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Re: skip-nav tabindex setfocus etc.

for

From: Kynn Bartlett
Date: Mar 15, 2006 7:20AM

On 3/15/06, Gez Lemon < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> Have you done any user-testing to confirm that assertion? For screen
> reader users it would be obvious, but it requires those not using
> screen reader but rely on keyboard navigation to pay attention to the
> screen as they navigate through the document. There is no reason for
> anyone to assume they should pay special attention to the screen on
> the off-chance that some navigation aid will suddenly present itself,
> as it isn't expected behaviour.
>
> I tend to agree with Christian that for a skip link to be useful, it
> should be visible, as the behaviour is then predictable.


This is my concern too. I don't get the desire to have skip-navigation links
and yet hide them like some kind of easter egg. They're not predictable
interaction that way.

Also, have you tested these on mobile devices? When you're viewing the web
on a Treo palm/cell phone, skip navigation really /is/ useful. Especially
test any blog that puts the navigation bar first in source order, e.g.
http://atrios.blogspot.com/ -- it could definitely use a "skip navigation"
link at the beginning.

--Kynn