Description
The objective of this technique is to provide information to users about
what will happen when a change to a form control results in a change of
context. Because changing the value of a form control does not typically
result in a change of context, it is important that authors provide
instructions that make the user aware of the behavior in advance. Where
possible, it is a good idea to programmatically associate the instructions
describing the change with the form control itself.
The following are some examples of how to provide the instruction in different situations.
- Provide instruction on the Web page with reading order that precedes the user interface element that causes change of context by change of setting.
- For a multi-step process where users must complete particular steps in order to reach the user interface element where changes of setting would cause a change of context, provide the instruction as part of the process prior to the step where they would encounter the change of context.
- In the case of an intranet where user training is required prior to the use of a Web application where user interface elements that cause changes of context when settings are changed, instruction is provided as part of the training.