Lab Three, Part One

Part One

Search for a site that uses image links to provide navigation. List the URL of the page and record the following in your answers in your blog:

http://www.state.il.us/kids/

What colours are used on the image links?

• The image links use bright colours including blue, green and yellow.

If the image links contain text, is there good contrast between the background color and letters on the image links?

• There is a high degree of contrast between any text and their image backgrounds; images are grayed out a little to provide this.

Would the page be accessible to a visitor who is sight-challenged?

• There is a high degree of contrast, which would help mildly sight challenged users; however there is no inbuilt narrator function or text only alternative navigation.

How have accessibility issues been addressed?

• Although the website is well designed to appeal visually to younger users, it makes little provision for users with particular access needs. It is deliberately simple for young surfers, but this limits the features it makes available.

Is the alt attribute used to describe the image link?

• The alt attribute is used to provide the link name.

Is there a row of text links in the footer section of the page?

• There is, although these do not reflect every one of the image links.
  

Apply Nielsen’s heuristics to this site.

1. Visibility of System Status: The text links change colour when clicked.


2. Match to World: It is written and designed with young children in mind, and uses simple clear language.


3. User Control: It offers a "Back to homepage" button, however it's not clearly marked and user navigation is extremely basic.


4. Consistency: Image links have no consistent style even within the same page. Colour schemes vary between each page, and their is little standardisation.


5. Error Management:


6. Recognition rather than recall: Due to inconsistent aesthetic design,


7. Error Prevention: There are several broken links, from which the only solution is to use the browser's own "Back" button.


8. Flexibility: There are no advanced options, given the intended audience.


9. Aesthetic and Minimalism: The page is quite sparse


10. Help and Documentation: There is little instruction required, however most pages have a brief navigation instruction.