Site map and Multiple Ways
Did you know it's an ADA requirement for users to have multiple ways of accessing each page of your site? This principle is aptly named Multiple Ways; here's what WCAG says about it:
"The intent of this success criterion is to make it possible for users to locate content in a manner that best meets their needs. Users may find one technique easier or more comprehensible to use than another."
This is one of the lesser-known, less obvious, and less black-and-white accessibility criteria. It may be a little difficult at first to imagine why a user might need this; I'll get to that in a bit!
So, how can we make sure we're providing multiple ways and meeting this requirement? The easiest way to do this is to simply include a site map. You just need a site map link on each page of your website — in the header or footer or any other place where it can appear consistently on all pages — and then of course you'll have that link go to a site map page with a list of links to all the pages of your site.
In my industry, pharmaceutical marketing, I've been surprised to see some brand sites not providing a site map link/page; of course they usually just don't know about this Multiple Ways principle. So it's something I look for when auditing any site, and I always recommend adding one if they don't have it.
What's the value of a site map page to a person with disabilities?
Let's think about it. A person with mobility issues may have an easier and faster experience tabbing through your site map page than navigating your site in the traditional way. People with certain cognitive disabilities may find that reading through one long list of pages is easier and faster for them than navigating your site in the traditional way. People with visual impairments who use screen reader software may prefer to listen to the full list of pages and choose one, rather than navigating through the site in the traditional way. Et cetera, et cetera. Starting to make sense? These are scenarios that people without disabilities would probably never consider unless they really stop and think about it. Fortunately by adding a site map it's easy for us to offer an easier option for these users!
Other methods for Multiple Ways
Another way of meeting this requirement is to provide a robust search feature that can lead users to all pages of your site. I've even seen some examples of Multiple Ways where a small website has a top navigation with just three or four items, and then that top nav is repeated as a side nav that floats down the page. Really, just about any way you can think of to provide at least two links to each page on the site should satisfy this requirement, as long as they're readily available to users and easy to find.
One size may not fit all
I've had a real dilemma with my own site regarding Multiple Ways, as this site's structure is not typical. My Digital Philosophy homepage is a directory with about a hundred links to individual articles. It would feel kind of silly and, I believe, pointless, to simply mirror that list in a site map page; if we think about users like the ones I described above, a site map page with a full list of pages would not provide them with any value; it would be no more beneficial to them than my homepage. One could argue that the homepage basically is the site map page. So I look at this situation as one of those rare instances where we have to think about the intent of the rule rather than following it to the letter, and just make sure we're acting in good faith with regard to accessibility. Is that risky? For a big company, it could be, and I would generally advise a client to err on the side of caution, even if the result is a bit overwrought, just so we know we're absolutely in line with WCAG requirements. But for just a regular person like me with my little ol' site I don't think it's a real risk, and I'm confident I'm meeting my ethical obligations regarding accessibility for this site. If you disagree I'd love to hear from you! I'm always open to learning more. Please feel free to email me at manning@manningkrull.com.
Exempt pages
One last thing, I should mention that this WCAG rule of Multiple Ways excludes any pages that are steps in a process, like pages in a multi-page form; of course it's okay that users can only get to those by completing the steps before. Makes sense!
– Manning
Questions/comments? Feel free to contact me at manning@manningkrull.com. I update these articles pretty frequently — best practices evolve over time as the world of digital quickly changes, and I always welcome insights from others.