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Thread: *Next*: button or link

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From: wolfgang.berndorfer@zweiterblick.at
Date: Tue, Dec 12 2023 11:12AM
Subject: *Next*: button or link
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Considering user experience: What is the correct semantic for controls
leading to the next step in a form process?

Users do not know whether the next step leads to an different URL or just
changes content within the page to present the next step. As a screen reader
user, I can filter between links and buttons and want to have a consistent
experience across individual websites.

I found the control *Next* realized as link and button both on notable
sites. Which should be preferred?

Thanks for thoughts and studies!



Wolfgang

From: Yeti
Date: Tue, Dec 12 2023 11:23AM
Subject: Re: *Next*: button or link
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Hello Wolfgang,

> I found the control *Next* realized as link and button both on notable
> sites. Which should be preferred?


That depends on what happens when you click:
- If it is possible to have open step x and x
+1 as page at the same time, it should be a link, because a link leads to another page.
- If it is a reload / reuse of the same page, it should be a button, because a button changes something on a page.


That's my 50 cents

Ad Astra

Yeti

From: Dean.Vasile@outlook.com
Date: Tue, Dec 12 2023 3:00PM
Subject: Re: *Next*: button or link
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Speaking is a screen reader user.
My preference and expectation is to find OK, buttons, edit buttons, and next buttons to be buttons this way, I know how to find things when navigating.
I am actually taking a Salesforce Admin course and on the Trailhead pages and working on salesforce I keep finding edit links, and next links when navigating by button, and it is infuriating to me
Dean Vasile


617-799-1162

> On Dec 12, 2023, at 1:12 PM, = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = wrote:
>
> Considering user experience: What is the correct semantic for controls
> leading to the next step in a form process?
>
> Users do not know whether the next step leads to an different URL or just
> changes content within the page to present the next step. As a screen reader
> user, I can filter between links and buttons and want to have a consistent
> experience across individual websites.
>
> I found the control *Next* realized as link and button both on notable
> sites. Which should be preferred?
>
> Thanks for thoughts and studies!
>
>
>
> Wolfgang
>
> > > >

From: David Engebretson Jr.
Date: Tue, Dec 12 2023 4:26PM
Subject: Re: *Next*: button or link
← Previous message | No next message

If you are experiencing the same thing I am:

It's because the copy people don't understand that links that look like buttons, visually, actually show up semantically to the screen reader as links.

Dealing with your frustration is one way around the problem. Another is to inform the people who write the copy to not refer to the links that "look" like buttons as buttons in their copy.

I empathize with your frustration. It's a struggle.

Cheers,
David

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 2:00 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] *Next*: button or link

Speaking is a screen reader user.
My preference and expectation is to find OK, buttons, edit buttons, and next buttons to be buttons this way, I know how to find things when navigating.
I am actually taking a Salesforce Admin course and on the Trailhead pages and working on salesforce I keep finding edit links, and next links when navigating by button, and it is infuriating to me Dean Vasile


617-799-1162

> On Dec 12, 2023, at 1:12 PM, = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = wrote:
>
> Considering user experience: What is the correct semantic for
> controls leading to the next step in a form process?
>
> Users do not know whether the next step leads to an different URL or
> just changes content within the page to present the next step. As a
> screen reader user, I can filter between links and buttons and want to
> have a consistent experience across individual websites.
>
> I found the control *Next* realized as link and button both on notable
> sites. Which should be preferred?
>
> Thanks for thoughts and studies!
>
>
>
> Wolfgang
>
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
>