Multiple Ways

This information relates to criterion 2.4.5 Multiple Ways, which states:

More than one way is available to locate a Web page within a set of Web pages except where the Web Page is the result of, or a step in, a process.

There are many reasons why a person may find it easier to find something in one way rather than another. I tend to prefer to move around websites by using the navigation menu. Others prefer to use a site map or a search facility. By providing more than one way of locating content, it actually helps everybody but especially helps disabled people.

How to meet Multiple Ways

To meet this criterion, you should provide at least two different ways of finding content. These could be:

For this website, the home page contains links to all the other main pages, there are navigation menus on every main page, and there is a site map linked from the footer. Pages which deal with a theme, such as the Word and other document guidance, have a table of contents. These features mean that users can choose the method they find easiest to find the relevant content.

Exceptions

There are several examples of where webpages take the user through a process or journey. In this situation, it is okay to only have one way of navigating, but obviously you should make it as easy as possible for users.

Many government webpages contain things like forms, where you complete personal information, moving from page to page, answering just one question at a time. This design has been created to make the process as simple as possible. Processes such as buying online or making a reservation often follow a similar step-by-step process. I personally find it helpful when they provide a way of moving backwards as well as forwards, so that if I suddenly realise I've missed something or made a mistake, it is possible to correct it.

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