Assessment for National Film Board of Canada (NFB) by St. Clair - Module 2: Interface Navigation

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Are user input fields accompanied by clear instructions on what the user needs to do to successfully complete the form?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Some of the input fields are missing clear instructions. In these instances, they contain the placeholder text. For example, Become a new member form, the confirm your password field does not include instructions outside the placeholder text.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Some fields are missing labels.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Descriptions for fields and boxes are mostly present and easy to understand.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Labels are placed above the input fields and clearly associated with each corresponding field.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The coloured text cues do appear until after a user has missed or not filled out a required field.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There is no visible indicator for the required fields.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: User input fields have checked setup. If there is information missing from any of the required fields a validation error will occur at the end of the page and users will be asked to fill out the required fields.
Are alert messages clearly visible to the user, either at the top of the form field, inline, or through a dialog box?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is a message at the bottom of the dialog box.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes. If users put in information that is not correct such as email address or password, an alert will appear beneath the input field. In the message box under contact, there is also a spelling correction feature.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Users are alerted to make corrections in the required fields before submission.
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Users are able to resubmit and re-validate their submission for forms such as signing in or signing up. In the contact form, unless the users make a noted mistake before submission they will not be able to resubmit. However, they are drawn immediately to any potential mistakes for required fields where valid information is not put such as email addresses.
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order.
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: Misspelled in the search does not have spelling suggestions or synonyms. However, based on even the first letters in the search function a list of suggested videos does populate automatically. If no letters or no discernible word can be identified from what the user is trying to search an error will appear automatically “no results matched your search. Give it another try!”.
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There are not a lot of icons in the database. However, the icons that are present do appear consistently across the site.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The icons do have clear and consistent alt text.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes, the search button is labelled and consistently placed across the database. It also contains the magnifying glass icon.
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes, icons with adjacent links are consistent.
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes. The purpose of the link can be determined by the text.
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The search button and navigational page links all appear in the same are, column on the left side. All the important information such as terms of use, about link all appear in the footer that continues across each page.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Search field is located in the left column on every page. It is also located at the top of all the result pages.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Located in the footer.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All components are consistently labelled.
Does the electronic resource avoid the use of pop-up windows which open automatically in a new tab if a user clicks on a button?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Found no instances of pop-ups.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Found no instances of pop-ups.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Found no instances of pop-ups.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Found no instances of pop-ups.
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Headings are tagged appropriate and hierarchically.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Headings are tagged and read in a logical order.
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There are a few drop-down menus spread throughout the database. They can be navigated via keyboard. The menu options are between 3 and 7.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The menu options are between 3 and 7.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All menus and submenus are accessible via keyboard and screen reader.
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The results page and item record view avoids opening in a new tab.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There is a reset filters link that appears when a user adds a filter. But the content in the list does automatically update when filters are applied.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The database does avoid automatic redirection with moving to another page. But the list on the results page does update automatically when the search terms are changed in the input field or with the filters. This might be problematic to a user if they are not aware of the changes before moving the cursor down.
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Forms avoid automatically submitting when receiving focus.
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes, NFB does avoid launching a new window when the component receives focus.
Does the database avoid change of focus when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The database consistently prevents changes in focus when a component receives focus.
Are you able to tab through a page using keyboard navigation without the keyboard focus moving away from the control?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Keyboard navigation allows users to tab through elements on a page without the focus moving away from the currently selected control.
eResource: National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
Institution: St. Clair
Score: A-

Labels and Instructions for Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields accompanied by clear instructions on what the user needs to do to successfully complete the form? Sometimes Some of the input fields are missing clear instructions. In these instances, they contain the placeholder text. For example, Become a new member form, the confirm your password field does not include instructions outside the placeholder text.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes Some fields are missing labels.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Always Descriptions for fields and boxes are mostly present and easy to understand.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Always Labels are placed above the input fields and clearly associated with each corresponding field.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Sometimes The coloured text cues do appear until after a user has missed or not filled out a required field.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Never There is no visible indicator for the required fields.

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Always User input fields have checked setup. If there is information missing from any of the required fields a validation error will occur at the end of the page and users will be asked to fill out the required fields.

Error Reports

Question Answer Notes Images
Are alert messages clearly visible to the user, either at the top of the form field, inline, or through a dialog box? Always There is a message at the bottom of the dialog box.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Always Yes. If users put in information that is not correct such as email address or password, an alert will appear beneath the input field. In the message box under contact, there is also a spelling correction feature.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error? Always Users are alerted to make corrections in the required fields before submission.
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission? Sometimes Users are able to resubmit and re-validate their submission for forms such as signing in or signing up. In the contact form, unless the users make a noted mistake before submission they will not be able to resubmit. However, they are drawn immediately to any potential mistakes for required fields where valid information is not put such as email addresses.
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order? Always Error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order.

Search function spell-check

Question Answer Notes Images
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms? Never Misspelled in the search does not have spelling suggestions or synonyms. However, based on even the first letters in the search function a list of suggested videos does populate automatically. If no letters or no discernible word can be identified from what the user is trying to search an error will appear automatically “no results matched your search. Give it another try!”.

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always There are not a lot of icons in the database. However, the icons that are present do appear consistently across the site.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Always The icons do have clear and consistent alt text.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always Yes, the search button is labelled and consistently placed across the database. It also contains the magnifying glass icon.
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Always Yes, icons with adjacent links are consistent.
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone? Always Yes. The purpose of the link can be determined by the text.

Consistent Navigation

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages? Always The search button and navigational page links all appear in the same are, column on the left side. All the important information such as terms of use, about link all appear in the footer that continues across each page.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website? Always Search field is located in the left column on every page. It is also located at the top of all the result pages.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Always Located in the footer.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently? Always All components are consistently labelled.

Pop-up windows/Interruptions

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the electronic resource avoid the use of pop-up windows which open automatically in a new tab if a user clicks on a button? Always Found no instances of pop-ups.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Always Found no instances of pop-ups.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Not Applicable Found no instances of pop-ups.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Always Found no instances of pop-ups.

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Always Headings are tagged appropriate and hierarchically.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading? Always Headings are tagged and read in a logical order.

Menus

Question Answer Notes Images
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options? Always There are a few drop-down menus spread throughout the database. They can be navigated via keyboard. The menu options are between 3 and 7.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Always The menu options are between 3 and 7.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Always All menus and submenus are accessible via keyboard and screen reader.

Change of context

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning? Always The results page and item record view avoids opening in a new tab.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content? Never There is a reset filters link that appears when a user adds a filter. But the content in the list does automatically update when filters are applied.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Sometimes The database does avoid automatic redirection with moving to another page. But the list on the results page does update automatically when the search terms are changed in the input field or with the filters. This might be problematic to a user if they are not aware of the changes before moving the cursor down.

Change of Context: Focus

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus? Always Forms avoid automatically submitting when receiving focus.
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus? Always Yes, NFB does avoid launching a new window when the component receives focus.
Does the database avoid change of focus when a component receives focus? Always The database consistently prevents changes in focus when a component receives focus.
Are you able to tab through a page using keyboard navigation without the keyboard focus moving away from the control? Always Keyboard navigation allows users to tab through elements on a page without the focus moving away from the currently selected control.
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