page
What’s wrong
"Invalid entry" with no hint of expected format when a suggestion is known and safe.
Example
Watch a childcare-booking service's scheduling page closely and you'll spot this: "Invalid entry" with no hint of expected format when a suggestion is known and safe.
Why it matters
People with cognitive disabilities and anyone stalled by vague validation messages. On a childcare-booking service's scheduling page, this barrier means they can't complete the form at all.
How to test
Trigger a validation error where a correction is knowable and safe to suggest: check whether the message states the fix — generic 'invalid entry' with no guidance fails.
How to fix
The error message must tell the user how to fix the problem — the expected format, range, or valid options.
Outcome
Corrected, a childcare-booking service's scheduling page now lets a visitor finish the task in one attempt.
Who is affected
People with cognitive disabilities and anyone stalled by vague validation messages.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Rejected Input With No Guidance on How to Fix It
- Rejected Date Entry With No Explanation of the Expected Format
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- Taken Username With No Suggested Alternatives Offered
- Rejected File Upload With No Stated Size or Type Limits
- Rejected Entry With No Suggested Near-Match From a Known List