Requirements for Personalization Semantics

W3C Working Draft

This version:
https://www.w3.org/TR/2020/WD-personalization-semantics-requirements-1.0-20201028/
Latest published version:
https://www.w3.org/TR/personalization-semantics-requirements-1.0/
Latest editor's draft:
https://w3c.github.io/personalization-semantics/requirements/
Previous version:
https://www.w3.org/TR/2020/WD-personalization-semantics-requirements-1.0-20200130/
Editors:
(Invited Expert)
(Benetech)
(W3C)
(W3C)
Feedback:
https://github.com/w3c/personalization-semantics/issues/new
public-personalization-tf (archives)

Abstract

This document outlines the requirements that the Accessible Platform Architectures Working Group has set for development of Personalization Semantics. There are three specifications of Personalization Semantics, including Personalization Semantics Content Module (module 1), Personalization Help and Support Module (module 2) and Personalization Semantics Tools Module (module 3), this document introduces a series of user scenarios common to the three specifications, and a list of technical requirements needed to meet those scenarios for each specification. It also provides information about how the requirements are addressed. Additional information is available from Personalization Semantics Explainer.

Status of This Document

This section describes the status of this document at the time of its publication. Other documents may supersede this document. A list of current W3C publications and the latest revision of this technical report can be found in the W3C technical reports index at https://www.w3.org/TR/.

This document was published by the Accessible Platform Architectures Working Group as a First Public Working Draft. This document contains requirements for personalization semantics.

To comment, file an issue in the W3C personalization semantics GitHub repository. If this is not feasible,please send them to public-personalization-tf (archives). Comments are requested by 01 December 2020. In-progress updates to the document may be viewed in the publicly visible editors' draft.

Publication as a Working Draft does not imply endorsement by the W3C Membership. This is a draft document and may be updated, replaced or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to cite this document as other than work in progress.

This document was produced by a group operating under the W3C Patent Policy. The group does not expect this document to become a W3C Recommendation. W3C maintains a public list of any patent disclosures made in connection with the deliverables of the group; that page also includes instructions for disclosing a patent. An individual who has actual knowledge of a patent which the individual believes contains Essential Claim(s) must disclose the information in accordance with section 6 of the W3C Patent Policy.

This document is governed by the 15 September 2020 W3C Process Document.

1. Introduction

This document is designed to enable authors to add extra information about content, to enable personalization for the individual user, including providing extra support and enabling new user agents for people with learning and cognitive disabilities.

Adding the semantics in these specifications enable user agents to adapt the content for the individual needs of the user. These adaptations may include:

Personalization enables the author the ability to keep their original design intact, whilst enabling personalized experiences for different users via different user agents. This is important because:

Note that this work is limited to adding information about the content. The design of the user agents is outside the scope of this work.

Web developers using HTML and other documents to add supporting syntax that provides the extra information, help, and context.

For example: Revert

It is envisioned that user agents such as browser extensions and assistive technology use the syntax to manipulate the content to meet the user’s need. For example, the user agent may also use user preferences for different interface options – either for the individual or as a popular “skin”. Alternatively, the web author can also include an open-source script that enables the personalization for the user. However, it is up to the implementers how the semantics are used. Examples of implementations are at Implementations of Semantics .

The latest working draft of the semantics and work-in-progress are available at Personalization Semantics Explainer.

2. Personalization Features

This section lists requirements of Personalization Semantics, those requirements are expected to met by Personalization Semantics Content Module (module 1), Personalization Help and Support Module (module 2) and Personalization Semantics Tools Module (module 3).

2.1 Familiar Terms and Symbols

Common concepts used in controls should be machine understandable so the user agent or script should understand the context of links, buttons, and fields and other page elements so that symbols and text is displayed in a way each user understands.

Implemented in module 1, Adaptable Content.

2.2 Symbol Sets

Enable text symbols and text to be mapped and converted into different set of symbols.

Create interoperable symbol sets for users with complex communication needs that require the use of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) systems. AAC systems are designed for people who are non-verbal that often use symbols with or without text. AAC end-users tend to only learn one symbol set and cannot easily communicate with other symbol users in a written format. In addition, they may struggle to understand different symbols that are used in different applications. It's important to note that some symbols may be subject to copyright, which means they cannot be shared across applications. However, there are open symbol sets that can be shared and mapped against concepts, generating representative text.

Implemented in module 1, Adaptable Content.

2.3 Enable alternatives for numeric concepts

Not everyone can understand numeric concepts and numbers. We need to allow alternatives for numeric content.

Implemented in module 2, Adaptable Help and Support.

2.4 Importance identification

There must be a mechanism to identify and differentiate the features included in web content based on its importance (e.g. critical, high, medium, low).

Implemented in module 1, Adaptable Content.

2.5 Enable Alternate Language Complexity of Same Content

Support for Authors to provide a simplified version of the page or of a section of a page. These alternative versions may not be identical in content but maintain the intent of the original content.

Implemented in module 2, Adaptable Help and Support.

2.6 Enable Alternate for Non-Literal Content

Some users cannot understand non-literal text and icons such as metaphors, idioms etc. The literal property is intended to identify text or images as non-literal and allows the author to explain non-literal text and images to users.

Implemented in module 2, Adaptable Help and Support.

2.7 Enable Additional Help Information

We propose additional properties so that an author can indicate the existence of additional information, that some user groups may need, but others will find unnecessary.

Implemented in module 2, Adaptable Help and Support.

2.8 Enable Additional Feedback

Support additional properties where the author can provide additional information or explain what just happened, that some users may need.

Implemented in module 2, Adaptable Help and Support.

2.9 Step Indicator

Support to users must be able to track completed tasks in order to identify their location in a process. In addition, a user must be able to navigate to completed tasks to make modifications or corrections.

Implemented in module 3, Adaptable Tools.

2.10 Message Categorization

A mechanism for managing both system level and application level reminders and messages for users who are sensitive to distractions. We require a group of defined values that give users control over the amount of reminders and messages that are presented along with a mechanism for managing, prioritizing, managing and grouping reminders and messages.

Implemented in module 3, Adaptable Tools.

A. Acknowledgments

This section is non-normative.

The following people contributed to the development of this document.

A.1 Participants active in the Personalization TF at the time of publication

A.2 Other Personalization TF contributors, commenters, and previously active participants

A.3 Enabling funders

This publication has been funded in part with U.S. Federal funds from the Health and Human Services, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) under contract number HHSP23301500054C. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Some of the work on this project has also received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No.780529 and 643399.