Search

Search: Provide a search capability.

An exception is provided for small organizations and for small websites that include simple links to each page from the home page.

Suggestion for Priority Level

AA

Related Glossary additions or changes

A small organization is defined as not more than 50 employees, or the definition within your jurisdiction.

A small website is a site with less than 15 pages

Principle and Guideline

Principle 3, Guideline 3.3

or Guideline 3.2 Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways

Description

Search capabilities enable a user to conveniently find and access information.

 

Benefits

 

Having a search capability allows users to find the content they need even if they cannot determine how to navigate a site. Search is a method that you can learn one time and reuse on all sites.

User studies have shown the aging population tend to rely on search to locate information rather than navigating menus or surfing.

Menu systems, and most site navigation require the user to understand the categories of the pages that the content provider has created for general use. Users with impaired executive function may be unable to identify the correct categories

In some cases, users identify the correct category via memory, rather than logic. For example, most users remember that the print function is often found under the file menu. Users with impaired memory will be disadvantaged at finding menu items based on recall.

Navigating a site and going to many pages to look for content, is also bad for people with impaired short-term memory or for people who are easily distracted, as they may lose focus and forget what they are looking for.

Search is most useful when it allows for common misspellings, yet still finds the appropriate content or provides suggested auto-corrected versions of the search terms that the user can choose from.

Related Resources (optional)

Resources are for information purposes only, no endorsement implied.

See also

Testability

Procedure

  1. Check that a search box exists.
  2. Search box is visible across the entire site, ideally near the top navigation or it can be made visible via interoperable personalization settings.
  3. If 1 or 2 fail, then check that an exception is valid. An exception is provided for small organizations and small websites that include simple links to each page from the home page. Note: A small organization is defined as not more than 50 employees, or the definition within your jurisdiction.

Expected Results

Techniques

  1. Making a search box available.
  2. Positioning search box in a prominent position and visible across entire site via personalization settings

 

working groups notes (optional)