coga

name	coga
description	W3C Making Content Usable for People with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities (COGA) knowledge base for accessibility assessment

Making Content Usable (COGA) - Skill Entry

This SKILL.md is the entrypoint for the Making Content Usable for People with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities (COGA) framework skill used by the Accessibility Planner and the Accessibility Skill Assessor subagent.

COGA is a Working Group Note published by the W3C Cognitive Accessibility Task Force. Unlike the normative WCAG 2.2 success criteria, COGA provides informative design guidance: 53 design patterns are organised into eight user-need objectives that together cover the accessibility needs of people with cognitive, learning, neurological, and age-related impairments. Each pattern describes a user need, suggested design approaches, and evaluation considerations. COGA patterns frequently complement WCAG 2.2 criteria, since several user needs (consistent navigation, clear labels, error prevention, focus support) are partially expressed across both standards.

Source: W3C, Making Content Usable for People with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities, https://www.w3.org/TR/coga-usable/.

Licensing posture

COGA is published under the W3C Document License as a Working Group Note. This skill paraphrases pattern intent rather than reproducing the source verbatim, in line with the paraphrase-preferred posture defined in accessibility-license-posture.instructions.md. Every per-objective reference file cites the canonical W3C URL anchor for each pattern, and any future verbatim quotation must carry the W3C copyright attribution line specified in that instruction file.

Pattern roll-up

The table below lists every COGA pattern grouped by objective. The Reference column links into the per-objective reference file using an anchor that matches the section header for that pattern. Total: 53 patterns across 8 objectives.

