Polimapper is committed to ensuring our geographical visualisations are fully accessible.
Below is a summary of recent work carried out in line with this commitment.
1. Accessibility in Modal Dialogs
Improvements to modal dialogs include:
- Focus Management: Focus transitions smoothly between the trigger and the modal, remaining restricted within the modal until it is closed.
- Form Field Enhancements:
- All form fields now include the autocomplete attribute for improved usability.
- Error messages are now screen-reader-friendly and announced upon appearance. Error handling has also been expanded to fields like “First Name” and “Last Name,” which previously relied solely on colour for indication.
- Structural Improvements: Labels are grouped with checkboxes, and unnecessary headings have been removed for clarity.
2. Accessible Links and Navigation
Link text and navigation have been refined:
- Improved Link Text: Links such as “Download Chart” and buttons for social media (Twitter, WhatsApp, LinkedIn) now clearly convey their purpose.
- Image Alt Text: Meaningful alt text has been added to all header and footer images to support screen readers.
3. Dropdown Menu Accessibility
Dropdown menus have been upgraded to improve accessibility:
- Updated to a newer, more accessible version.
- Fully keyboard-operable, allowing navigation and activation using the Tab, Enter, Spacebar, Arrow Keys, and Escape keys.
4. Map-Specific Accessibility Enhancements
Key changes to maps include:
- Keyboard Operability:
- Maps can be fully navigated using the keyboard.
- Zoom controls (Zoom In, Zoom Out, and Reset Zoom) are focusable and operable with Enter and Spacebar.
- Map areas can be navigated using the Arrow Keys, with further actions triggered by the Enter Key.
- Screen Reader Accessibility:
- Maps are announced as a “list box” with clear labels.
- Legends are identified as “region landmarks,” and items are described using list semantics.
- Tooltips, accessible via keyboard, provide additional information for users with low vision or colour-blindness.
5. Structural and Visual Enhancements
Structural adjustments improve clarity and usability:
- Heading hierarchies have been added or adjusted for consistency.
- Issues of content loss during zoom (up to 400%) have been resolved, ensuring accessibility for users with visual impairments.
6. Postcode Component Accessibility
Accessibility improvements for postcode functionality include:
- Clear labels to assist screen reader users.
- A new description informing users that changes in the Postcode dropdown trigger automatic navigation to the next page.
7. Enhanced Usability Across Pages
Navigating between pages has been optimised:
- Focus Reset: When moving between pages, focus resets to the main content for logical progression.
- Loading Indicators: Screen readers now identify and announce when pages are loading, improving the overall user experience.
8. Improved CSS and Visual Indicators
Visual and usability changes include:
- Focus indicators for buttons and links, such as “Download,” “Print,” and navigation controls.
- Adjustments to prevent content overlap or loss during zooming, particularly in licensing sections.