[WSG] Zoom Layouts
Hey I don't think there is, but is there any sort of consensus of the use of zoom layouts? http://www.alistapart.com/articles/lowvision/ http://www.joeclark.org/atmedia/atmedia-NOTES-2.html http://www.stopdesign.com/log/2005/06/24/zoom-layout.html In particular: 1) How do you signal that one is available? I'd like to use text (as opposed to an icon) but who is going to know what zoom layout means? Perhaps low-vision layout or low-vision version work better? 2) How it looks. Do you have light type on dark background or dark type on light background? I suspect that these just haven't been used enough for any good practice to have developed, but any thoughts would be of interest. Thanks! Mike SIGNIFY LTD :: the logic behind === ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
1) How do you signal that one is available? I'd like to use text (as opposed to an icon) but who is going to know what zoom layout means? Perhaps low-vision layout or low-vision version work better? The new Amnesty International Australia site uses a zoom layout option. The icon can be seen under the content on the bottom of each page (a reversed out A symbol): http://www.amnesty.org.au/ 2) How it looks. Do you have light type on dark background or dark type on light background? They vary. Some authors provide both light and dark coloured background versions. Amnesty's version can be seen here: http://www.amnesty.org.au/home?SQ_DESIGN_NAME=contrastSQ_ACTION=set_design_ name A good resource is here: http://web-graphics.com/mtarchive/001627.php Russ ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
Joe Clarke did a speech on it earlier this year at @media... his slides can be found at http://joeclark.org/atmedia/atmedia-NOTES-2.html On 5 Oct 2005, at 16:53, Mike Brown wrote: Hey I don't think there is, but is there any sort of consensus of the use of zoom layouts? http://www.alistapart.com/articles/lowvision/ http://www.joeclark.org/atmedia/atmedia-NOTES-2.html http://www.stopdesign.com/log/2005/06/24/zoom-layout.html In particular: 1) How do you signal that one is available? I'd like to use text (as opposed to an icon) but who is going to know what zoom layout means? Perhaps low-vision layout or low-vision version work better? 2) How it looks. Do you have light type on dark background or dark type on light background? I suspect that these just haven't been used enough for any good practice to have developed, but any thoughts would be of interest. Thanks! Mike SIGNIFY LTD :: the logic behind === ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help ** ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
Mike Brown wrote: I don't think there is, but is there any sort of consensus of the use of zoom layouts? 1) How do you signal that one is available? I'd like to use text (as opposed to an icon) but who is going to know what zoom layout means? Perhaps low-vision layout or low-vision version work better? 2) How it looks. Do you have light type on dark background or dark type on light background? I actually had a bit of a discussion with Joe Clark on this issue during his London workshop last month. I'd argue that users of things like screen magnifiers, who are the target audience for zoom layouts, don't need excessively larger fonts and that the reversing of colours should also be taken care of by their AT. As for naming, imho it would also make sense to simply call it single column / large size or similar... -- Patrick H. Lauke __ re·dux (adj.): brought back; returned. used postpositively [latin : re-, re- + dux, leader; see duke.] www.splintered.co.uk | www.photographia.co.uk http://redux.deviantart.com __ Web Standards Project (WaSP) Accessibility Task Force http://webstandards.org/ __ ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
Patrick H. Lauke said: I actually had a bit of a discussion with Joe Clark on this issue during his London workshop last month. I'd argue that users of things like screen magnifiers, who are the target audience for zoom layouts, don't need excessively larger fonts and that the reversing of colours should also be taken care of by their AT. Meaning that the value of zoom layouts is what? Just that it's putting content is a single column to prevent overlap etc? And that the larger text and colour changes aren't actually needed? Again, I guess these are all the discussions we should be having now as the idea of doing this is new. Mike ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
