Assessment for Films on Demand by Lambton - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by Michelle.Koski… 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: Sign in page has placeholder text only for username and password.
"Feedback" pages have placeholder text for name and email address.
The "submit a request" form has a problem that all users will have...the drop down box for "Please choose your issue below" has only one choice, and it does not make sense. I have submitted a ticket to Films on Demand about it (April 24, 2024).
There are survey questions on the "Feedback" form that require sliding a dot on a scale, and there is an emoji face at the end that defaults to a frown. It is not immediately obvious what to do with the slider. There are no instructions for completing this part of the form.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The "submit a request" form has labels for the fields, but feedback and sign in pages do not have labels for every field, while they do have placeholder text.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: When they are present, descriptions for fields are understandable.


Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Where there are labels, they are generally clearly associated with the field they apply to, and sometimes they are located directly above the field, but many of the labels are missing altogether.


Are text cues for coloured form control labels available?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no coloured control labels that I could see.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no visual indicators such as asterisks for required form fields.

Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Sign in page is checked
Feedback page does not appear to be checked, or confirmed or reversible after submission, but the user must click a button to submit before it actually is submitted.
If someone mistypes in the search bar (I tried csts...meaning "cats") the database makes suggestions.
In "sharing" a link to a particular resource, there is the opportunity to "clear all fields" next to the submit button. There is a check of the email input form for sure, so if someone does not put in a valid format of an address they will be stopped from submitting.

The optional email address field in the Feedback form is NOT checked...I keyed in a non-email but the form submitted without hesitation.

You cannot click on the submit button for the Feedback form, if the form is empty.
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 tries to share a record for an item, and they do not enter the email address of the recipient correctly, there is a notification "Something's not quite right", which does not clearly identify the field or the problem in that field to correct.

When someone mistypes and it generates zero results there are recommendations that appear under the "0" number of results. It states "Did you mean to search for one of these terms instead?" This is not close to the search bar however. I am not sure if clients would notice this or not.

If someone opens the Feedback page and they click "submit feedback" without having data in any other part of the form, the pointer turns into a circle with a line through it, when the mouse is over the submit feedback button.
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: If someone tries to share a record for an item, and they do not enter the email address of the recipient correctly, there is a notification "Something's not quite right", which does not clearly identify the field or the problem in that field to correct.

If someone opens the Feedback page and they click "submit feedback" without having data in any other part of the form, the pointer turns into a circle with a line through it, when the mouse is over the submit feedback button. This does not identify the problem or the location of the problem.

Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: If the form is sent, there is no way to call it back to revise it. If the form halts because of a problem, yes the client can go back and edit before trying to re-send it.
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: The error reports do not show up in a consistent way. The variety in notifications include: a red box with a message, an icon of a circle with a line through it, and a description in text. These messages do not appear in a particular physical location on the page, or in a particular location with respect to a field.
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Suggestions are generated when there are zero results.
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There is side by side text for most icons, but not all. However these same icons are Aria "Hidden": Share, Add to, Cite, Segments [for creating snips of videos for presentations], download transcript...which may interfere with screen readers. There is NO alt text for icons, hidden or not.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The layout of the pages associated with the icon for the "Resource Center" is not the same as other pages throughout the resource. There is no access to the bottom links for "Help", "Contact us", translation and so on, that are present on the main pages of the website. Resource Center pages do not have the search bar for the rest of the database.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The search bar for the main database is not present on the pages for the "Resource Center", but where the search bar is present, it is consistently at the top of the page throughout.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: With the exception of the "Resource Center" pages, help and contact us are in the same lower region of the page for the other pages in this resource. "Share" and "add to file" icons are not in the exact same page location on the results page (where they appear to the left of the image for a given film) compared to the specific item page (where they appear directly below the image for a given film).
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: When they are labelled, they are consistent.
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 many pop ups, but they appear in the same tab. When a new tab is generated, it is for a full page, not a pop up.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is no pop up that loads from the landing page of the database.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Individual pop ups can be suppressed by clicking a second time on the same spot as when it was activated. The browser might also be able to suppress pop ups in settings. The pop ups have X's in the top right corner for closing.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: It never launches a new browser window.
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are applied headers, but they are not hierarchical...there is no Heading 1, and there is no relationship between Header 2 and Header 3 items.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are applied headers, but they are not hierarchical...there is no Heading 1, and there is no relationship between Header 2 and Header 3 items.
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Keyboard navigation:
Home: yes
Result page: Yes
Item page: No
There is an option for Googletranslate (which has a drop down list of possible languages) which the tab button does not visit.
Subject list page: Yes
Individual subject results page: Yes, including drop down lists.
Feedback page: Yes, even the survey questions with a toggle on a line work with the tab
(Resource center pages are inaccessible because the icon can't be reached with the tab button)

