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Re: Visible Skip Nav Link

for

From: Tim Arnold
Date: Feb 16, 2012 9:54AM

>
>
> >
> > On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 11:09 PM, Vincent Young
> > < <EMAIL REMOVED> >wrote:
> >
> >> What could end up working out for both parties is an equal compromise.
> I
> >> put together a quick example that tries to accomplish that:
> >>
> >> http://webhipster.com/testing/accessibility/skip/index.html
> >>
> >> I show the skip link when it is focused AND when the mouse moves on the
> >> page. When the mouse stops moving or focus is moved off the link I hide
> >> it
> >> again. If the skip link is activated, I don't show on mouse move
> anymore.
> >> The highlight fades in, holds slightly, and fades out. As a visual
> user,
> >> I
> >> would appreciate this user experience on any business page cluttered
> with
> >> content from various interested parties.
> >>
> >> Happy to answer any questions.
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 4:39 PM, Elle < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> >>
> >> > Thanks, Jennifer!
> >> >
> >> > This is exactly the article that motivated me to make the business
> case.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Cheers,
> >> > Elle
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 7:15 PM, Jennifer Sutton < <EMAIL REMOVED>
> >> > >wrote:
> >> >
> >> > > Maybe this article will help.
> >> > >
> >> > > Back to Basics: Skip to Main Content Links | Terrill Thompson
> >> > > http://terrillthompson.com/blog/161
> >> > >
> >> > > Jennifer
> >> > >
> >> > > At 03:44 PM 2/15/2012, you wrote:
> >> > > >All:
> >> > > >
> >> > > >I'm trying to make the case, during our massive redesign project,
> >> > > > that
> >> > we
> >> > > >should provide a visible skip nav link (instead of visible onfocus)
> >> > > > in
> >> > our
> >> > > >header, because it was my understanding that low vision users could
> >> > > benefit
> >> > > >from a skip nav link and they are primarily mouse users (so
> wouldn't
> >> see
> >> > > >the link if it was hidden on initial page load). A few questions
> for
> >> > you
> >> > > >guys:
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > > 1. Is this a win worth fighting for? Do low vision users want
> >> this?
> >> > > I'll
> >> > > > go to bat for anything that benefits users, but I just wanted
> to
> >> get
> >> > > input
> >> > > > on whether it was truly beneficial. I am planning to take it
> to
> >> > > usability
> >> > > > testing soon, but the decision may become political before then
> >> > > > (given that
> >> > > > it's precious real estate).
> >> > > >
> >> > > > 2. Does anyone have examples of elegant and design-centric
> >> > > > implementations of a visible skip nav link? To win the case, I
> >> think
> >> > > I'll
> >> > > > need evidence that it can be done well.
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >Much appreciated!
> >> > > >~Elle
>

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer,
but I'm missing the use case where making a skipnav appear on mouseover is
helpful. I use skipnavs that become visible on tab for users who may be
navigating either by voice or keyboard but who cannot use a mouse, but who
are we serving that can use a mouse to hover over a skipnav link but cannot
also scroll down the page.

We are talking about a sighted user (can see the skipnav appear) who is
using a mouse (is capable of hovering their pointer) but still needs to be
able to click a link in order to anchor down to nav or main content?

Best,
Tim




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