Mike Brown wrote: Meaning that the value of zoom layouts is what? Just that it's putting content is a single column to prevent overlap etc? Not just overlap, but mainly that things aren't positioned off to the right, where users with screen magnifiers won't normally look for them. And that the larger text and colour changes aren't actually needed? If for the zoom layout's css you don't define any font size below 100% and don't define a specific foreground/background colour, yes. I also proposed that CSS system colours may have a positive role to play here...to hell that they're deprecated in CSS 3 (something I've argued against on the WWW-Style list, garnering a moderate amount of support). -- Patrick H. Lauke __ re·dux (adj.): brought back; returned. used postpositively [latin : re-, re- + dux, leader; see duke.] www.splintered.co.uk | www.photographia.co.uk http://redux.deviantart.com __ Web Standards Project (WaSP) Accessibility Task Force http://webstandards.org/ __ ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
Patrick H. Lauke wrote: As for naming, imho it would also make sense to simply call it single column / large size or similar... ..or *linearized* / large text-size... Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
Hi Mike, Seems that making user's aware of what 'zoom', 'single column', 'high/low contrast', 'low graphics' or any of the other alternatives is another issue like that of educating new users about browser 'Text size' options. From personal experience, when first stumbling upon issues of web standards / accessibility etc. links like 'XHTML' and 'CSS' (as links to online validation services) and the 'AAA' ratings for accessibility were less than clear. Although it would be great to think otherwise, *task-focused* users rarely follow a link or click a button 'out of curiosity'. Perhaps 'Zoom' has been borrowed from the Microsoft Word interface for magnifying the page. Further to this, 'What do I know' [1] uses common wysiwyg interface convention to signal that page layout can be customised. From a graphical perspective the issue is indicating the change that will be affected by choosing a layout 'option'. Using 'What do I know' as an example, the various-sized 'T's are an effective illustration of what their activation will achieve: an increase or decrease in type size. Perhaps an icon that indication of a single column (maybe with an obviously enlarged 'T')? The irony is that icon-i-fying the Zoom display preference is likely to make it smaller, and assuming the feature is to cater to people with visual impairment, the option may well be overlooked. A companion issue is the consideration of user expectations: that websites are often perceived as more akin to a printed page than an application. As such (at least in the usability tests we've conducted) the user's expectation is that the page is 'the way it should be' and the concept of customising layout or display is still alien/novel. The point raised by Patrick is also interesting, namely that we should recognise that the user experience is not solely the domain of web authors. While (admittedly with the best of intentions), we attempt to build layout controls into content, there are dedicated programs developed to improve the browsing experience for users with specific accessibility requirements. References [1] What do I know http://whatdoiknow.org Cheers, -- Andy Kirkwood | Creative Director Motive | web.design.integrity http://www.motive.co.nz ph: (04) 3 800 800 fx: (04) 970 9693 mob: 021 369 693 93 Rintoul St, Newtown PO Box 7150, Wellington South, New Zealand ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
Andy Kirkwood|Motive said: Perhaps an icon that indication of a single column (maybe with an obviously enlarged 'T')? Might I suggest a magnifying glass over the 'T', or a '+' as an icon? kind regards Terrence Wood. ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Zoom Layouts
That's what makes selecting a suitable representation difficult. With a 'T' and magnifying-glass icon, would the user expect to have their layout transformed from 2 or 3 columns to a single column or a high/low contrast layout? Perhaps the type size, layout and contrast options should be separated as is usually the case with monitor setting controls (brightness, contrast, etc.). A point raised (by a non-WSG member) is also to consider the length of time a user will spend on a website. Obviously an unknown quantity, but the typical expectation of web content seems to be the 'quick fix', e.g. enter a term into a search engine, link to the page, find the info, move on. Display controls pre-suppose extended browsing of a single website, to the extent that the user would seek to customise the interface. This is why such controls are perhaps better left to browser developers; to ensure a consist/usable experience *across websites* rather than rely on controls that may or may not be available on a site-by-site basis. Might I suggest a magnifying glass over the 'T', or a '+' as an icon? -- Andy Kirkwood | Creative Director Motive | web.design.integrity http://www.motive.co.nz ph: (04) 3 800 800 fx: (04) 970 9693 mob: 021 369 693 93 Rintoul St, Newtown PO Box 7150, Wellington South, New Zealand ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
