Assessment for Prehospital and Disaster Medicine by Centennial - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by bkahn@centenni… 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: Beyond the general search box, and the following search box to filter/modify your results, there really aren't any user input fields. This database is concerned strictly with the journal Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. It belongs to the broader Cambridge University Press website, but that site is beyond the scope of this assessment.

In the main search box on the home page, there is no label, just placeholder text. On the subsequent search pages for filtering and modifying the search, there is placeholder text, but all the input fields are clearly labelled above the box.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: In the main search box on the home page, there is no label, just placeholder text. On the subsequent search pages for filtering and modifying the search, there is placeholder text, but all the input fields are clearly labelled above the box.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: In the main search box on the home page, there is no label, just placeholder text. On the subsequent search pages for filtering and modifying the search, there is placeholder text, but all the input fields are clearly labelled above the box.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no coloured form control labels available.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: The search forms do not contain any required form fields.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Beyond the general search box, and the following search box to filter/modify your results, there really aren't any user input fields. I did a search on the Contact us form, and based these results on that.
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:
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The Rights & Permissions tab in article opens in a new tab. I also had the accessibility page open in a new tab.
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: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: I had a three errors - skipped heading level - come up on the home page.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The database menus are reasonable, but the Cambridge Core dropdowns sometimes have too many - for example, under Browse, there are 32 subject headings. However, these menus are external to the actual database under assessment.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Usually - see above.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Does the database avoid automatic redirection?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
eResource: Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: Other
Institution: Centennial
Score: A-

Key Findings

Strengths

  • The platform’s layout and navigation is consistent across all pages
  • Page content has appropriate headers and is tagged appropriately

Weaknesses

  • Some user input fields contain labels and clear instructions to help users successfully complete the form

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 Beyond the general search box, and the following search box to filter/modify your results, there really aren't any user input fields. This database is concerned strictly with the journal Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. It belongs to the broader Cambridge University Press website, but that site is beyond the scope of this assessment. In the main search box on the home page, there is no label, just placeholder text. On the subsequent search pages for filtering and modifying the search, there is placeholder text, but all the input fields are clearly labelled above the box.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes In the main search box on the home page, there is no label, just placeholder text. On the subsequent search pages for filtering and modifying the search, there is placeholder text, but all the input fields are clearly labelled above the box.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Always
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Sometimes In the main search box on the home page, there is no label, just placeholder text. On the subsequent search pages for filtering and modifying the search, there is placeholder text, but all the input fields are clearly labelled above the box.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Not Applicable There are no coloured form control labels available.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Not Applicable The search forms do not contain any 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

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 Beyond the general search box, and the following search box to filter/modify your results, there really aren't any user input fields. I did a search on the Contact us form, and based these results on that.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Always
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? Always
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order? Always

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

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? Always
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? Always
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website? Always
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Always
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently? Always

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? Sometimes The Rights & Permissions tab in article opens in a new tab. I also had the accessibility page open in a new tab.
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? Never
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Always

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Sometimes I had a three errors - skipped heading level - come up on the home page.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading? Always

Menus

Question Answer Notes Images
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options? Sometimes The database menus are reasonable, but the Cambridge Core dropdowns sometimes have too many - for example, under Browse, there are 32 subject headings. However, these menus are external to the actual database under assessment.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Sometimes Usually - see above.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Always

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
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content? Never
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Always

Change of Context: Focus

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus? Always
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? Always
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