3.2.6 Consistent Help (Level A)

In the world of web accessibility, consistency is key. To provide an inclusive experience, websites must be designed in a cohesive and predictable way—and that includes offering users reliable access to support. WCAG 3.2.6 Consistent Help (Level A) addresses this need by ensuring that help mechanisms, such as contact details or self-help options, are placed in the same location across a website.  

In this article, we’ll explore what WCAG 3.2.6 Consistent Help means, why it’s important, and how to implement it effectively. 

What is WCAG 3.2.6 Consistent Help (Level A)?

WCAG 3.2.6 Consistent Help (Level A) is a success criterion in version 2.1 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The success criterion states that, “If a web page contains any of the following help mechanisms, and those mechanisms are repeated on multiple web pages within a set of web pages, they occur in the same order relative to other page content, unless a change is initiated by the user: 

• Human contact details; 

• Human contact mechanism; 

• Self-help option; 

• A fully automated contact mechanism.” 

In simpler terms, if multiple pages of your website provide a way for users to access support, the support mechanism should be consistently placed across pages. As an example, consider a “Contact support” link that allows users to message a customer service representative. If this link appears in the footer of your homepage, and the same link exists on other pages, it must also appear in the footer of those other pages.  

The consistent placement of support mechanisms ensures that users, especially those who are neurodivergent or have cognitive or learning disabilities, can quickly locate assistance when needed.  

Because WCAG 3.2.6 helps users understand how to access support, the criterion is listed under the third principle of WCAG: Understandable. It’s further organized under Guideline 3.2: Predictable, as it facilitates this understanding through the predictable design of support mechanisms.  

Types of help mechanisms

WCAG 3.2.6 recognizes four types of help systems: human contact details, human contact mechanisms, self-help options, and fully automated contact mechanisms. To meet the success criterion, organizations that provide any one of these mechanisms on their website must ensure it’s consistently placed across all pages on which it appears.  

Here are a few examples of support channels that need to be designed predictably:  

• Human contact details include phone numbers, email addresses, or physical addresses. 

• Human contact mechanisms include chat functionality, video call functionality, and other ways to talk to people in real time. 

• Self-help options include FAQs, knowledge bases, and tutorials. 

• Fully automated contact systems include chatbots and other AI-driven support systems. 

Why is consistent help important?

Providing consistent help benefits both organizations and the end-users they serve. By ensuring support is available in a consistent manner, website owners can:  

1. Support users who are neurodivergent and / or have cognitive disabilities: Many individuals who are neurodivergent, such as those with autism or ADHD, benefit from consistent and predictable layouts. Predictability is also crucial for some individuals with cognitive or learning disabilities. Placing help mechanisms in a consistent location across pages allows these users to find support if needed. 

2. Enhance overall usability: Consistent help doesn’t just improve a web experience for people with disabilities. It allows a wide range of users, including older adults, new visitors, and busy professionals, to more easily identify support services.  

3. Build trust: When users know they can quickly find help, they’re more likely to trust your website, and, in turn, any products and services it advertises. 

How to implement WCAG 3.2.6 Consistent Help

If you’re ready to provide more consistent access to support services on your site—and a more intuitive, inclusive user experience—the following steps will help you get started.  

1. Identify support mechanisms available on your website: Review your website to understand what, if any, mechanisms are available for users to receive support.  

2. Check the placement of existing support mechanisms: If your website offers support mechanisms, check whether these mechanisms appear in the same place across different web pages. 

3. Adjust the location of support mechanisms to ensure consistency: When support options appear in different locations on different web pages, update these pages to ensure the placement of support options is consistent.  

4. Embed consistent help in your style guide: Document how support mechanisms should be placed on webpages in your style guide. This will ensure that design and development teams will keep the location of these elements consistent as content is updated and new pages are created. 

Additional best practices for seamless user support 

Placing support mechanisms in a consistent location on your website is critical for ensuring every user can get the help they need, when they need it. However, meeting WCAG 3.2.6 is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to providing an inclusive support experience. Website owners should also:   

• Ensure that help mechanisms are accessible: Make sure that all support options are perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (POUR) for users with disabilities. For example, ensure chatbots are compatible with screen readers, and that help buttons have sufficient color contrast.  

• Avoid overloading users with options: While it can be helpful to offer multiple ways for users to receive help, providing too many different options may overwhelm users.  

• Provide context-sensitive help: If users need to perform tasks (such as filling out text input fields) to engage with parts of your website, provide support that’s specific to these tasks. Refer to WCAG 3.3.5 (Help) for more information.  

Help every user get the most out of your website 

Confirming to WCAG 3.2.6 Consistent Help (Level A) is essential for ensuring users can easily find support when they need it. And by placing help mechanisms in predictable locations, you provide a more user-friendly experience for all visitors to your website, not just those with disabilities.  

Remember, accessibility is about more than just compliance—it’s about creating a digital world where everyone can participate fully. By implementing 3.2.6 Consistent Help, you take a significant step toward achieving that goal.