Assessment for MasterFILE Elite by Fanshawe - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by jli@fanshawec.ca on
Are user input fields accompanied by clear instructions on what the user needs to do to successfully complete the form?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The alert messages are found under the search fields. If a word is misspelled, a message in black and blue will appear tell in the user they are showing results for the correct spelling of the word, as well as the option to search instead for the misspelled word. An alert message will appear in red when no results are found. Messages in red are more visible than the blue and black coloured messages. It can easily be missed since the colours used by the database are blue and black.
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 alert messages that clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred, as well as the description of the error and the fix, are only for misspelled words. If you make an error will any of the limiters (for example: setting the published date to January 2018 to March 2017), you will only receive the "No results are found" message. You will not receive any alert messages for any limiter errors.
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: Never
Score: 0
Notes: Error reports and alert messages appear at the bottom on the search field section. This can be easily missed, since it is located at the bottom and not necessarily near the search fields.
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: On the results page, beside every result is an icon of a magnifying glass and paper, and a the blue folder with the plus sign. These icons do not have alternative text. Also, in the search field section that appears on every page in the database, the icons used to add and delete search rows are not labelled, as well as the question mark icon (which brings up a new window with information on how to use the advanced search).
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Aside from the icons that are missing alternative text, all actions that are labelled are consistently labelled across the site.
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: Not new tabs, but in new windows. Some buttons that will automatically open in a new window, are the question mark icon in the search field section, the "Save PDF to Cloud" icon and "Google Chrome" icons in the details page of a results, and the "Help" on the right side of the database.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The only time that a pop-up window will automatically appear is when you first login to the database. The pop-up is the askON virtual chat service. The pop-up message is blue and is usually located at the top left of the database.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
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: Never
Score: 0
Notes: Headings do not follow a logical structure. There are many skipped headings levels, and certain degree headings are not used properly.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: As side from the skipped heading levels and certain degree headings are not properly used, all the headings are concise, clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading.
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: Never
Score: 0
Notes: Menu options and links located in the top blue bar of the database is not accessible with screen readers and 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:
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: Never
Score: 0
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: MasterFILE Elite
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: EBSCO
Institution: Fanshawe
Score: B-

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? Always
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Always
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Always
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Always
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Never
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Never

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? Sometimes The alert messages are found under the search fields. If a word is misspelled, a message in black and blue will appear tell in the user they are showing results for the correct spelling of the word, as well as the option to search instead for the misspelled word. An alert message will appear in red when no results are found. Messages in red are more visible than the blue and black coloured messages. It can easily be missed since the colours used by the database are blue and black.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Sometimes The alert messages that clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred, as well as the description of the error and the fix, are only for misspelled words. If you make an error will any of the limiters (for example: setting the published date to January 2018 to March 2017), you will only receive the "No results are found" message. You will not receive any alert messages for any limiter errors.
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? Never Error reports and alert messages appear at the bottom on the search field section. This can be easily missed, since it is located at the bottom and not necessarily near the search fields.

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

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? Sometimes On the results page, beside every result is an icon of a magnifying glass and paper, and a the blue folder with the plus sign. These icons do not have alternative text. Also, in the search field section that appears on every page in the database, the icons used to add and delete search rows are not labelled, as well as the question mark icon (which brings up a new window with information on how to use the advanced search).
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always Aside from the icons that are missing alternative text, all actions that are labelled are consistently labelled across the site.
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 Not new tabs, but in new windows. Some buttons that will automatically open in a new window, are the question mark icon in the search field section, the "Save PDF to Cloud" icon and "Google Chrome" icons in the details page of a results, and the "Help" on the right side of the database.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Sometimes The only time that a pop-up window will automatically appear is when you first login to the database. The pop-up is the askON virtual chat service. The pop-up message is blue and is usually located at the top left of the database.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Always
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? Never Headings do not follow a logical structure. There are many skipped headings levels, and certain degree headings are not used properly.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading? Always As side from the skipped heading levels and certain degree headings are not properly used, all the headings are concise, clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading.

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? Never Menu options and links located in the top blue bar of the database is not accessible with screen readers and 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
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? Never

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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