USWDS - Time picker: Verbose and unclear screen reader announcements make selecting and clearing a time difficult for some users.

[jaclinec]

Summary

The instructions announced for screen readers when a user focuses on the time picker are overly verbose and confusing, which could cause some people to be so confused that they fail to select a time.

Additionally, the announcement to screen readers for clearing the time (i.e. "clear select contents") is unclear.

Observations

• 3 blind participants (2 using JAWS, 1 using NVDA) found the instructions announced excessive and unhelpful in guiding them to selecting a time. One of those participants had trouble selecting a time because she didn't realize she had to hit 'enter' to select a time. The instruction to select 'enter' was buried in other verbose instructions. See video clips 🔒

“it causes confusion with the information and…I have to listen [to] all of those carefully.”

• 1 blind user was confused by the 'clear select contents' announcement and said that it would be clearer to him if it announced something more specific like "clear the time."

Affected user groups

• Screen reader users

Research method

Usability testing with 8 participants with disabilities:

• 5 visually impaired (3 blind, 2 low vision/legally blind (1 with nystagmus))
• 1 motor impairment
• 1 ADHD
• 1 anxiety and depression

Screen reader software participants used: JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver

[Link to public findings report forthcoming...here is the internal Zebra findings report] 🔒

Next steps

• Adjust the instructions read by screen readers to be shorter, clearer, and more helpful.
• Change the ‘clear contents’ announcement to ‘clear your time selection’ or similar.