Why it matters
Users with cognitive disabilities rely on consistent labeling to understand and navigate interfaces. Inconsistent naming forces users to relearn functionality on each page.
Common violations
- Search labeled 'Search' on one page and 'Find' on another
- Print icon using different alt text across pages
- Navigation links with different labels for the same destination
- Form submit buttons labeled 'Submit', 'Send', and 'Go' across different forms
Code examples
Bad
<!-- Page 1 -->
<button aria-label="Search">🔍</button>
<!-- Page 2 -->
<button aria-label="Find">🔍</button>Good
<!-- Page 1 -->
<button aria-label="Search">🔍</button>
<!-- Page 2 -->
<button aria-label="Search">🔍</button>How to fix
Create a shared component library with consistent labels. Document standard naming conventions for common actions (Search, Print, Save, Close). Audit across pages to find inconsistencies.
Related criteria
Related resources
Scan your site