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Keep repeated help mechanisms in a consistent location

rule · consistent-help

If a site offers help across multiple pages in the same journey, users should be able to learn where that help lives and find it again without re-scanning the whole layout. Consistency matters most when the user is already stuck.

Code Example

HTML
<!-- Good: help stays in the same relative area across checkout steps -->
<header>
  <a href="/checkout">Checkout</a>
  <a href="/help" aria-label="Get help with checkout">Help</a>
</header>
HTML
<!-- Bad: page 1 puts help in the header -->
<header>
  <a href="/help">Help</a>
</header>
 
<!-- Bad: page 2 moves the same help mechanism to the footer -->
<footer>
  <a href="/help">Help</a>
</footer>
HTML
<!-- Better: keep the same help order on another page in the same flow -->
<aside aria-label="Support">
  <a href="/help">Help center</a>
  <a href="/contact">Contact support</a>
</aside>

Why It Matters

People who need help during a task often need it quickly. Inconsistent support placement creates extra search effort at exactly the moment a user is already blocked.

  • users with cognitive disabilities benefit from predictable placement
  • repeated scanning for support controls slows form and checkout completion
  • consistency reduces frustration in recovery, onboarding, and support flows

Best Practices

Choose a stable support location

If help is repeated across a flow, keep it in one predictable place such as:

  • the header utility area
  • the same sidebar region
  • the same footer support area

The exact visual position can vary by breakpoint, but the relative order should stay consistent within that page variation.

Keep the same mechanisms together

If you expose more than one support mechanism, such as:

  • chat
  • phone
  • FAQ/help center
  • contact form

keep their order predictable across pages in the same flow.

Do not over-apply the rule

This rule does not require every page to have help. It requires consistency when the same help mechanism is repeated across multiple pages.

Standards

  • This rule maps to WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 3.2.6 Consistent Help.
  • Evaluate the same breakpoint and zoom level when comparing relative order across pages.

Exceptions

  • A page that does not include a help mechanism at all does not fail this rule solely because another page in the flow does.
  • Responsive layouts can rearrange content, but the relative order should remain consistent within the same breakpoint and zoom variation.
  • Contextual inline help inside a field is different from a repeated help mechanism such as chat, support, or contact links.

Verification

Automated Checks

  • Inventory repeated help mechanisms across the relevant set of pages.
  • Compare their DOM order and placement across pages at the same breakpoint.

Manual Checks

  • Open several pages in the same flow at the same viewport and zoom level.
  • Pass if repeated help appears in the same relative order on each page.
  • Fail if the same chat, contact, or help-center entry point moves unpredictably between header, body, sidebar, and footer positions.