{
  "id": "SC-3.2.6/p02",
  "rulePrefix": "SC-3.2.6",
  "variant": "p02",
  "ruleType": "synthetic-sc",
  "scanScope": "pair-set",
  "synthetic": true,
  "status": "current",
  "title": "Help link in inconsistent location (variant page)",
  "summary": "Contact help appears in the header on one page and the footer on another.",
  "whyItFails": "Users who rely on predictable help placement cannot find assistance quickly because its location changes between pages.",
  "principles": [
    "understandable"
  ],
  "guidelines": [
    "3.2"
  ],
  "successCriteria": [
    {
      "id": "3.2.6",
      "name": "Consistent Help",
      "level": "A",
      "slug": "consistent-help"
    }
  ],
  "versions": [
    "2.2"
  ],
  "automatable": "no",
  "requires": [
    "multi-page",
    "multi-page"
  ],
  "isolated": true,
  "pairWith": [
    "SC-3.2.6"
  ],
  "w3c": {
    "understanding": [
      "https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/consistent-help"
    ],
    "quickref": [
      "https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/#consistent-help"
    ]
  },
  "specimen": {
    "html": "<aside class=\"sc326-help\"><a href=\"help.html\">Help</a></aside>\n<h1>Account</h1>\n<p>Help link appears in a sidebar on this page.</p>",
    "css": ".sc326-help { float: right; border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 8px; }",
    "js": "",
    "assets": []
  },
  "expectedFindings": [
    {
      "sc": "3.2.6",
      "outcome": "fail",
      "note": "Specimen demonstrates failure of 3.2.6."
    }
  ],
  "mustNotFlag": [],
  "manualCheck": "Compare both pages and confirm help is not in the same relative order or location.",
  "generated": {
    "url": "https://wcagfail.patternd.io/specimens/SC-3.2.6/p02/",
    "lastmod": "2026-10-08"
  },
  "multiPageNote": "Failure observable only across: SC-3.2.6/p02, SC-3.2.6"
}