Screen reader: YES
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: You have to click "enter" for the "Results" page or an item record to load, and it while it navigates to a new page, it stays within the same tab.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: In the results page, there are further filters that can be added to a search, and selecting these does not automatically update the content. There is a "Done" button to select, when the client is submitting changes.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There are no automatic redirections from an old page to a new page.
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: You must click "enter" for any item to be submitted. In receiving focus, form elements do not automatically submit.
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Most pages navigate the way one would expect, but carousels can sometimes end up out of synch, where the tab moves NVDA to read the carousel in sequence until it should "move" to accommodate the items that spill over the page...the voice will correctly read the items in sequence, but the visual indicator of the navigation will have "slipped" and will sometimes even become two boxes overlapped. It gets "caught up" on the start of the next carousel, and then slips out of order again after the first page of results has been read through.
eResource: Films on Demand
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: McIntyre Media
Institution: Lambton
Score: B

Key Findings

Weaknesses

  • The platform’s layout and navigation is somewhat consistent across all pages
  • User input fields do not 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 Sign in page has placeholder text only for username and password. "Feedback" pages have placeholder text for name and email address. The "submit a request" form has a problem that all users will have...the drop down box for "Please choose your issue below" has only one choice, and it does not make sense. I have submitted a ticket to Films on Demand about it (April 24, 2024). There are survey questions on the "Feedback" form that require sliding a dot on a scale, and there is an emoji face at the end that defaults to a frown. It is not immediately obvious what to do with the slider. There are no instructions for completing this part of the form.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes The "submit a request" form has labels for the fields, but feedback and sign in pages do not have labels for every field, while they do have placeholder text.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Sometimes When they are present, descriptions for fields are understandable.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Sometimes Where there are labels, they are generally clearly associated with the field they apply to, and sometimes they are located directly above the field, but many of the labels are missing altogether.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Not Applicable There are no coloured control labels that I could see.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Not Applicable There are no visual indicators such as asterisks 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. Sometimes Sign in page is checked Feedback page does not appear to be checked, or confirmed or reversible after submission, but the user must click a button to submit before it actually is submitted. If someone mistypes in the search bar (I tried csts...meaning "cats") the database makes suggestions. In "sharing" a link to a particular resource, there is the opportunity to "clear all fields" next to the submit button. There is a check of the email input form for sure, so if someone does not put in a valid format of an address they will be stopped from submitting. The optional email address field in the Feedback form is NOT checked...I keyed in a non-email but the form submitted without hesitation. You cannot click on the submit button for the Feedback form, if the form is empty.

