Assessment for PsychiatryOnline 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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: There are not many input fields within the database other than the advance search form. There are no instructions that accompany the place holder text but there are labels and search tips.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: There are labels in addition to placeholder text present within the input fields for the advance search form, but not for the sign in form.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Input place holders provide instruction or examples of what the user should do in that field in the advance search form, but not for the sign in form.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The labels are mostly on the right side of the input field with the exception of the sign in form.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are no coloured forms.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are no other visual indicators present.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The input fields are reversible.
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: For the sign in form, there alert message is in red box above the input fields. In the advance search form, a grey dialogue box appears letting the user know that 0 results are found. However, there is no error alert message. Instead the alert message states: “Your search did not return any results”.
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: For the sign in form, the alert message states “Your login attempt has failed. Make sure the username and password are correct.” The advance search form does not provide any alert messages only tells users they have 0 results and the search did not return any results. There is no indication for this form of an error.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Users can still access the input fields easily without having to go back to the previous page.
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes. The user can resubmit their form.
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 suggestions or synonyms for words. However, if you are spelling the word correctly, the search function will offer specific phrases or titles you might be looking for.
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The menu banner has a question mark icon for help and a magnifying glass for search. This appears at the top of each page. At the top of all the academic journal pages have the share, alert, and add to favourite icons at the top. When clicking on a article in any of the journals, in the right hand column appears the figures, references, cited by, and details icons.

There are also consistent icons that appear for the podcast tracks play episode, subscribe to show, download, embed video, and share.

Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All icons have clear alt text that appears if you hover over the icon or descriptive words under. For example, the icons in the right column on article pages have the words under the consistent icons and incorporated into the tabs: figures, references, cited by, and details.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Search but does is labelled search and the text appears when you hover over it.
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: Layout and navigation are consistent on all pages. For example, the layout for all five academic journals and podcasts is the same format for each section.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The search field appears in the menu banner at the top of every page.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The same menu banner appears at the top of every page and end of page banner that contains additional informational links, contact us link, alerts, subscription and social media icons are at the bottom of 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: Have not come across any pop-up windows for this database.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The only pop-up message that has occurred are when the user is downloading articles, books, or podcast episodes asking what software to open the file with.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The only time when the database launches a new page is when clicking on view journal.
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: Headings are clear and concise.
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The drop-down options in the menu have between 3 to 7 links. The only drop-down menus with more are for the years in the advance search page, which is reasonable for users searching for an issue from a specific year.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The main menu banner at most 7 options in the drop-down menu.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Screen readers pick up the menus and submenus through keyboard navigation.
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The main menu banner at most 7 options in the drop-down menu.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: When filters are clicked in the narrow results column, they are applied automatically.
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: User has to click the button in order for the form to be submitted.
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: PsychiatryOnline
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: American Psychiatric Publishing
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? Sometimes There are not many input fields within the database other than the advance search form. There are no instructions that accompany the place holder text but there are labels and search tips.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes There are labels in addition to placeholder text present within the input fields for the advance search form, but not for the sign in form.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Sometimes Input place holders provide instruction or examples of what the user should do in that field in the advance search form, but not for the sign in form.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Sometimes The labels are mostly on the right side of the input field with the exception of the sign in form.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Never There are no coloured forms.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Never There are no other visual indicators present.

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Always The input fields are reversible.

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 For the sign in form, there alert message is in red box above the input fields. In the advance search form, a grey dialogue box appears letting the user know that 0 results are found. However, there is no error alert message. Instead the alert message states: “Your search did not return any results”.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Sometimes For the sign in form, the alert message states “Your login attempt has failed. Make sure the username and password are correct.” The advance search form does not provide any alert messages only tells users they have 0 results and the search did not return any results. There is no indication for this form of an error.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error? Always Users can still access the input fields easily without having to go back to the previous page.
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission? Always Yes. The user can resubmit their form.
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 suggestions or synonyms for words. However, if you are spelling the word correctly, the search function will offer specific phrases or titles you might be looking for.

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always The menu banner has a question mark icon for help and a magnifying glass for search. This appears at the top of each page. At the top of all the academic journal pages have the share, alert, and add to favourite icons at the top. When clicking on a article in any of the journals, in the right hand column appears the figures, references, cited by, and details icons. There are also consistent icons that appear for the podcast tracks play episode, subscribe to show, download, embed video, and share.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Always All icons have clear alt text that appears if you hover over the icon or descriptive words under. For example, the icons in the right column on article pages have the words under the consistent icons and incorporated into the tabs: figures, references, cited by, and details.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always Search but does is labelled search and the text appears when you hover over it.
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 Layout and navigation are consistent on all pages. For example, the layout for all five academic journals and podcasts is the same format for each section.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website? Always The search field appears in the menu banner at the top of every page.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Always The same menu banner appears at the top of every page and end of page banner that contains additional informational links, contact us link, alerts, subscription and social media icons are at the bottom of 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 Have not come across any pop-up windows for this database.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Always The only pop-up message that has occurred are when the user is downloading articles, books, or podcast episodes asking what software to open the file with.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Always The only time when the database launches a new page is when clicking on view journal.

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 Headings are clear and concise.

Menus

Question Answer Notes Images
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options? Always The drop-down options in the menu have between 3 to 7 links. The only drop-down menus with more are for the years in the advance search page, which is reasonable for users searching for an issue from a specific year.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Always The main menu banner at most 7 options in the drop-down menu.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Always Screen readers pick up the menus and submenus through 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? Always The main menu banner at most 7 options in the drop-down menu.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content? Never When filters are clicked in the narrow results column, they are applied automatically.
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 User has to click the button in order for the form to be submitted.
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