Assessment for SMART Imagebase: Scientific and Medical ART by Mohawk - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by stephanie.tayl… 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: No instructions on Search bar on home page - there is a search icon (magnifying glass) to click to search or you can hit Enter after typing search terms.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: No form label on Search bar on home page.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: No description for text-to-speech on the Create Account button, or the Search bar.
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: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Nothing to show instructions for the online form - very cut and dried, 'Sign in' or 'Create account'.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: No asterisks to show required form fields, nothing to show required fields.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Errors in the sign up form are correctable after clicking 'Create Account'.
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: At the top of the form to sign in/create account.
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: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The error field is at the top of the screen - users have to scroll past the sign in form part of the page before getting to correct their errors.
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: Never
Score: 0
Notes:
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Clear and consistent, however clicking the 'Share' icon doesn't do anything except take the user farther down the page to the site's own social media links and contacts at the bottom of each page.
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: 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: Share icon doesn't work - only taken further down the page, not given a permanent link to share or options to email to self.
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: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Interactive content does open in a new tab - however it's run on Adobe Flash so none of it works anyways, after submitting an error report regarding this, the database made the decision to no longer show these items until an alternative to Flash is found and their current materials updated.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
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:
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The sign in/create an account page skips a heading level from H1 to H3.
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:
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: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
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: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: No advanced search - no filters to refresh, must update all search terms in the box whenever pivoting to a new search. Nothing automatically updates.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
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:
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: SMART Imagebase: Scientific and Medical ART
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: EBSCO
Institution: Mohawk
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 No instructions on Search bar on home page - there is a search icon (magnifying glass) to click to search or you can hit Enter after typing search terms.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes No form label on Search bar on home page.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Sometimes No description for text-to-speech on the Create Account button, or the Search bar.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Always
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Not Applicable Nothing to show instructions for the online form - very cut and dried, 'Sign in' or 'Create account'.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Not Applicable No asterisks to show required form fields, nothing to show required fields.

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Always Errors in the sign up form are correctable after clicking 'Create Account'.

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 At the top of the form to sign in/create account.
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? Sometimes The error field is at the top of the screen - users have to scroll past the sign in form part of the page before getting to correct their errors.
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? Never

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Sometimes Clear and consistent, however clicking the 'Share' icon doesn't do anything except take the user farther down the page to the site's own social media links and contacts at the bottom of each page.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always
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 Share icon doesn't work - only taken further down the page, not given a permanent link to share or options to email to self.
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? Not Applicable Interactive content does open in a new tab - however it's run on Adobe Flash so none of it works anyways, after submitting an error report regarding this, the database made the decision to no longer show these items until an alternative to Flash is found and their current materials updated.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Not Applicable
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

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Sometimes The sign in/create an account page skips a heading level from H1 to H3.
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
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? Always

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? Not Applicable No advanced search - no filters to refresh, must update all search terms in the box whenever pivoting to a new search. Nothing automatically updates.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Not Applicable

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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