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 tries to share a record for an item, and they do not enter the email address of the recipient correctly, there is a notification "Something's not quite right", which does not clearly identify the field or the problem in that field to correct. When someone mistypes and it generates zero results there are recommendations that appear under the "0" number of results. It states "Did you mean to search for one of these terms instead?" This is not close to the search bar however. I am not sure if clients would notice this or not. If someone opens the Feedback page and they click "submit feedback" without having data in any other part of the form, the pointer turns into a circle with a line through it, when the mouse is over the submit feedback button.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Sometimes If someone tries to share a record for an item, and they do not enter the email address of the recipient correctly, there is a notification "Something's not quite right", which does not clearly identify the field or the problem in that field to correct. If someone opens the Feedback page and they click "submit feedback" without having data in any other part of the form, the pointer turns into a circle with a line through it, when the mouse is over the submit feedback button. This does not identify the problem or the location of the problem.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error? Always
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission? Sometimes If the form is sent, there is no way to call it back to revise it. If the form halts because of a problem, yes the client can go back and edit before trying to re-send it.
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order? Never The error reports do not show up in a consistent way. The variety in notifications include: a red box with a message, an icon of a circle with a line through it, and a description in text. These messages do not appear in a particular physical location on the page, or in a particular location with respect to a field.

Search function spell-check

Question Answer Notes Images
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms? Always Suggestions are generated when there are zero results.

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Never There is side by side text for most icons, but not all. However these same icons are Aria "Hidden": Share, Add to, Cite, Segments [for creating snips of videos for presentations], download transcript...which may interfere with screen readers. There is NO alt text for icons, hidden or not.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Always
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? Sometimes The layout of the pages associated with the icon for the "Resource Center" is not the same as other pages throughout the resource. There is no access to the bottom links for "Help", "Contact us", translation and so on, that are present on the main pages of the website. Resource Center pages do not have the search bar for the rest of the database.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website? Sometimes The search bar for the main database is not present on the pages for the "Resource Center", but where the search bar is present, it is consistently at the top of the page throughout.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Sometimes With the exception of the "Resource Center" pages, help and contact us are in the same lower region of the page for the other pages in this resource. "Share" and "add to file" icons are not in the exact same page location on the results page (where they appear to the left of the image for a given film) compared to the specific item page (where they appear directly below the image for a given film).
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently? Always When they are labelled, they are consistent.

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 many pop ups, but they appear in the same tab. When a new tab is generated, it is for a full page, not a pop up.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Always There is no pop up that loads from the landing page of the database.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Always Individual pop ups can be suppressed by clicking a second time on the same spot as when it was activated. The browser might also be able to suppress pop ups in settings. The pop ups have X's in the top right corner for closing.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Always It never launches a new browser window.

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Never There are applied headers, but they are not hierarchical...there is no Heading 1, and there is no relationship between Header 2 and Header 3 items.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading? Never There are applied headers, but they are not hierarchical...there is no Heading 1, and there is no relationship between Header 2 and Header 3 items.

Menus

Question Answer Notes Images
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options? Always
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Always
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Always Keyboard navigation: Home: yes Result page: Yes Item page: No There is an option for Googletranslate (which has a drop down list of possible languages) which the tab button does not visit. Subject list page: Yes Individual subject results page: Yes, including drop down lists. Feedback page: Yes, even the survey questions with a toggle on a line work with the tab (Resource center pages are inaccessible because the icon can't be reached with the tab button) Screen reader: YES

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 You have to click "enter" for the "Results" page or an item record to load, and it while it navigates to a new page, it stays within the same tab.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content? Always In the results page, there are further filters that can be added to a search, and selecting these does not automatically update the content. There is a "Done" button to select, when the client is submitting changes.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Always There are no automatic redirections from an old page to a new page.

Change of Context: Focus

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus? Always You must click "enter" for any item to be submitted. In receiving focus, form elements do not automatically submit.
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus? Always
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 Most pages navigate the way one would expect, but carousels can sometimes end up out of synch, where the tab moves NVDA to read the carousel in sequence until it should "move" to accommodate the items that spill over the page...the voice will correctly read the items in sequence, but the visual indicator of the navigation will have "slipped" and will sometimes even become two boxes overlapped. It gets "caught up" on the start of the next carousel, and then slips out of order again after the first page of results has been read through.
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