#	Pattern	User need	Design patterns	Assessment heuristics	Reference
1.1	Make the Purpose of Your Page Clear	Clear Purpose	Descriptive titles, headers, signposts, top-of-page summary	Confirm purpose is visible without scrolling; titles match the task	objective-clear-purpose.md#control-make-the-purpose-of-your-page-clear
1.2	Use a Familiar Hierarchy and Design	Clear Operation	Conventional layout, predictable patterns, standard navigation	Confirm controls live where users expect; avoid novel patterns	objective-clear-purpose.md#control-use-a-familiar-hierarchy-and-design
1.3	Use a Consistent Visual Design	Clear Operation	Consistent layout, colours, typography, control placement	Confirm same controls render identically across pages	objective-clear-purpose.md#control-use-a-consistent-visual-design
1.4	Make Each Step Clear	Clear Operation	One concept per step, step indicators, progress feedback	Confirm each step has a clear heading and progress is visible	objective-clear-purpose.md#control-make-each-step-clear
1.5	Clearly Identify Controls and Their Use	Clear Operation	Conventional control shapes, visible focus, descriptive labels	Confirm interactive elements look interactive; labels describe outcome	objective-clear-purpose.md#control-clearly-identify-controls-and-their-use
1.6	Make the Relationship Clear Between Controls and the Content They Affect	Clear Operation	Proximity, grouping, visible references, aria-controls	Confirm users can predict what a control will change	objective-clear-purpose.md#control-make-the-relationship-clear-between-controls-and-the-content-they-affect
1.7	Use Icons that Help the User	Use Symbols	Familiar icons, paired text labels, consistent meaning	Confirm icons have text labels and follow industry conventions	objective-clear-purpose.md#control-use-icons-that-help-the-user
2.1	Make it Easy to Find the Most Important Tasks and Features of the Site	Findability	Prominent placement, above-the-fold key actions, clear entry points	Confirm primary tasks appear without scrolling on common viewports	objective-find-help.md#control-make-it-easy-to-find-the-most-important-tasks-and-features-of-the-site
2.2	Make the Site Hierarchy Easy to Understand and Navigate	Findability	Logical groupings, predictable menus, breadcrumbs	Confirm sitemap depth is shallow; navigation paths are stable	objective-find-help.md#control-make-the-site-hierarchy-easy-to-understand-and-navigate
2.3	Use a Clear and Understandable Page Structure	Findability	Distinct page regions, headings, whitespace, dividers	Confirm regions are visually distinct and use landmark roles	objective-find-help.md#control-use-a-clear-and-understandable-page-structure
2.4	Make it Easy to Find the Most Important Actions and Information on the Page	Findability	Prominent CTAs, summary at top, key info above the fold	Confirm primary actions are visually emphasised and reachable quickly	objective-find-help.md#control-make-it-easy-to-find-the-most-important-actions-and-information-on-the-page
2.5	Break Media into Chunks	Findability	Segmented video, chapter markers, summaries	Confirm long media has chapter navigation or transcripts with anchors	objective-find-help.md#control-break-media-into-chunks
2.6	Provide Search	Findability	Site search, spell-check, suggestions, recent queries	Confirm search exists and tolerates typos and synonyms	objective-find-help.md#control-provide-search
3.1	Use Clear and Understandable Language	Clear Meaning	Plain language, defined terms, simple vocabulary	Confirm reading level matches audience; jargon is defined inline	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-use-clear-and-understandable-language
3.2	Use Familiar Words	Clear Meaning	Common words, audience-appropriate vocabulary	Confirm uncommon words have a glossary entry or definition	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-use-familiar-words
3.3	Use Simple Sentence Structure	Clear Meaning	Short sentences, active voice, one idea per sentence	Confirm sentences are short and avoid embedded clauses	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-use-simple-sentence-structure
3.4	Use Headings and Sections	Clear Meaning	Hierarchical headings, scannable sections	Confirm headings are nested correctly and convey topic	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-use-headings-and-sections
3.5	Use Lists	Clear Meaning	Bulleted or numbered lists, short list items	Confirm enumerable content is presented as a list rather than prose	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-use-lists
3.6	Keep Text Succinct	Clear Meaning	Short paragraphs, summaries, removal of filler	Confirm content is trimmed to essentials; long pages have summaries	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-keep-text-succinct
3.7	Use Clear, Unambiguous Formatting and Punctuation	Clear Meaning	Standard punctuation, avoid all-caps, avoid italics for emphasis	Confirm formatting is consistent and avoids cognitive ambiguity	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-use-clear-unambiguous-formatting-and-punctuation
3.8	Separate Each Instruction	Clear Meaning	One instruction per line, numbered steps, clear separation	Confirm multi-step tasks are split into discrete numbered steps	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-separate-each-instruction
3.9	Use White Spacing	Clear Meaning	Generous margins, line height, spacing between blocks	Confirm density is low enough that elements do not crowd each other	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-use-white-spacing
3.10	Ensure Foreground Content is not Obscured by Background	Clear Meaning	High contrast, no busy backgrounds behind text	Confirm text contrast meets WCAG and backgrounds do not interfere	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-ensure-foreground-content-is-not-obscured-by-background
3.11	Explain Implied Content	Clear Meaning	Spell out idioms, expand abbreviations, define references	Confirm content does not assume cultural or contextual knowledge	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-explain-implied-content
3.12	Provide Alternatives for Numerical Concepts	Clear Meaning	Visualisations, comparisons, plain-language equivalents	Confirm numbers and percentages have non-numeric alternatives	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-provide-alternatives-for-numerical-concepts
3.13	Support Different Modalities	Clear Meaning	Text, image, audio, video alternatives	Confirm critical content is reachable via at least two modalities	objective-clear-meaning.md#control-support-different-modalities
4.1	Ensure Controls and Content Do Not Move Unexpectedly	Error Prevention	Stable layouts, no auto-shifts, predictable insertions	Confirm targets remain stable while users interact with the page	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-ensure-controls-and-content-do-not-move-unexpectedly
4.2	Let Users Go Back	Error Prevention	Back button works, undo for actions, no trap pages	Confirm browser back and explicit back navigation always work	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-let-users-go-back
4.3	Notify Users of Fees and Charges at the Start of a Task	Error Prevention	Upfront pricing disclosure, hidden-fee avoidance	Confirm all costs are disclosed before any commitment is made	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-notify-users-of-fees-and-charges-at-the-start-of-a-task
