Perspective
The instructions only make sense if I already know what they mean
Jargon, unexplained concepts or assumed process knowledge make technically available instructions difficult to use.
Instructions can be present and still fail to explain the task.
Interface demands
- Comprehension
- Language
- Prior knowledge
These describe what the interface requires from the person in this barrier. They are not disability categories and do not imply that everyone affected has the same experience.
What happens
The interface uses specialist terminology, organisation-specific language, abbreviations or vague directions that make sense mainly to someone who already understands the process.
Why it matters
People should not need insider knowledge to decode an ordinary task. Unfamiliar language increases cognitive load and makes errors more likely.
How to test it
Read instructions as a first-time user. Identify jargon, abbreviations, undefined terms, vague references and steps that rely on knowledge supplied elsewhere. In usability testing, observe where people pause, reread or ask what a term means.
Can automation detect it?
Very limited. Readability tools can flag surface characteristics, but cannot reliably determine whether terminology is appropriate, explained or understood by the intended audience.
Relevant WCAG
Some language concerns are addressed at AAA, including 3.1.3 Unusual Words and 3.1.4 Abbreviations. At AA, a confusing instruction may still be a serious usability/accessibility concern without violating one of those AAA criteria.
Standards & guidance
- WCAG 2.2: a specific criterion depends on the implementation; unclear or assumed knowledge does not automatically establish a WCAG failure.
- W3C Cognitive Accessibility Supplemental Guidance: Use Clear Step-by-step Instructions and Separate Each Instruction — informative guidance beyond WCAG conformance.
What a pass does not prove
Defining a term once does not prove the instructions are concise, logically ordered or understandable in context.