Hi Brad, I don't have any test data that shows this, however, below are a two articles from Digital Web Magazine that mention the topic. I'm also fairly sure that AGIMO has some research on the topic but I couldn't find it this afternoon. You could also check out the Vision Australia website (http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/). http://www.digital-web.com/articles/accessible_by_design/ Avoid using links that create a new browser window. If you do use them, warn users. Users may not be aware of the shift in their system's focus. It may disorient or confuse them. This is also a usability issue since users can't use the Back button to navigate back and revisit pages. It's easy to accidentally close the wrong window and lose what you want to access. Add a text warning message or place a small icon (with a warning in the ALT attribute) before links that will spawn a new window. Avoid "pop-up" windows, when possible. This has problems similar to creating a new window, but also has JavaScript complications. Access to the "pop-up" should be device independent. More importantly, make the content in the "pop-up" accessible if JavaScript is turned off. http://www.digital-web.com/articles/designer_user_partnership/ The other area designers overstep is in controlling the user environment. The Web behaves in ways that are predictable to users. For example, when a user clicks a link, the browser requests the page from the Web server, the Web server sends the page to the browser, and the Web browser renders the page. Sometimes designers get involved in this transaction by moving the cursor directly to the search input field or opening links in a new window. We, as designers, use these methods because we want to be helpful. We assume that most users will want to use the search feature on arrival; to make things easier, we put the cursor in the search input field. We assume that most users will want to keep in contact with our site while exploring other sites; to make things easier, we open external links in a new window.
But sometimes these helpful interventions wind up causing usability problems because they violate expectations. People expect to begin listening to or tabbing through a Web page from its beginning and will be disoriented if the cursor focus is not at the top of the page. People expect to use the "Back" button to retrace their navigation path and will not be able to return to the originating site if it is not in the window history. While these actions may be helpful to some, they will create usability problems for others. Moving the cursor and opening a new window are functions of the user environment and should be performed by the user. Cheers, Nate ________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brad Pollard Sent: Wednesday, 18 June 2008 16:44 To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org Subject: [WSG] User testing results to reinforce 'no popup' recommendation A dear client is holding us over a barrel..... Does anyone have some user test data/video (that they are willing to share) that shows that forcing a popup window for external links is a bad idea? ~ brad pollard 02 9699 7145 **************************************************************** IMPORTANT The information transmitted is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain confidential and/or legally privileged material. Any review, re-transmission, disclosure dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the Privacy Hotline of the Australian Taxation Office, telephone 13 28 69 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments. **************************************************************** ******************************************************************* List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *******************************************************************
