Assessment for Statista by Fanshawe - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by pparlette@fans… 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: Instructions are mainly provided via labels. On some forms, such as the customer support form, it is not clear which fields are required (even if all are required, there is no text indicating that is the case).
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The vast majority of user input fields contain labels. However, there are a few instances where labels are missing (e.g. the main search page includes placeholder text). For some fields, when typing the labels decrease in size, but do not disappear.
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: Colour is not used often in the forms, but in the few instances where it does use colour (e.g. red to indicate an error with an email address or missing information), accompanying text appears to always be provided.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The database does not always indicate which fields are required, but the use of an asterisk to indicate required fields is used for some forms.
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: Most of the error messages appear directly blow the field that includes the error. Very few error messages appear in the bottom corner of the webpage, but in these situations the error messages are listed in red text or with an error icon (making them more visible).
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: An error message that identifies the missing information or provides instructions is provided (e.g. invalid email or 'please fill out this field').
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes: When completing a search, the search bar will make suggestions as the user is typing. When searching, a word that is spelled incorrectly will also be underlined in red. Once the search is complete, the results list will suggest similar search terms (e.g. 'Did you mean...'). The search function does not suggest synonyms.
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Icons are very prevalent and consistent across the site.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: While some do, many icons do not provide alt text.
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Sometimes an icon will have an adjacent link, but other times the same icon will not have the adjacent link (the PDF icon was not consistent). Some icons that have adjacent links are also linked, whereas other icons that have adjacent links are not linked.
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: There are some links that open in a new tab.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: There is sometimes a popup that shows up prompting the user to accept cookies.
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: The links that do open popups open them in regular browser windows with full functionality.
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: There are a few instances where heading tags skip levels.
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: Some filters offer too many options (e.g. every country in the world) that take a long time to tab through.
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: There are a significant number of links and submenus that keyboard controls struggle to access.
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the database avoid automatic redirection?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: As far as I can tell the database appears to avoid automatic redirection.
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: Statista
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: Statista
Institution: Fanshawe
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? Sometimes Instructions are mainly provided via labels. On some forms, such as the customer support form, it is not clear which fields are required (even if all are required, there is no text indicating that is the case).
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes The vast majority of user input fields contain labels. However, there are a few instances where labels are missing (e.g. the main search page includes placeholder text). For some fields, when typing the labels decrease in size, but do not disappear.
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 Colour is not used often in the forms, but in the few instances where it does use colour (e.g. red to indicate an error with an email address or missing information), accompanying text appears to always be provided.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Sometimes The database does not always indicate which fields are required, but the use of an asterisk to indicate required fields is used for some forms.

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 Most of the error messages appear directly blow the field that includes the error. Very few error messages appear in the bottom corner of the webpage, but in these situations the error messages are listed in red text or with an error icon (making them more visible).
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Always An error message that identifies the missing information or provides instructions is provided (e.g. invalid email or 'please fill out this field').
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? Always When completing a search, the search bar will make suggestions as the user is typing. When searching, a word that is spelled incorrectly will also be underlined in red. Once the search is complete, the results list will suggest similar search terms (e.g. 'Did you mean...'). The search function does not suggest synonyms.

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always Icons are very prevalent and consistent across the site.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Sometimes While some do, many icons do not provide alt text.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Sometimes Sometimes an icon will have an adjacent link, but other times the same icon will not have the adjacent link (the PDF icon was not consistent). Some icons that have adjacent links are also linked, whereas other icons that have adjacent links are not linked.
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 There are some links that open in a new tab.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Sometimes There is sometimes a popup that shows up prompting the user to accept cookies.
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 The links that do open popups open them in regular browser windows with full functionality.

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Sometimes There are a few instances where heading tags skip levels.
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 Some filters offer too many options (e.g. every country in the world) that take a long time to tab through.
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? Sometimes There are a significant number of links and submenus that keyboard controls struggle to access.

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? Always
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Always As far as I can tell the database appears to avoid automatic redirection.

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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