Marcelo Paiva

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Success criterion 3.1.4

Abbreviations

A mechanism for identifying the expanded form or meaning of abbreviations is provided.

  • Level AAA
  • Principle 3: Understandable
  • Guideline 3.1: Readable

In a user’s words

“IDK what 'IDK' means! Spell it out for me!”

Who this helps: Cognitive Impairments, Non-native Speakers

What each role can do

Product manager
Define abbreviations the first time they appear on a page or provide a reference.
Designer
Use tooltips or inline explanations for abbreviations.
Developer
Implement <abbr> tags and tooltips to explain abbreviations.
Tester
Ensure that all abbreviations have tooltips or explanations.

Once it is fixed

“LOL, now I finally know what 'IDK' means! You've demystified the Internet for me!”

The quotes are written to illustrate the criterion. They are not testimonials from real people. For the official wording, find 3.1.4 in the W3C quick reference for WCAG 2.2 (opens in a new tab).

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