Technique F66:Failure of Success Criterion 3.2.3 due to presenting navigation links in a different relative order on different pages

Applicability

Applies to all technologies

This technique relates to 3.2.3: Consistent Navigation (Failure).

Description

This describes a failure condition for all techniques involving navigation mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages (Success Criterion 3.2.3). If the mechanism presents the order of links in a different order on two or more pages, then the failure is triggered.

Examples

Example 1: An XHTML menu presenting a series of links that are in a different relative order on two different pages

Examples of a navigation mechanism that presents links in a different order.

Page 1 Menu

<div id="menu"> 
    <a href="Brazil.htm">Brazil</a><br />
    <a href="Canada.htm">Canada</a><br />
    <a href="Germany.htm">Germany</a><br />
    <a href="Poland.htm">Poland</a> 
</div>

Page 2 Menu

<div id="menu"> 
    <a href="Canada.htm">Canada</a><br />
    <a href="Brazil.htm">Brazil</a><br />
    <a href="Germany.htm">Germany</a><br />
    <a href="Poland.htm">Poland</a> 
</div>

Tests

Procedure

Check to see if a navigation mechanism is being used on more than one Web page.
Check the default presentation of the navigation mechanism on each page to see if the list of links are in the same relative order on each Web page.

"Same relative order" means that secondary navigation items may be in between the link items on some pages. They can be present without affecting the outcome of this test.

Expected Results

If #1 is true and #2 is false, then this failure condition applies and content fails the Success Criterion.