Assessment for Career Cruising by St. Clair - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by kdaigneau@stcl… 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: Not all input fields have labels within the field. For example, all forms will have what is required to go in the field titled above such as first name, category, city, title of position. Some forms have drop-down menus with lists to choose from but not all boxes include labels in the boxes of the forms.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Not all input fields contain labels. However, they do contain labels above the input fields.
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: Though, it is missing in the main search bar that appears on every page.
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes: In the Create my Plan Account, there are asterisks for all the fields that need to be filled out.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is a combination of reversible and confirmed for these fields. You can go back to undo/redo or edit selections in your career cruising plan.
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: Alert messages appear in the forms when not filled out properly. For example, area to Create My Plan Account form, if you do not fill in needed information, the box has a red line around it with a red x to the side and the word Required under it.
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: On the forms, a red rectangle appears with Required displayed underneath.
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: In the Career selector portion of the database, users can go through select or unselect items from the list. Users can also hit the Start Over button and redo this section. Any forms that the user fills out, they do have the option to edit the information, as well as update, or delete.
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: When words are spelled incorrectly there is no synonyms offered. However. In the search bar at the top does have offer a drop-down list of possible suggestions
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The printing icon and save to my plan buttons are on the in the careers section. You can print or save your career plan. These options are available under all career information listings.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The alt text is not present for any images on the home page under Focus on Careers.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is a search bar that shows consistently at the top of each page. It is consistent with the labelling. It does not have a search button. Yet you can access information by pressing enter or when typing in keywords, a drop-down list appears. All other buttons are labelled to include the action such as search or log in. There is no search bar to click. However, Wave points out that it does not have the form control label.
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: The text of the link is very straightforward.
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: There is one search field that remains in the top banner of the databases. This does not change position when switching to another page. Other search boxes stay in the same place on the pages that they are on.
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 links that launch in a new tab are at the bottom of the page: contact us, privacy, and terms of use. As well as any job posting found in the job search section. These links take you to the job posting on job search sites such as Indeed.ca.
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: Yes all new pages sampled contain the usual browser controls with nothing missing.
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes: This is hard to evaluate. The pages that involve finding results is the job search pages. There are menu and filter options, but no drop-down. Users can search the for job posting in the same way they can on all other job searching databases, by filtering jobs by full-time, part-time, casual, contract, temporary, internship as well as by relevance of date.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The main drop-down menus are for the main search bar which contains the option to search by career or education, the My Account button that gives you the option to login and the Log in button. Other drop-down menu are included in advance job search and in the forms for users that create My Accounts.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Menus and submenus can be accessed with both a screen reader and keyboard navigation. However, the drop-down menus may need to be prompted access from mouse in order for tab to access them from the keyboard. This is the case for both the My Account and search bar at the top of the database.
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The results page or item record view only opens in a new tab when it is linking to a job posting from another site.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes:
Does the database avoid automatic redirection?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Never came across any redirection of a search on the pages reviewed. However, if no activity in the database has been done for several minutes, there is a redirection to an error page and the user must refresh or go link back to the database directly.
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: Career Cruising
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: Xello
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? Always Not all input fields have labels within the field. For example, all forms will have what is required to go in the field titled above such as first name, category, city, title of position. Some forms have drop-down menus with lists to choose from but not all boxes include labels in the boxes of the forms.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes Not all input fields contain labels. However, they do contain labels above the input fields.
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 Though, it is missing in the main search bar that appears on every page.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Never
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Always In the Create my Plan Account, there are asterisks for all the fields that need to be filled out.

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Always There is a combination of reversible and confirmed for these fields. You can go back to undo/redo or edit selections in your career cruising plan.

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 Alert messages appear in the forms when not filled out properly. For example, area to Create My Plan Account form, if you do not fill in needed information, the box has a red line around it with a red x to the side and the word Required under it.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Always On the forms, a red rectangle appears with Required displayed underneath.
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 In the Career selector portion of the database, users can go through select or unselect items from the list. Users can also hit the Start Over button and redo this section. Any forms that the user fills out, they do have the option to edit the information, as well as update, or delete.
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 When words are spelled incorrectly there is no synonyms offered. However. In the search bar at the top does have offer a drop-down list of possible suggestions

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always The printing icon and save to my plan buttons are on the in the careers section. You can print or save your career plan. These options are available under all career information listings.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Sometimes The alt text is not present for any images on the home page under Focus on Careers.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always There is a search bar that shows consistently at the top of each page. It is consistent with the labelling. It does not have a search button. Yet you can access information by pressing enter or when typing in keywords, a drop-down list appears. All other buttons are labelled to include the action such as search or log in. There is no search bar to click. However, Wave points out that it does not have the form control label.
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Always
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone? Always The text of the link is very straightforward.

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 There is one search field that remains in the top banner of the databases. This does not change position when switching to another page. Other search boxes stay in the same place on the pages that they are on.
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 links that launch in a new tab are at the bottom of the page: contact us, privacy, and terms of use. As well as any job posting found in the job search section. These links take you to the job posting on job search sites such as Indeed.ca.
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 Yes all new pages sampled contain the usual browser controls with nothing missing.

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Always
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? Always This is hard to evaluate. The pages that involve finding results is the job search pages. There are menu and filter options, but no drop-down. Users can search the for job posting in the same way they can on all other job searching databases, by filtering jobs by full-time, part-time, casual, contract, temporary, internship as well as by relevance of date.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Always The main drop-down menus are for the main search bar which contains the option to search by career or education, the My Account button that gives you the option to login and the Log in button. Other drop-down menu are included in advance job search and in the forms for users that create My Accounts.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Always Menus and submenus can be accessed with both a screen reader and keyboard navigation. However, the drop-down menus may need to be prompted access from mouse in order for tab to access them from the keyboard. This is the case for both the My Account and search bar at the top of the database.

Change of context

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning? Sometimes The results page or item record view only opens in a new tab when it is linking to a job posting from another site.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content? Not Applicable
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Always Never came across any redirection of a search on the pages reviewed. However, if no activity in the database has been done for several minutes, there is a redirection to an error page and the user must refresh or go link back to the database directly.

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
Previous1234Next