Testing with Auto Scanning Tools
Many of the auto scanning tools on the market will flag for suspicious text on links and buttons. Sometimes the settings for that tool will flag long alternative text as well. Some look at short lengths. We flag character length because we can’t verify the item makes sense in context. This is something computers cannot do. Even with the best AI out there, computers can’t detect the intention of the control.
Take everything in context!
This often ends up with false positives. I recall using a tool that flagged for anything under four characters. Every time it saw a radio button with Yes and No answer for a question, it would flag them. But that is easily fixed, they added those to the test as a pass. Now there are fewer false positives in that engine.
But that’s not the tip for the day.
Phrases like “Learn More” or “Next” are fine if they are only used once in the context of the page. If I’m testing a 10 step process and there’s a button in the lower right on every screen. It says “Next”. I don’t need to flag this as suspicious. It’s telling me that it will take you to the next step the process. The process is the context.
So what is the tip?
Take everything in context! We test on a per page basis. If a control makes sense in the context of the page without further information, you’re good to go. If there are more than one, then you need to get more specific. “Learn More (about rabbits)” where the parenthetical is off screen.
This goes for images, text, buttons, links, and videos. Take in the page as a whole before deciding on what needs more context. It could be there already and you missed it.
Want to talk more about this? Come find me on LinkedIn and BlueSky.