{"id":6532,"date":"2025-05-01T08:45:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T08:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/accessbydesign.uk\/?p=6532"},"modified":"2025-04-22T15:38:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T15:38:11","slug":"navigation-challenges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/accessbydesign.uk\/abd\/navigation-challenges\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigation challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most important parts of a website is the navigation. People need to find the pages they want and most will use a mouse.<\/p>\n

Have a look at the simple example on the right.<\/p>\n

The 'About Us' page has sub-pages underneath, shown by the triangle next to it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

The sub-pages all appear below, you move your mouse down, it changes colour on the page you want. You click on it and you are away. Easy.<\/p>\n

\"Home<\/a><\/p>\n

Mouse-less challenges<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s say you can\u2019t use a mouse.<\/p>\n

What then?<\/p>\n

Some people can\u2019t use one because they\u2019re visually impaired.<\/p>\n

Others struggle with fine motor control.<\/p>\n

In both cases, they use a keyboard instead.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m clumsy and I\u2019ve been using computers since before mice were invented. I will take keyboard shortcuts any day.<\/p>\n

Using a keyboard<\/h2>\n

So how do you navigate a website with a keyboard?<\/p>\n

It comes down to just 2 keys that you can test this yourself next time you are on a website.<\/p>\n

The Tab key and the Enter key.<\/p>\n

The Tab key is used to navigate and the Enter key is used to perform an action.<\/p>\n

\"Navigation<\/a><\/p>\n

Stay focussed!<\/h2>\n

Do you remember how the page link turned blue when the mouse hovered over it?<\/p>\n

Well, when you use a keyboard, you may often not see that happen, it is great when you do, though.<\/p>\n

However, a lot of neurodivergent people have issues seeing certain colours, so what you should always also see is some kind of outline, so you know where your focus is.<\/p>\n

I hit the Tab Key once and I know where I am<\/p>\n

\"Navigation<\/a><\/p>\n

Focus is what gets selected when you press Enter. <\/p>\n

Here, the focus is on the About Us page. <\/p>\n

\"Navigation<\/a><\/p>\n

With a mouse, the sub-pages appear when you hover. <\/p>\n

With a keyboard, you just tab along the top and press Enter to open a sub-page.<\/p>\n

\"Navigation<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now I pressed the Tab Key a couple of times and we are over the page we want. We hit Enter to select.<\/p>\n

Tab to navigate, Enter to action, whether that is opening further sub-pages or selecting the page.<\/p>\n

This is generally accepted as best practice.<\/p>\n

Previously it was accepted wisdom that you can just use the Tab key and it will go through every page and sub-page in turn.<\/p>\n

However, as menus get bigger and longer, it gets very tiring to have to do that each time, so Tab and Enter is the better way.<\/p>\n

Remember, the dashed outline usually only appears if you are using a keyboard, not a mouse.<\/p>\n

\"Navigation<\/a><\/p>\n

If you are able to navigate a website as easily with a keyboard as you can with a mouse, you will see long-term benefits to you in terms of customer loyalty and their spend with you!<\/p>\n

This is because you have made it easier for them to navigate around your website!<\/p>\n

Obviously really....<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the most important parts of a website is the navigation. People need to find the pages they want and most will use a mouse. Have a look at the simple example on the right. The ‘About Us’ page has sub-pages underneath, shown by the triangle next to it.   The sub-pages all appear below, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\nNavigation challenges - Access by Design<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One of the most important parts of a website is the navigation. People need to find the pages they want and most will use a mouse. 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