Assessment for Regs4Ships by Georgian - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by dale.albrecht@… on
Are user input fields accompanied by clear instructions on what the user needs to do to successfully complete the form?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no required fields.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no required fields.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The auto-suggest feature is interfering with the natural flow of searching as it can choose an auto-suggestion for the searcher without verifying if this is their desired search term.
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:
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: Never
Score: 0
Notes: Visually it presents well, however when using a screen reader the error report is not immediately read. The menus are read first and there is no way to skip the menu options.
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: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are very few icons and those that do exist are not intuitive.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: No alternative text exists for icons.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The use of acronyms without more descriptive text is prohibitive to understanding the nature of the link. The use of acronyms as link titles is used throughout the database.
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes, these are consistently displayed.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is only one search bar and it is consistently placed at the top of the page.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes, these are consistently displayed.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Some images are repeated throughout the database (like the Archive button) however, most are not.
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 'Contact Us' link opens in a new tab. Some of the Tools heading menu options open pop-ups for selecting items for a sub-menu. Otherwise, all links open in the current window.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Some options under the Tools heading, automatically opens pop-ups while loading.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: No, the user is unable to postpone or suppress the pop-ups.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes:
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The top navigation menu has a reasonable amount of options. The left-hand side menu has considerably more options. The left-hand side menu replicates all available options from the homepage, in list format.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: There are up to 14 items in each sub-menu.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The sub-menus under the Tools heading are not all keyboard navigation accessible.
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: For the top menu navigation this is true. For the left-hand side menu, this does not occur.
eResource: Regs4Ships
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: OneOcean
Institution: Georgian
Score: D-

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? Never
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Never
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Never
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Never
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Not Applicable There are no required fields.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Not Applicable There are no required fields.

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Always The auto-suggest feature is interfering with the natural flow of searching as it can choose an auto-suggestion for the searcher without verifying if this is their desired search term.

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
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? Never Visually it presents well, however when using a screen reader the error report is not immediately read. The menus are read first and there is no way to skip the menu options.

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? Never There are very few icons and those that do exist are not intuitive.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Never No alternative text exists for icons.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Never
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Not Applicable
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone? Sometimes The use of acronyms without more descriptive text is prohibitive to understanding the nature of the link. The use of acronyms as link titles is used throughout the database.

Consistent Navigation

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages? Always Yes, these are consistently displayed.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website? Always There is only one search bar and it is consistently placed at the top of the page.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Always Yes, these are consistently displayed.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently? Sometimes Some images are repeated throughout the database (like the Archive button) however, most are not.

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 'Contact Us' link opens in a new tab. Some of the Tools heading menu options open pop-ups for selecting items for a sub-menu. Otherwise, all links open in the current window.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Sometimes Some options under the Tools heading, automatically opens pop-ups while loading.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Never No, the user is unable to postpone or suppress the pop-ups.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Not Applicable

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? Sometimes The top navigation menu has a reasonable amount of options. The left-hand side menu has considerably more options. The left-hand side menu replicates all available options from the homepage, in list format.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Sometimes There are up to 14 items in each sub-menu.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Sometimes The sub-menus under the Tools heading are not all keyboard navigation accessible.

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? Always

Change of Context: Focus

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus? Not Applicable
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? Sometimes For the top menu navigation this is true. For the left-hand side menu, this does not occur.
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