Consistent Navigation

[lseeman]

Consistent Navigation

SC Text

Current:
3.2.3 Consistent Navigation: Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user. (Level AA)

Proposed:

3.2.3 Consistent Navigation: Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user. @@common navigation, search, and control elements have a consistent position within a set of web pages in the primary modality of the content, unless a change is initiated by the user.@@

Exception: If an inconsistent layout is an essential part of the main function of the site.

Suggestion for Priority Level (AA)

AA

Related Glossary additions or changes

Define the primary modality of the content as modalities considered in the design of the content.

What Principle and Guideline the SC falls within.

Principle 3, Guideline 3.2

Description

The intent of this success criterion is to ensure consistent position of common navigation, search, and control elements that appear repeatedly within a set of Web pages. For example, controls and menu items consistently positioned across a site.

Benefits

Many users with cognitive and learning disabilities rely heavily on their familiarity with Web page components. If identical functions are found in different places, on different Web pages, the Web site will be considerably more difficult to use. It will be confusing, and increase the cognitive load for people with cognitive disabilities, increasing mistakes, and limiting some users from accessing the content. This supports those who have reading and some visual perceptual difficulties due to Receptive Aphasia, as well as those with general cognitive learning disabilities. It also helps those with visual acuity difficulties, where stroke and age-related disabilities co-occur. Also, users with memory impairments will need to learn a lot more to be able to use the Web site, making it impossible for some. Therefore, consistent styles will increase the number of people who can use the Web site, and will help many others.

See also

Computers helping people with special needed, 14 international conference ICCHP 2014 Eds. Miesenberger, Fels, Archambault, Et. Al. Springer (pages 401). Paper: Tablets in the rehabilitation of memory impairment, K Dobsz et. al.

Neilson-aging

The Aphasia Alliance's Top Tips for 'Aphasia Friendlier' Communication taken from http://www.buryspeakeasy.org.uk/documents/Aphasia%20Alliance%20Aphasia%20Friendier%20Communication.pdf

Phiriyapkanon. Is big button interface enough for elderly users, Malardardalen University Press Sweden 2011.

COGA Resources

• User needs table ( Table 5: Simple and clear interface )
• Background research document 
• Semantics for adaptive interfaces
• COGA Techniques (See https://rawgit.com/w3c/coga/master/techniques/index.html#be-predictable)

Testability

Step 1. Ensure (by inspection) all components, including navigation components and icons, are positioned consistently.

Techniques

• Using CSS to consistently position common navigation, search, and control elements.
• Using a template to consistently position common navigation, search, and control elements.

working groups notes (optional)

[joshueoconnor]

Assigned to Thaddeus Cambron (@inclusiveThinking) https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/wiki/SC_Managers_Phase1

[inclusiveThinking]

The phrase "the primary modality of the content" may be confusing. In the definition the term "modalities" is used to define itself. Is there another term or definition that uses less complex language?

[lseeman]

the primary modality of the content are the setting and physical machine interfaces considered at design time such as screen, touch, speech or mouse
Is that clearer?

[inclusiveThinking]

Yes, much. It is OK to include that as the term definition?
primary modality of the content - the setting and physical machine interfaces considered at design time such as screen, touch, speech or mouse

[lseeman]

sure. put it in the pull request when you are ready All the best Lisa Seeman LinkedIn, Twitter

…

---- On Tue, 24 Jan 2017 07:39:42 +0200 Thaddeus<[email protected]> wrote ---- Yes, much. It is OK to include that as the term definition? primary modality of the content - the setting and physical machine interfaces considered at design time such as screen, touch, speech or mouse — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or mute the thread.

[patrickhlauke]

unless i'm mistaken, this proposed change wants to add "position" as another thing that doesn't change across sets of pages, rather than just relative order? if so, a more terse amendment would perhaps be something along the lines of

"3.2.3 Consistent Navigation: Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order @@ and position in the overall page layout @@ each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user. "

which would also avoid any further talk of modalities?

[detlevhfischer]

To me it feels as if "the same relative order" implies position (within order) and is not really necessary. I also think that reference to "the primary modality of the content" is unnecessary - we know that stuff will often look different depending on breakpoints and that something like consistency of position is meaningful just within one partcular breakpoint rendering, not across several.
I do not see how this significantly improves on 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation but maybe I have msised something.

[inclusiveThinking]

Thank you @patrickhlauke yes, the definition of consistent design would include consistent position. @lseeman do you have an issue with the suggested change of wording:

"3.2.3 Consistent Navigation: Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order @@ and position in the overall page layout @@ each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user.

Are we losing some of the benefit provided by the phrase "the primary modality of the content" if we replace with "and position in the overall page layout "?

[inclusiveThinking]

Does the following change help with some of the concerns:
3.2.3 Consistent Navigation:Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same position in the overall page layout each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user.

[inclusiveThinking]

If there is no feedback to the last comment then moving forward. Thanks for all the feedback above.

[patrickhlauke]

"relative order" - to me at least - implies order in which things are in the DOM and can be reached/tabbed to when navigating sequentially, which can be quite distinct from the visual/layout position (think absolute positioning, flexbox reordering, floating, etc). As such, I'd be more inclined to keep it as originally suggested, i.e.:

3.2.3 Consistent Navigation:Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order and position in the overall page layout each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user.

[joshueoconnor]

@inclusiveThinking Can you give me a status update on this please? Will there soon be a PR on this or do you need more time?

[inclusiveThinking]

I will make a PR this eventing

[lseeman]

I am ok with losing the words "in the primary modality of the content"
Also we are trying to make the all stand alone so we do not want it to be a change to 3.2.3 but make it a completely independent SC

i think that makes it
Consistent position: Common navigation, search, and control elements have a consistent position within a set of web pages unless a change is initiated by the user

[inclusiveThinking]

Thanks for the input all. What is the process for making the final Pull Request based on comments above.

[mbgower]

Common navigation, search, and control elements have a consistent position within a set of web pages in the primary modality of the content, unless a change is initiated by the user.

This seems to me to be merely demonstrative. It doesn’t alter the basic short description’s meaning, and I don’t think needs to be included.

Exception: If an inconsistent layout is an essential part of the main function of the site.

I assume this line is just a piece of boiler plate; I can’t think of an example of such a site. I’m not sure how valuable it is to have a boiler plate exception. It somewhat diminishes the significance of real exceptions.

Therefore, consistent styles will increase the number of people who can use the Web site, and will help many others.

We’re not talking about styles here. Was this cut and pasted from another draft SC and just not updated, or is there a consideration for styles in this SC? It is the only occurrence of the word on the page.

---

Testability

Step 1. Ensure (by inspection) all components, including navigation components and icons, are positioned consistently.

This “all components” test seems to overreach the SC.

---

Techniques

Using a template to consistently position common navigation, search, and control elements.

This bullet is a variation on an existing advisory technique. The CSS technique is new. The other existing techniques are missing. In most of the sections of this SC (Description, Benefits), I've been trying to understand how the content here fits with the existing SC.

[lseeman]

Agreed with the overreach in the test section @mbgower and the edits to the discription needs to be reviewed
It is ok if something is an advisory technique is now a sufficient technique now. Making something a requirement is a significant change