4.4	Design Forms to Prevent Mistakes	Error Prevention	Minimal fields, clear labels, format examples, inline validation	Confirm forms reduce required input and validate as users type	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-design-forms-to-prevent-mistakes
4.5	Make it Easy to Undo Form Errors	Error Prevention	Saved drafts, retained input on error, undo affordances	Confirm partial form data persists after a validation failure	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-make-it-easy-to-undo-form-errors
4.6	Use Clear Visible Labels	Error Prevention	Persistent visible labels, no placeholder-only labels	Confirm labels remain visible after the user types	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-use-clear-visible-labels
4.7	Use Clear Step-by-step Instructions	Error Prevention	Numbered steps, one action per step, examples	Confirm multi-step flows have explicit step indicators and examples	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-use-clear-step-by-step-instructions
4.8	Accept Different Input Formats	Error Prevention	Flexible date, phone, address parsing	Confirm common input formats are accepted without strict masks	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-accept-different-input-formats
4.9	Avoid Data Loss and Timeouts	Error Prevention	No arbitrary timeouts, autosave, timeout warnings	Confirm no required rapid response; timeouts are warned and extendable	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-avoid-data-loss-and-timeouts
4.10	Provide Feedback	Error Prevention	Confirmation messages, status updates, undo prompts	Confirm every user action produces visible or audible feedback	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-provide-feedback
4.11	Help the User Stay Safe	Error Prevention	Warnings before risky actions, confirmation prompts	Confirm destructive or costly actions require confirmation and are reversible	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-help-the-user-stay-safe
4.12	Use Familiar Metrics and Units	Error Prevention	Locale-appropriate units, conversions, plain labels	Confirm units match user locale or provide conversions	objective-error-prevention-recovery.md#control-use-familiar-metrics-and-units
5.1	Help Users Focus	Focus	Minimise distractions, prioritise one task at a time	Confirm pages do not present competing concurrent demands on attention	objective-supports-attention.md#control-help-users-focus
5.2	Make Short Critical Paths	Focus	Few steps to complete core tasks, streamlined flows	Confirm primary tasks complete in the smallest practical number of steps	objective-supports-attention.md#control-make-short-critical-paths
5.3	Avoid Too Much Content	Focus	Limit on-screen items, three to six functions, brief content	Confirm visible content is bounded and avoids dense paragraphs	objective-supports-attention.md#control-avoid-too-much-content
6.1	Ensure Processes Do Not Rely on Memory	Memory	Persistent information, repeated context across steps	Confirm users do not need to recall data from prior screens	objective-minimise-memory-load.md#control-ensure-processes-do-not-rely-on-memory
6.2	Let Users Avoid Navigating Voice Menus	Memory	Text alternative to voice IVR, skip-prompts, quick keys	Confirm voice or phone flows have text equivalents or shortcuts	objective-minimise-memory-load.md#control-let-users-avoid-navigating-voice-menus
6.3	Do Not Rely on User Calculations or Memorising Information	Memory	Provide calculated values, avoid memorisation for security	Confirm calculations are done for the user; auth does not require recall puzzles	objective-minimise-memory-load.md#control-do-not-rely-on-user-calculations-or-memorising-information
7.1	Clearly State the Results and Disadvantages of Actions, Options, and Selections	Help	Outcome descriptions, warnings about consequences	Confirm each choice explains what it does and what changes	objective-feedback-confirmation.md#control-clearly-state-the-results-and-disadvantages-of-actions-options-and-selections
7.2	Provide Help for Forms and Non-standard Controls	Help	Inline help, examples, password rules, control-specific docs	Confirm complex inputs have inline accessible help	objective-feedback-confirmation.md#control-provide-help-for-forms-and-non-standard-controls
7.3	Make It Easy to Find Help and Give Feedback	Help	Persistent help link, multiple support channels	Confirm help is reachable from every page and offers multiple channels	objective-feedback-confirmation.md#control-make-it-easy-to-find-help-and-give-feedback
7.4	Provide Help with Directions	Help	Step-by-step guidance, wayfinding, tooltips	Confirm tasks include clear contextual directions and visual aids	objective-feedback-confirmation.md#control-provide-help-with-directions
7.5	Provide Reminders	Help	Reminders for recurring tasks, confirmation of important actions	Confirm scheduled or repeated tasks support reminder hooks	objective-feedback-confirmation.md#control-provide-reminders
8.1	Let Users Control When the Content Moves or Changes	Adapt	User-initiated motion, pause controls, no auto-launching pop-ups	Confirm animation and auto-rotation have user-accessible controls	objective-user-control.md#control-let-users-control-when-the-content-moves-or-changes
8.2	Enable APIs and Extensions	Adapt	Compatible with assistive add-ons, password managers, simplifiers	Confirm pages do not block accessibility-enhancing browser extensions	objective-user-control.md#control-enable-apis-and-extensions
8.3	Support Simplification	Adapt	Simplified-view toggle, three to six core functions in simplified mode	Confirm a low-complexity alternative view is available where practical	objective-user-control.md#control-support-simplification
8.4	Support a Personalised and Familiar Interface	Adapt	Customisable layout, colours, terminology, system-preference respect	Confirm user preferences are honoured and persisted across visits	objective-user-control.md#control-support-a-personalised-and-familiar-interface

Assessment heuristics

Per-pattern assessment heuristics, design pattern detail, and scope notes live inside the per-objective reference files in references/. The Accessibility Skill Assessor subagent consumes the appropriate objective-<slug>.md#control-<pattern-slug> section when evaluating a finding against a specific COGA pattern.

Cross-skill use is the common case: a COGA finding usually cites both the pattern reference here and the most closely related WCAG 2.2 success criterion in wcag-22. For example, a page that auto-rotates a carousel without a pause control is cited against objective-user-control.md#control-let-users-control-when-the-content-moves-or-changes (for the COGA user-control pattern) and ../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-2.md#sc-2-2-2 (for the WCAG 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide requirement).

Skill layout

• SKILL.md — this file (skill entrypoint and 53-row roll-up table).
• references/ — one markdown file per COGA objective. Each file contains a paraphrased description of every pattern within the objective, a Design patterns list of implementation approaches, an Assessment heuristics list for evaluation, and a canonical W3C source URL anchor.

---

🤖 Crafted with precision by ✨Copilot following brilliant human instruction, then carefully refined by our team of discerning human reviewers.