NAV3. Difficulty navigating through search results

Definition

A situation that arises from difficulty skimming through a search results list due to inadequate navigation aids (text with tooltip) A feature that offers essential support for screen-reader users to understand the structure of a web document. .

Factor (s) Leading to the Situation

  • Complex information presentation: insufficient heading or navigation aids
  • Inadequate features/functions: inconsistent mobile navigation features (text with tooltip) A feature that assists and saves users’ time while navigating through the page.
  • Lack of features/functions/items/information: lack of shortcuts (text with tooltip) A feature that enables VoiceOver users to adjust navigation and interaction settings by rotating two fingers on the screen, allowing efficient control over actions such as text navigation, scrolling, and item selection.   to the desired content

Guidelines

  1. Ensure that navigating through search results is efficient.

Rationale for Suggesting the above Guidelines

Skimming through a long search result list can be challenging, particularly for BVI (text with tooltip) The acronym for Blind and Visually Impaired. It refers to BVI users who rely on screen readers to interact with digital libraries (DLs).  users. In the mobile environment, users need to read all the details before moving to the next result item due to inadequate navigation aids (text with tooltip) A feature that offers essential support for screen-reader users to understand the structure of a web document. . Therefore, providing consistent and efficient headings for search results, quick navigation features (text with tooltip) A feature that assists and saves users’ time while navigating through the page. , and the flexibility to present item metadata can help with a seamless user experience across different mobile devices and improves accessibility and usability.

Techniques and Methods to Comply with a Specific Design Guideline

1.1. Include a heading for the search results section.
1.2. Have item titles within a section be a subheading (e.g., section – h2, item 1- h3)
1.3. Place a feature to hide and show item metadata (text with tooltip) Data that provides information about other data is constructed with structured data to describe and organize resources in the digital environment and enable users to discover and use the content of digital libraries. .
1.4. Include quick navigation features (text with tooltip) A feature that assists and saves users’ time while navigating through the page.  to enable users to quickly return to the top of a page after scrolling down.
1.5. Incorporate a search-within-result feature.

Features Suggested for Users

1.1.1. Headings (See example 1.1.1.a.)
1.2.1. Sub headings (See example 1.2.1.a.)
1.3.1. “Expand/Collapse” (See example 1.3.1.a.)
1.4.1. “Jump-to-top” (See examples 1.4.1.a1. and 1.4.1.a2.)
1.5.1. “Search-within-results” (See example 1.5.1.a.)

Examples of Best Practice

Headings should be used on pages with lots of contents broken into categories because they allow users to navigate through pages quickly by skipping from heading to heading (NAV3 Figure a1).

Library search page for “Generative AI”. Left shows navigation categories; center and right display search results with headings and item counts
NAV3 Figure a1. An example of headings in search result page

The item titles with subheadings allow BVI (text with tooltip) The acronym for Blind and Visually Impaired. It refers to BVI users who rely on screen readers to interact with digital libraries (DLs).  users to navigate results with shortcuts (text with tooltip) A feature that enables VoiceOver users to adjust navigation and interaction settings by rotating two fingers on the screen, allowing efficient control over actions such as text navigation, scrolling, and item selection.   (NAV3 Figure a2).

A screenshot of search result items displayed as subheadings
NAV3 Figure a2. An example of search result items displayed as subheadings

OER Commons provides an “Expand/Collapse” feature to give users a brief description of an item in the search results when needed (NAV3 Figure a3).

Search results page for 'Digital library.' Each result has 'more' or 'less' options to expand or collapse details about individual items.NAV3 Figure a3. An example of Expand/Collapse” for item descriptions

It is important to include quick navigation features like a “Jump-to-top”, enabling BVI users to quickly return to the list of search results after exploring a specific result. This saves them time from scrolling or navigating through multiple pages (NAV3 Figure a4).

This screenshot shows the 'Jump to the Top' feature, helping users return to the top of the search results page after browsing multiple pages
NAV3 Figure a4. An example of “Jump-to-top” feature

The feature enables BVI users to quickly go back to search results (NAV3 Figure a5).

This screenshot shows the 'Back to Search Results' feature, helping users return to the results page after viewing a specific item
NAV3 Figure a5. An example of “Back to search result” feature

NAV3 Figure a6 shows the library function of search-within-results, which allows BVI (text with tooltip) The acronym for Blind and Visually Impaired. It refers to BVI users who rely on screen readers to interact with digital libraries (DLs).  users to get results quickly while searching.

There are different filters that help refine search results, including "search within results."
NAV3 Figure a6. An example of “search within result”

Examples of Poor Practice

1.1.1.b. Difficulty navigating through search results

The items in the search result list shown in NAV3 Figure b1 are provided as links with long collection titles, making it difficult for BVI (text with tooltip) The acronym for Blind and Visually Impaired. It refers to BVI users who rely on screen readers to interact with digital libraries (DLs).  users to navigate search results efficiently. Therefore, the participant suggested having headings instead of links to facilitate more efficient navigation.

“So, in the…collection…these are all very broad. His general correspondence. These are not, like a lot of times…search results pop up by, again, being labeled as headings so you can navigate them quickly. These are not headings… So, I’m just going line by line…” (S9-SVI-M)

The image shows the mobile interface on the left and iPad interface on the right of a digital collection. No headings are assigned to items

NAV3 Figure b1. Screenshot of difficulty navigating through search results

Resources

  • Ahmetovic, D., Avanzini, F., Baratè, A., Bernareggi, C., Ciardullo, M., Galimberti, G., … & Presti, G. (2023). Sonification of navigation instructions for people with visual impairment. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 177, 103057.
  • Aqle, A., Al-Thani, D., & Jaoua, A. (2022). Can search result summaries enhance the web search efficiency and experiences of the visually impaired users?. Universal Access in the Information Society, 21(1), 171-192.
  • Messaoudi, M. D., Menelas, B. A. J., & Mcheick, H. (2022). Review of navigation assistive tools and technologies for the visually impaired. Sensors, 22(20), 7888.
  • Shera, A., Iqbal, M. W., Shahzad, S. K., Gul, M., Mian, N. A., Naqvi, M. R., & Khan, B. A. (2021). Blind and visually impaired user interface to solve accessibility problems. Intelligent Automation and Soft Computing, 30(1), 285-301.
  • W3C. (2024). Headings.
  • W3C. (2018). WCAG 2.1 Guideline 2.4 Navigable.
  • Zafar A. (2024). How to design accessible mobile experiences for the blind.
  • Zhang, D., Zhou, L., Uchidiuno, J. O., & Kilic, I. Y. (2017). Personalized assistive web for improving mobile web browsing and accessibility for visually impaired users. ACM Trans. Access. Comput., 10(2).

See also: