Appendix III. List of guidelines or design recommendations

ACC.  Difficulty accessing

ACC1. Difficulty directly accessing files

  1. Ensure that linked files and attachments are accessible and directly opened.
  2. Ensure that relevant information about options to access files is presented to users.

ACC2/COM3. Difficulty accessing/comprehending images

  1. Provide a meaningful description for each image.
  2. Provide instructions on ways to access image descriptions through mobile assistive technologies.
  3. Ensure that file formats of image items are compatible for screen reader access.

ACC3/COM4. Difficulty accessing/comprehending graphs

  1. Provide a meaningful description and label of each graph.
  2. Ensure each interactive graph is accessible and its function is understandable.
  3. Ensure each interactive graph has a meaningful explanation of its dynamics.

ACC4. Difficulty accessing collection items

  1. Provide easy access to collection items.
  2. Provide concise collection descriptions (e.g., content, scope, and organization).

ACC5. Difficulty accessing expandable/collapsed content

  1. Ensure that the DL enables screen readers to follow the executed actions.
  2. Ensure all interactive elements, like buttons and links, are clearly labeled with meaningful text.

ACC6. Difficulty accessing a query suggestion

  1. Ensure feedback is in place to notify users of the availability of auto suggestions
  2. Ensure easy access to query term suggestions to assist users in completing their search queries.

COM. Difficulty comprehending

COM1. Difficulty understanding a digital library structure

  1. Maintain a simple and logical structure.
  2. Maintain a simple and clear layout.
  3. Ensure that structural elements are understandable.

COM2/NAV1. Difficulty understanding/navigating the search filtering structure

  1. Ensure that filtering options are organized by categories in a logical order.
  2. Ensure that filtering option categories can be flexibly and concisely presented.
  3. Ensure a specific filter option can be reached efficiently.

ACC2/COM3. Difficulty accessing/comprehending images

  1. Provide a meaningful description for each image.
  2. Provide instructions on ways to access image descriptions through mobile assistive technologies.
  3. Ensure that file formats of image items are compatible for screen reader access.

ACC3/COM4. Difficulty accessing/comprehending graphs

  1. Provide a meaningful description and label of each graph.
  2. Ensure each interactive graph is accessible and has a more detailed explanation of the graph.
  3. Ensure each interactive graph’s function is understandable.

EVA. Difficulty evaluating

EVA1. Difficulty assessing relevance of a collection or an item

  1. Ensure the association between the search result/items and the query terms are presented.
  2. Provide a meaningful description for each item in the search results.

EXE. Difficulty executing

EXE1. Difficulty clearing a search box

  1. Ensure that the process of clearing a search query from the search box is efficient and effective.

EXE2. Difficulty exiting an open item

  1. Ensure that all features are labeled clearly and meaningfully.
  2. Ensure that the close or back button consistently appears on the opened item.

EXE3. Difficulty returning to a previous page

  1. Ensure clear and descriptive feature labels that support returning to a previous location or page.

FIL. Difficulty finding/locating

FIL1. Difficulty finding/locating an icon-based search feature

  1. Ensure that an icon-based search feature is easily discoverable and recognizable with an appropriate label.
  2. Ensure that the access to an icon-based search feature is simple.

FIL2/ RED3. Difficulty finding/locating/distinguishing search features at different levels

  1. Ensure that search features at different levels are placed in appropriate/relevant locations.
  2. Ensure the labels for search features are intuitive and specify different levels of searches.

FIL3/HEP1. Difficulty finding/locating/using mobile-specific help information

  1. Ensure that mobile DL related help information is available.
  2. Ensure that mobile screen reader related help information is present.
  3. Ensure that mobile-specific help information provided by voice commands is obtainable.

HEP. Difficulty with help

FIL3/HEP1. Difficulty finding/locating/using mobile related help information

  1. Ensure that mobile DL related help information is available.
  2. Ensure that mobile screen reader related help information is present.
  3. Ensure that mobile-specific help information provided by voice commands is obtainable.

INT. Difficulty interacting

INT1. Difficulty interacting with multi-layered windows

  1. Ensure that screen reader focus is confined within an active pop-up window until an exit action is detected.
  2. Provide feedback when the screen reader focus moves between windows, informing users of context changes.

NAV. Difficulty navigating

COM2/NAV1. Difficulty understanding/navigating the search filtering structure

  1. Ensure that filtering options are organized by categories in a logical order.
  2. Ensure that filtering option categories can be flexibly and concisely presented.
  3. Ensure a specific filter option can be reached efficiently.

NAV2. Difficulty navigating paginated sections

  1. Ensure that the structure of the paginated section is clearly presented.
  2. Ensure that labels for active elements (text with tooltip) An interactive HTML component that reacts to user actions such as input, textarea, button, and 'a' tags.  indicate their content meaningfully.
  3. Ensure that the navigation within different pages of the section and items of the page is efficient

NAV3. Difficulty navigating through search results

  1. Ensure that navigating through search results is efficient.

NAV4. Difficulty navigating within an item

  1. Ensure efficient and effective navigation to a specific section within an item.
  2. Provide alternative mechanisms to navigate through tabulated content.
  3. Provide an overview of lengthy and complicated items with links to the sections.

NAV5. Difficulty navigating to a search result section

  1. Provide clear and descriptive design elements that support mobile navigation to a search result section.
  2. Ensure a simplified path to the search results.

RED. Difficulty recognizing/distinguishing

RED1. Difficulty recognizing the availability of search results

  1. Ensure that a change in DL status is accompanied by instant notification.

RED2. Difficulty distinguishing collection titles from thumbnails

  1. Ensure that collection titles and label/alt text for thumbnails are easily differentiated.
  2. Ensure that collection titles and alt text of thumbnails present different levels of collection description.

FIL2/RED3. Difficulty finding/locating/distinguishing search features at different levels

  1. Ensure that search features at different levels are placed in appropriate/relevant locations.
  2. Ensure the labels for search features are intuitive and specify different levels of searches.

RED4. Difficulty recognizing authorized features

  1. Ensure that the restriction of features is easily recognizable.
  2. Provide clear instructions on how to access authorized features.

USE. Difficulty using

USE1. Difficulty using screen readers and voice activated commands

  1. Ensure that the design of DLs is compatible with assistive technologies