RE: Request for Review of WAI Site Redesign Prototype

Shawn,

Thanks for the opportunity to contribute. 

Apologies, in advance, for sounding rough.......:-) 

Surely some of these issues have been discussed but I am putting forth my
first instincts as they hit me...............


#1

Page: How to Change Text Size or Colors
Issue: Additional information to increase text size EVEN larger in IE (in
addition to the 'View > Text Size > Largest' technique).

Take some of what you have included in the lower "Other Text and Color
Changes" section, and add this to the Internet Explorer area of the "To
Change Text Size" section............

"To increase text size additionally:

Menu items: Tools > Internet Options

In dialog box: select the Accessibility button

In dialog box: Be sure to put a check in the 
'Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages' checkbox."



#2 

Page: WAI Home Page
Issue: Placement of Information

I consider "Events, Meetings, Presentations" and "Documents in Progress" the
most important information on the page (other than the main left hand
navigation links). This information, thus labeled, is currently on the
right-hand side column of the page. I consider it as primary information or
part of the Main Content, and therefore should be more central.

As coded, this information is seen early-on with a screen reader (before the
'Highlights' section) when accessing this page (and that is a good thing)
but ONLY when one chooses the 'Skip to Content' link (not when reading
straight down the page), so visually the same cues should be
taken..........this is important info!



#3

Page: WAI Home Page
Issue: Placement of Information

What is currently labeled as "Highlights" (which I consider to be 'News',
but is fine/great labeled as 'Highlights') is information that I consider to
be secondary in nature, and more appropriate for the right side column.

(I understand that the current placement of information more closely matches
the W3C Home page, with NEWS as it's central column.........but again these
are just my first instincts, however (on the other hand), in usability,
first instincts are often important.)



#4

Page: WAI Home Page
Issue: Use of Page Real Estate

I understand that the WAI site re-design is foremost in the minds of all of
us (WAI associated folks), however, to the USER, other than quick
information about the "New Site Design" really is not vital, and
the..........

"Finding Your WAI: Exploring the New Web Site
WAI's new Web site has been carefully designed to make it easier for you to
find information on making the Web accessible to people with disabilities.

WAI Web Site Redesign Project lists on-going development to refine the
visual design and markup, and transfer content to the new design.
(2005-00-00) "

........though important and useful, should be moved to a smaller
font-size/less-conspicuous place than right at the top of the Main Content
area to perhaps a "How-to navigate the New Site" or "New WAI Site Design
Info" link.



#5

Page: WAI Home Page
Issue: Placement of Information

I consider "WAI develops..." and "WAI welcomes..." tertiary information.
Though I understand the importance of the invitation for inclusion, I am not
so sure that it needs to be above at the top right of the page. Just as the
"Get Involved" on the main W3C Home Page has moved down the page (from days
gone bye), I think WAI can afford to move this information further down the
page. (I see that it is not in bold, but it still needs to be even less
conspicuous)


#6

Page: WAI Home Page
Issue: Placement of WAI Site Search

Search should ALWAYS be at the TOP of the page (period!).



#7

Page: WAI Home Page
Issue: Placement of Information

Just a visual preference........since we know that "Web Accessibility
Initiative: Strategies, guidelines, and resources to make the Web accessible
to people with disabilities" is going to flow downward with the resizing of
the page.........I would suggest a <br /> after "Web Accessibility
Initiative:" so that the "Strategies, guidelines, and resources to make the
Web accessible to people with disabilities" starts a line below in any case
to offset and emphasize just WHAT the 'Web Accessibility Initiative' is.

EXAMPLE:

Web Accessibility Initiative: 
Strategies, guidelines, and resources to make the Web accessible to people
with disabilities.




#7 

Page: WAI Home Page
Issue: Page Structure CODE

The invisible "What WAI Does" h2 in the 'what' div, should not be (1)
visually invisible, and (2) the first thing encountered by screen readers.
This is NOT the most important information on the page, and, I don't care
that you can skip over it! The visually disabled need the same information
that the visually abled do..........the most important information first,
followed by lesser important information.........NOT a WAI commercial! Why
do people come to WAI? The first answer (to that question) should be in the
initial block of information, the second answer should be info made
available in the second block of information.........and so on.........



