Consistent Navigation
Navigation mechanisms repeated on multiple web pages must be displayed in same relative order each time they are displayed. E.g. If a search functionality is just on the right-hand-side of the navigation menu and receives focus after the navigation menu while navigating with tab key, then it should be consistently in the same place on all the pages of the website each time the search functionality is part of the page. All other navigation mechanisms of the page such as skip links, navigation menu, sitemap or TOC, also fall under this success criteria.
In addition it is also important to check the elements within the functionality. E.g If the navigation menu has 4 links, home, about, services and products respectively then the order of these links should not be changed.
Consistent Identification
Functionalities repeated on multiple pages must be identified consistently. This will allow the users to locate the functionality quickly and comfortably. If a printer icon is available on many pages of the website, the label of the icon must be print each time it is repeated. A term can be added along with print such as print invoice or print receipt but the word print must be consistently used. The label can be different only when the functionalities of that elements are different. E.g. a tick mark indicates accepted or approved on one page and included in another page, in such case the label can be different since the functionality of the tick mark is different. Similarly an X mark shows rejected in one page and close in another page, in this case too the labels can be different.
Validation of consistent navigation
Note: This success criteria should be marked as pass or fail on website as a whole not for individual pages.
- Open and navigate to one page of the website.
- Identify all the navigation mechanisms available e.g. Skip links, search, sitemap, navigation etc.
- As you test each success criteria on each page look for these functionalities in each page.
- If these functionalities that are available on one page verify if they are placed on the same position each time they are repeated.
- IF the location and sequence of navigation are same each time they are repeated this success criteria is considered as pass else failed.
Validation of consistent identification
Note: This success criteria should be marked as pass or fail on website as a whole not for individual pages.
- Open the website and look for some common functionalities such as search, print, contact etc.
- Verify if the labels and icons used are consistent each time the functionality is repeated.
- If the labels and visual elements are consistent each time they are repeated this success criteria is considered pass else failed.
WCAG Success Criteria
- 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation (Level AA)
- 3.2.4 consistent Identification (Level AA)