Assessment for Scott's Directories by OCLS - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by lurican@ocls.ca on
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: At the top of the homepage, there are searching instructions with pop-up instructions when you click on them on how to use.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The search criteria has search boxes that include a drop-down menu, once you've clicked on them.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The descriptions are easy to understand because the text indicates what type of box it is, such as searching criteria, it has the two ways one can search, such as company and contact. Company and Contact also easy to understand as they fields change depending on which type of search you're doing.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The website has very clear labels for each field.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are no coloured forms control labels available.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are no visual indicators for required form fields.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The website allows searches to be reversible, by simply clicking x on the fields at the top of the page. But, there is checked or reversible input fields.
Are alert messages clearly visible to the user, either at the top of the form field, inline, or through a dialog box?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: If someone clicks on add, but they have not written anything, a message pop-up. But, there are no alert messages if there is a mistake in the search statement.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The only time there is a message is when there is nothing in the search box, but you've clicked 'add', the message only says that "you can't add an empty field". Other than that, there is alert message that indicates there is an error.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: It is easy to correct the error when it comes to adding information in the field. It is not easy to correct the mistake if they entered the wrong information, as it does not tell you that there is an error.
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Users can submit the form and change the submission as many times as needed.
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are no error reports available.
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: Other than a red underline for the word that is misspelled, there is no autofill with drop-down options nor spelling suggestions available.
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The icons are consistent across the site and do not change.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There is no alternative text.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Search is also labelled as Search Criteria. Additionally, the term filters is used alongside criteria for the field Clear Criteria/Filters. But the "back" button on the result screen and profiles is always the same and labelled the same.
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The icons and links are consistent. For example, on the result page, there is "add note", "add to pick list" and "map it" and those stay consistent on each result page.
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The searching functions remain at the top of each page.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Users have to click on the search criteria field to see the search fields again. The search fields are not available anywhere else.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The chat help always pop-up no matter on which page the user is on.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The searching functions always have the same labels. The menu always stays the same, including the demo video.
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: There are no pop-up windows on the website.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes:
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The database does not launch new pages when a user clicks on a link.
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: The pages are not subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings. There is one Heading 1 at the top of the page for the word "search". There is no heading 2, heading 3 is found in the footer.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: On the pages, it does not look like there are any headings.
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is one menu, which stays consistent across all pages.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The menu contains all the relevant information a user needs to navigate the database.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The menu can be accessed using screen readers but not via keyboard navigation.
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: The result page does not open unless the user clicks on "See Results".
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 no "update now" button.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Unless the user clicks on a button, no action is taken by the database.
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The database does not launch new windows unless the user clicks on the button.
Does the database avoid change of focus when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are you able to tab through a page using keyboard navigation without the keyboard focus moving away from the control?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The only time a user can use keyboard navigation is the tab key to move to from company name to phone, phone to fax, and fax to website.
eResource: Scott's Directories
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: Scott's Directories
Institution: OCLS
Score: D+

Key Findings

Strengths

  • The platform’s layout and navigation is consistent across all pages

Weaknesses

  • Some user input fields contain labels and clear instructions to help users successfully complete the form
  • Page content does not have appropriate headers and is not tagged appropriately

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 At the top of the homepage, there are searching instructions with pop-up instructions when you click on them on how to use.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes The search criteria has search boxes that include a drop-down menu, once you've clicked on them.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Sometimes The descriptions are easy to understand because the text indicates what type of box it is, such as searching criteria, it has the two ways one can search, such as company and contact. Company and Contact also easy to understand as they fields change depending on which type of search you're doing.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Always The website has very clear labels for each field.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Never There are no coloured forms control labels available.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Never There are no visual indicators for required form fields.

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Always The website allows searches to be reversible, by simply clicking x on the fields at the top of the page. But, there is checked or reversible input 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? Sometimes If someone clicks on add, but they have not written anything, a message pop-up. But, there are no alert messages if there is a mistake in the search statement.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Sometimes The only time there is a message is when there is nothing in the search box, but you've clicked 'add', the message only says that "you can't add an empty field". Other than that, there is alert message that indicates there is an error.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error? Sometimes It is easy to correct the error when it comes to adding information in the field. It is not easy to correct the mistake if they entered the wrong information, as it does not tell you that there is an error.
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission? Always Users can submit the form and change the submission as many times as needed.
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order? Never There are no error reports available.

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 Other than a red underline for the word that is misspelled, there is no autofill with drop-down options nor spelling suggestions available.

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always The icons are consistent across the site and do not change.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Never There is no alternative text.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Sometimes Search is also labelled as Search Criteria. Additionally, the term filters is used alongside criteria for the field Clear Criteria/Filters. But the "back" button on the result screen and profiles is always the same and labelled the same.
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Always The icons and links are consistent. For example, on the result page, there is "add note", "add to pick list" and "map it" and those stay consistent on each result page.
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone? Always

Consistent Navigation

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages? Always The searching functions remain at the top of each page.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website? Not Applicable Users have to click on the search criteria field to see the search fields again. The search fields are not available anywhere else.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Always The chat help always pop-up no matter on which page the user is on.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently? Always The searching functions always have the same labels. The menu always stays the same, including the demo video.

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 There are no pop-up windows on the website.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Always
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Not Applicable
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Always The database does not launch new pages when a user clicks on a link.

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Never The pages are not subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings. There is one Heading 1 at the top of the page for the word "search". There is no heading 2, heading 3 is found in the footer.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading? Never On the pages, it does not look like there are any headings.

Menus

Question Answer Notes Images
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options? Always There is one menu, which stays consistent across all pages.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Always The menu contains all the relevant information a user needs to navigate the database.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Sometimes The menu can be accessed using screen readers but not via keyboard navigation.

Change of context

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning? Never The result page does not open unless the user clicks on "See Results".
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content? Never There is no "update now" button.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Never

Change of Context: Focus

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus? Always Unless the user clicks on a button, no action is taken by the database.
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus? Always The database does not launch new windows unless the user clicks on the button.
Does the database avoid change of focus when a component receives focus? Always
Are you able to tab through a page using keyboard navigation without the keyboard focus moving away from the control? Sometimes The only time a user can use keyboard navigation is the tab key to move to from company name to phone, phone to fax, and fax to website.
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