Understanding Doc for SC 3.2.4 Adds a Requirement for two components on the same page, which is not always beneficial #4651
Description
This statement has been in SC 3.2.4's understanding document for a long time:
If there are two components on a web page that both have the same functionality as a component on another page in a set of web pages, then all 3 must be consistent. Hence the two on the same page will be consistent.
This statement could imply that there is a hidden SC, which could be stated like this:
Components on the same page that have the same functionality are identified consistently, if the page is included in a set where any of the components are repeated.
This would mean in the case of very important functionality that you want on each page, you can't improve usability by offering two differently labeled components for doing the same thing, even though such a design could meet the intent of the success criterion very well: users can learn and remember whichever component works best for them, and then find that component on each page in the set of web pages.
I would like suggest clarifying this along these lines:
If there are two components on a web page that both have the same functionality as a component on another page in a set of web pages, then either:
- all 3 must be consistent (Hence the two on the same page will be consistent)
- or both versions must be present on any pages in the set where that functionality is available
While it is often desirable and best practice to be consistent within a single web page, 3.2.4 only addresses consistency within a set of web pages where something is repeated on more than one page in the set.