#8

Page: Content Pages
Issue: Page Structure and CODE

These pages have the expected structure, site navigation comes first (in the
code and visually), the current new WAI Home Page does NOT do that and
should be consistent with this convention. The entire site must have the
same structure. As it now stands, the 'Home page' is different than the
'content pages' in that regard.


#9

Page: Content Pages
Issue: Breadcrumb Page Structure and CODE

The highlighting of 'where you are' (in the site), a sort of bread-crumb
idea, with the arrows next to the highlighted link (in the navigation
div)........is a very good idea! And should be used on the 'home page' as
well. 



#10

Page: Content Pages
Issue: Breadcrumb Page Structure and CODE

A screen-reader reads out 'Right double angle bracket' to indicate the
'selected' highlighted 'where you are'.........where the code has
"current-icon". There is no information to the person using the
screen-reader that this 'Right double angle bracket' means that this is a
highlighted item. As this is a list, this should be able to read out
"Selected, Introduction to Accessibility" if in the code the list is made a
form and the item is coded as 'selected' and the others are listed as
'unselected'. 


Additional Notes:

I like both of the new WAI logos that I have seen.............:-)



Sorry, I probably have nore but am tired and start a new job tomorrow. Thank
Shawn...........good work.............:-)

Katie



Katie Haritos-Shea

703-371-5545
mailto:ryladog@earthlink.net 

:: katie ::

-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn Henry [mailto:shawn@w3.org] 
Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2005 2:51 PM
To: ryladog@earthlink.net
Subject: Request for Review of WAI Site Redesign Prototype


Dear Katie,

You may have seen the recent message to the WAI IG list about the WAI Web
Site Redesign[1]. We are now asking a few specific people to spend some time
with the prototype to see if there are any substantial problems that we
might have missed.

Would you be willing and able to take a look at the prototype? We would need
for you to spend probably at least an hour reviewing it, briefly noting
issues, and getting back to me by Wednesday night, 6 July 2005.

Please let me know if you can or cannot review it within that timeframe. If
you are able to review, please see the "Review Notes" below.

Thanks much for your consideration.

Best regards,
~ Shawn Henry & Judy Brewer

REVIEW NOTES:

There are only two basic layouts: 1. the home page at
http://www.w3.org/WAI/ut3/ 2. content pages, for example:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/ut3/intro/accessibility.php
(The navigation pages are the same as the contents pages, minus the "page
contents" section.)

Note that many of the links will not work in the prototype URI.

Issues we are currently working on (and plan to have worked out by early
next week (5 July)), include: font sizing, CSS cleanup, and others listed at
http://www.w3.org/WAI/ut3/redesign/project.html#status

For any issues you note, please indicate if you think they are significant
enough to delay rolling out the new site redesign, or if they can be taken
into consideration for later updates.

Thanks a million!

---
[1] e-mail to WAI IG:
Dear WAI IG Participants,

The WAI Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG) is redesigning the WAI
Web site following a user-centered design process (UCD). Please see the
project page for project goals, status, and documentation:
  http://www.w3.org/WAI/ut3/redesign/project.html

We are currently working on the final prototype of the redesigned WAI Web
site. While much of the design is complete, we are still addressing several
open issues. You can watch the progress from the prototype home page at:
  http://www.w3.org/WAI/ut3/

While we are in the development process, please do not send comments about
things like broken links and validation errors. However, if you have serious
concerns that are not listed as open issues under:
  http://www.w3.org/WAI/ut3/redesign/project.html#status
you can send comments to:
* team-site-design@w3.org - for WAI staff
* wai-site-comments@w3.org - for the redesign team's issue list (email can
be seen by the public)
* w3c-wai-ig@w3.org - for public discussion

As we will be focusing our efforts on completing the prototype and rollout
to the new design, we will not be able to reply to most comments. Even
though we may not respond to your comments, please be assured that we will
take all comments into consideration for the initial release or subsequent
updates.

We plan to complete the prototype and rollout the redesigned WAI Web site in
July 2005.

Best regards,
~ Shawn Henry, for the WAI Site Redesign Task Force (WSTF) of EOWG

Shawn Lawton Henry
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
e-mail: shawn@w3.org
phone: +1.617.395.7664
about: http://www.w3.org/People/Shawn/

Received on Thursday, 7 July 2005 06:25:36 UTC