Assessment for Country Watch 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:
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is only two example where the required field is outlined in red if the information is not filled out correctly is the form to Sign Up for Our Newsletter that appears at in the footer of every page, and the Contact Us Via Email form in contact us page. There are no other forms found on the pages sampled.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: In the Sign Up for Our Newsletter and Contact Us Via Email form, it is not an asterisk but a red exclamation point.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: The input fields for the Sign Up for Our Newsletter and Contact Us Via Email form does not contain a reversible, checked or confirmed notification. However, as this is an email newsletter there will be the option to unsubscribe.
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: There is only two forms.
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: There are only two forms found in this database. A red rectangle appears with an exclamation (!) point to indicate if there is an error in the forms.
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: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There is no indication that the user can resubmit or re-validate the submission unless they unsubscribe.
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: The search function does not offer any spelling suggestions or synonyms.
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Print is the only consistent icon in the database. It always appears at the bottom of the articles.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: The is no alternative text present for the print icon.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The search button is always located in the top banner across the database pages.
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
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: The search field is located in the top header and remains in the same place when users go to a new one.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The top header and footer of the database contains the same drop-down menus, search box, links, Sign up for Newsletter form, logo and social media icons on every page.
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There are no pop ups that occur when the database is loaded.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: The pages sampled in this database do not contain any pop ups.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All of the browser controls remain the same when launching a new window. However, the only time that a new window is launched is when a PDF document link is clicked.
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: In the header at the top of the database there are 5 drop-down menus that contain between three and ten navigational links. In the Intelligence Zone, Education and Current Events sections have additional drop-down menus that users must click to get information about different countries and get Maps with certain Physical/Political and Global Thematic Maps.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There are 5 main drop-down menus located in the header of the database.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Keyboard navigation for the 5 main drop-down menus in the top header are not easily accessible and the NVDA screen reader does not read them at all in Firefox but does read them in Chrome. You can access the drop-down menus in both browsers, but it does not show focus and you have tab and hit enter to get the drop-down menu. Read and Write screen reader is not able to read the main drip-down menus as the bar for this feature appears over them and users cannot access them.

There are redundant links in the footer that are both accessible by keyboard navigation and through the screen reader. However, the screen reader does not read out the title of the lists.

Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The results page does not open a new tab.
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:
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: All links and buttons that are hovered over with the mouse does not launch unless clicked.
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: Keyboard navigation is difficult to go through the main drop-down menus in the top header. There is no doted box to indicated that the area has been tabbed too and after home, the tab skips to the search box sometimes in Firefox. You can access them if you press enter and then tab but it is difficult to tell if you are accessing them. This is also the case in the Chrome browser. Mostly, if users want to use keyboard navigation for the main drop-down menus—they must use the mouse to click on it first and then use the tab or up and down arrow keys. However, users can access these links in the footer of the database. Users cannot go back using the arrows in keyboard navigation.
eResource: Country Watch
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: CountryWatch
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
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? Always There is only two example where the required field is outlined in red if the information is not filled out correctly is the form to Sign Up for Our Newsletter that appears at in the footer of every page, and the Contact Us Via Email form in contact us page. There are no other forms found on the pages sampled.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Always In the Sign Up for Our Newsletter and Contact Us Via Email form, it is not an asterisk but a red exclamation point.

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Never The input fields for the Sign Up for Our Newsletter and Contact Us Via Email form does not contain a reversible, checked or confirmed notification. However, as this is an email newsletter there will be the option to unsubscribe.

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 There is only two forms.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Always There are only two forms found in this database. A red rectangle appears with an exclamation (!) point to indicate if there is an error in the forms.
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? Never There is no indication that the user can resubmit or re-validate the submission unless they unsubscribe.
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 The search function does not offer any spelling suggestions or synonyms.

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always Print is the only consistent icon in the database. It always appears at the bottom of the articles.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Never The is no alternative text present for the print icon.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always The search button is always located in the top banner across the database pages.
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Not Applicable
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 The search field is located in the top header and remains in the same place when users go to a new one.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Always The top header and footer of the database contains the same drop-down menus, search box, links, Sign up for Newsletter form, logo and social media icons on every page.
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? Always
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Always There are no pop ups that occur when the database is loaded.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Not Applicable The pages sampled in this database do not contain any pop ups.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Always All of the browser controls remain the same when launching a new window. However, the only time that a new window is launched is when a PDF document link is clicked.

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 In the header at the top of the database there are 5 drop-down menus that contain between three and ten navigational links. In the Intelligence Zone, Education and Current Events sections have additional drop-down menus that users must click to get information about different countries and get Maps with certain Physical/Political and Global Thematic Maps.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Always There are 5 main drop-down menus located in the header of the database.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Sometimes Keyboard navigation for the 5 main drop-down menus in the top header are not easily accessible and the NVDA screen reader does not read them at all in Firefox but does read them in Chrome. You can access the drop-down menus in both browsers, but it does not show focus and you have tab and hit enter to get the drop-down menu. Read and Write screen reader is not able to read the main drip-down menus as the bar for this feature appears over them and users cannot access them. There are redundant links in the footer that are both accessible by keyboard navigation and through the screen reader. However, the screen reader does not read out the title of the lists.

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 The results page does not open a new tab.
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

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 All links and buttons that are hovered over with the mouse does not launch unless clicked.
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 Keyboard navigation is difficult to go through the main drop-down menus in the top header. There is no doted box to indicated that the area has been tabbed too and after home, the tab skips to the search box sometimes in Firefox. You can access them if you press enter and then tab but it is difficult to tell if you are accessing them. This is also the case in the Chrome browser. Mostly, if users want to use keyboard navigation for the main drop-down menus—they must use the mouse to click on it first and then use the tab or up and down arrow keys. However, users can access these links in the footer of the database. Users cannot go back using the arrows in keyboard navigation.
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