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Getting started with personalization semantics

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snidersd edited this page Aug 3, 2019 · 7 revisions

Getting started

How it works

The solution architecture consists of 2 parts

  1. Web developers using HTML and other documents to add supporting syntax that provides the extra information, help, and context. The latest working draft of the semantics and work-in-progress are available at https://w3c.github.io/personalization-semantics/. Example and implementation pages that are marked up using the personalization semantics are available at:

For example: <button data-action="undo">Revert</button>

  1. User agents such as browser extensions and assistive technology that use the syntax to manipulate the content to meet the user’s need.

  • The user agent may also use user preferences for different interface options – either for the individual or as a popular “skin”

  • The web author can also include an open source script that enables the personalization for the user such as https://github.com/ayelet-seeman/coga.personalisation

About Personalization

Personalization can enable web authors to really meet the individual user’s needs. Some users need extra support can be supported with minimal effort from the user via personalization. This can include:

  • Familiar symbols and graphics that the user knows
  • Tooltips;
  • Language the user understands such as literal language or common terms
  • Fewer features and options adjusted to the optimum number for the individual user
  • Keyboard short cuts that are familiar to the user
  • Widgets for in-context help

Personalization works by having user preferences and a series of open source adaptive widgets that can supply the user with the extra support they need with minimum work for the author. It also enables the author the ability to keep their original design in tack, whilst enabling personalized experiences for different users. We need personalization because:

  • Sometimes user needs conflict;
  • Learning new designs, patterns and widgets can be confusing - we want to allow users use widgets they already know;
  • Extra support can be annoying to people who do not need it;
  • Making content predictable is necessary for accessibility for some people but can often be considered boring design for other users;
  • Ability to change levels of complexity and simplify the content is important as people skills improve or decrease over time or context.

In another use-case, we would like to see interoperable symbol set codes for non-verbal users. Products for people who are non-vocal often use symbols to help users communicate. These symbols are in fact a language used by individuals to communicate. Unfortunately, many of these symbols are both subject to copyright and are not interoperable. That means end-users can only use one device, and can not use applications or assistive technologies from different companies. An open set of references for symbol codes for these symbol sets could be made them interoperable. That means the end-user could use an open source symbol set or buy the symbols and use them across different devices or applications. Symbol sets could still be proprietary but they would also be interoperable.

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