WebsightWhat it asks for, in plain English
Within a set of pages, there should be at least two different ways to reach any given page. Common options are a navigation menu, a site search, a sitemap page, an A to Z index, links between related pages, and a home page that links to the main sections.
Different people find things in different ways. Some scan menus, some type into search, some follow links from where they are. If your site only offers one, the people who cannot use that one are stuck.
Pages that are a step in a process are exempt: step 3 of a checkout does not need to be in the menu or the sitemap, because it only makes sense after steps 1 and 2.
This is an independent explanation. The binding wording is the W3C Recommendation, and the W3C's own Understanding 2.4.5 page has the full intent, techniques and definitions.
Who it affects
Someone with a cognitive impairment cannot work out which menu heading a page is under, but can type a word into search.
A screen reader user finds a sitemap far quicker to read than a mega menu with ninety links.
Someone with low vision using heavy zoom cannot take in a wide navigation bar and prefers a simple search box.
How to check it
- Pick five pages at random from deep in the site.
- For each, count the ways to reach it: menu, search, sitemap, links from related pages, breadcrumb. You need at least two.
- Try the site search for a page's title. It should find the page.
- If there is a sitemap page, check it is linked from somewhere people will find, usually the footer.
What Websight checks for 2.4.5
Websight has no automated check for this criterion. It lists it in the manual checklist that comes with every report, so it is not forgotten.
Only a person can check this. A scanner looks at one page at a time and has no idea how the site hangs together.
Practical tips
- A working site search plus a navigation menu meets this for almost every site.
- Add a plain HTML sitemap page in the footer; it is cheap and screen reader users love it.
- Link related articles and products from each other; it helps people and search engines alike.
Other criteria in guideline 2.4, Navigable
- 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (level A)
- 2.4.2 Page Titled (level A)
- 2.4.3 Focus Order (level A)
- 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (level A)
- 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (level AA)
- 2.4.7 Focus Visible (level AA)
- 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (level AA)