Grouping Usability Tasks

Hello All,
I was unfortunately not present at the mmeeting  when this current grouping  scheme was discussed. But I guess it has evolved  out of the idea I proposed at an earlier meeting that the tasks be grouped under say three heads  along the lines of : easy, intermediate level, and difficult . This  again  is as perceived by  the working group.
The grouping should have some relevance to  the objective  i.e. conducting usability testing, and certainly is not being done just for "chunking". So for instance, we might  consider assigning one task from the simple, intermediate level and   difficult tasks to each of the subjects.
As Blossom pointed out, any one might  need to do any of the tasks. And the individual might have little or a lot of  tech knowledge and likewise little or a lot of accessibility knowledge. The grouping of tasks should not   be based on the characteristics of the subjects.
Finding info about WAI might be categorized as a relatively simple task as the info is perhaps a link away from the home page and    all in one place. But determining how to make forms accessible is something that will take several steps and one might need to review more than a couple of pages: guidelines and checkpoints and techniques. One has to determine which checkpoints relate to forms to begin with, etc... so it is a fairly involved and time consuming task - for anyone regardless of background.
So I suggest we consider the above grouping and have just 3 groups as the number of tasks too are less than 50-60.
Sailesh Panchang
Senior Accessibility Engineer 
Deque Systems,11180  Sunrise Valley Drive, 
4th Floor, Reston VA 20191
Tel: 703-225-0380 Extension 105 
E-mail: sailesh.panchang@deque.com
Fax: 703-225-0387
* Look up <http://www.deque.com> *





----- Original Message ----- 
  From: michaeka@wellsfargo.com 
  To: public-wai-eo-site@w3.org 
  Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 4:58 PM
  Subject: Re: WSTF agenda for 1 Dec 2003



  Hello, all - 

  A note above the Task List posted November 28, 2003
  (<http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/UCD/tasks>), comments that the headings
  "below are only to help 'chunk' the long list and the grouping under a
  certain heading is not important." -
   
  I agree 100% that we need to chunk the list. But, if the groupings under
  each heading are "not important," then the grouping is confusing. If
  something is grouped, I'm assuming that there is some meaning to the
  grouping. 

  The way the list is currently grouped does not work for me very well. For
  example, I could have heavy technical knowledge and moderate Web
  accessibility knowledge, but still search for the definition of the term Web
  accessibility.

  For discussion on Monday, here's another grouping possibility:


  GENERAL ACCESSIBILITY

  1. I am trying to find the definition of the term Web accessibility.  

  2. I need info to help convince self, boss, org, or other that Web
  accessibility is important and that we should be doing it. 

  3. I want to find out about Web access policies around the world.

  4. My boss told me to make our Web site accessible and I need to know where
  to start.

  5. I want a simple checklist of what I (content developer) need to do for
  Web accessibility.

  6. I am doing a presentation on accessibility and want to order Quick Tips
  to hand out. 

  7. I am doing training on general accessibility information and trying to
  find materials for my presentation.

  8. I want to find a list of all the guidelines WAI has published.


  SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND SEARCHES

  1. I have been asked how much time and money it would take to make your Web
  site accessible.

  2. I am trying to find a specific document. ["How People with Disabilities
  Use the Web", "Policies Relating to Web Accessibility", etc.] .

  3. I want statistics on disability to help make a business case for Web
  accessibility. [deliberately not on site or in resource in the foreseeable
  future]

  4. I've searched for XYZ in a search engine [that dumped me in the middle of
  a resource] 
   
  5. I am trying to find the list of Web accessibility evaluation tools. 

  6. I have a specific question on Web accessibility that I want to ask WAI
  (e.g., interpretation of a guideline). 


  TECHNIQUES

  1. I heard XYZ [text resizing] is important for accessibility and want to
  find out why. 

  2. I heard that Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) helps with accessibility; I
  want to know why CSS is good for accessibility and get an intro on CSS. 
   
  3. Someone gave me a report generated by a Web evaluation tool, and I need
  to look up details about some of the things it said needed human evaluation.

  4. Someone gave me a report generated by a Web evaluation tool, and I don't
  understand how to fix some of the things it identified as errors.
   
  5. I am looking for a document that explains the techniques to implement
  Check point #X.

  6. I am doing a new thing [data tables, forms, etc.] and I want to make it
  accessible. 


  WAI

  1. I want to know more about WAI in general. How long has it been around?
  How is it funded? Who is on the staff?

  2. I heard W3C WAI was open to outside participation and I want to help out.


  3. I am a member of a WAI WG and I am trying to find out when the next
  meeting is. When is that in your time working zone? 


  Regards,

  Blossom
  _____________________________________
  Blossom Michaeloff
  Web Research and Design
  Wells Fargo
  415.222.3045
  michaeka@wellsfargo.com