VA Travel Pay: Breadcrumb Navigation Strategy

by Admin 46 views
VA Travel Pay: Breadcrumb Navigation Strategy

Navigating through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website, particularly when dealing with travel pay, should be straightforward and intuitive. Breadcrumbs play a crucial role in this, acting as a roadmap for users. This article dives deep into the planned breadcrumb functionality for the Travel Pay section of VA.gov, addressing different entry points and potential routing issues.

Purpose

The primary purpose of breadcrumbs is to provide users with an easy and reliable way to navigate back to previous pages. In the context of VA Travel Pay, users need to seamlessly move between different sections, such as appointment details, claim submissions, and the travel claims list. The breadcrumb navigation ensures that users don't get lost and can easily retrace their steps.

Context

Travel Pay has a unique structure with two main entry points: past appointments (for new and unsubmitted claims) and claim details (accessible from the travel claims list). This dual entry point system necessitates a carefully considered breadcrumb strategy. The content and Information Architecture (IA) teams have collaborated to create recommendations that address the complexities of this system.

Intro Page Breadcrumb

For users entering from past appointments, the initial breadcrumb will display "back to appointment." Clicking this breadcrumb will take the user directly back to the specific appointment they were viewing. This direct link provides a clear and immediate return to the previous context, enhancing user experience and reducing confusion.

General Breadcrumb Strategy

IA recommends using a simplified "back" breadcrumb for subsequent pages. This approach accounts for potential dynamic routing failures. While the ideal scenario is to return the user to their exact entry point (either past appointment details or claim details), the "back" breadcrumb serves as a reliable fallback. In cases of failure or a hard refresh, the system will default to sending the user back to the travel pay claims list. This ensures that users always have a consistent and predictable navigation option.

Destructive Action Modal

Similar to the back button functionality, a destructive action modal will be implemented. This modal will alert users if they are about to perform an action that could result in data loss or other significant changes. The implementation of this modal ensures that users are aware of the consequences of their actions, especially when dealing with sensitive information related to travel pay claims. The team is currently exploring existing standard versions of this modal within the VA system to ensure consistency and best practices.

Visual Design and Figma Files

The visual design and user interface elements for the breadcrumb navigation are detailed in the Figma files provided. These files offer a comprehensive view of the design specifications, including the layout, styling, and interactive elements of the breadcrumbs. Designers and developers can use these files to ensure that the breadcrumb implementation aligns with the overall design language of VA.gov and meets the specific requirements of the Travel Pay section.

Acceptance Criteria

The success of the breadcrumb functionality will be measured against the following acceptance criteria:

Intro Page Breadcrumb Functionality

The intro page breadcrumb must accurately display "back to appointment" and successfully navigate the user back to their past appointment details. This ensures that users entering from the appointment pathway have a seamless and intuitive return to their previous context.

General Breadcrumb Navigation

The breadcrumbs on subsequent pages should display "back" and correctly return the user to their entry point. If a user originates from past appointment details, the breadcrumb should navigate them back to those details. Similarly, if a user comes from claim details, the breadcrumb should return them to the claim details page. This ensures consistent and predictable navigation throughout the Travel Pay section.

Fallback Behavior

In the event of a hard refresh or dynamic routing failure, the system must default to sending the user to the travel claims list page. This fallback mechanism ensures that users always have a reliable navigation option, even when unexpected issues arise. The travel claims list page serves as a central hub where users can access their claims and related information.

Detailed Breakdown of Acceptance Criteria

To ensure the breadcrumb functionality meets the required standards, each acceptance criterion is broken down further:

"Back to Appointment" Breadcrumb

  • Text Accuracy: The breadcrumb text on the intro page must exactly match "back to appointment".
  • Navigation: Clicking the breadcrumb should reliably return the user to the previously viewed appointment details page.
  • Context Retention: The system should retain the context of the appointment, ensuring that the user returns to the correct appointment details.

General "Back" Breadcrumb

  • Text Consistency: The breadcrumb text on all subsequent pages should consistently display "back".
  • Entry Point Detection: The system must accurately detect the user's entry point (either past appointment details or claim details).
  • Correct Navigation: Clicking the breadcrumb should return the user to the correct entry point, maintaining the user's workflow and context.

Fallback Mechanism

  • Failure Detection: The system must be able to detect hard refreshes and dynamic routing failures.
  • Redirection: Upon detecting a failure, the system should automatically redirect the user to the travel claims list page.
  • User Notification (Optional): Consider implementing a brief notification to inform the user that they have been redirected due to a technical issue.

Implementation Considerations

When implementing the breadcrumb functionality, developers should consider the following:

Dynamic Routing

The dynamic routing mechanism must be robust and reliable to ensure that users are consistently directed to the correct entry point. Thorough testing and error handling should be implemented to minimize the risk of routing failures.

Session Management

Proper session management is crucial for maintaining user context and ensuring that the breadcrumbs accurately reflect the user's navigation history. The system should efficiently manage session data to prevent data loss and ensure a seamless user experience.

Accessibility

The breadcrumb navigation must be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Developers should adhere to accessibility guidelines (such as WCAG) to ensure that the breadcrumbs are usable by screen readers and other assistive technologies.

Performance

The breadcrumb functionality should be implemented in a way that minimizes performance impact. The system should efficiently load breadcrumbs without causing delays or slowdowns in page loading times.

Testing and Validation

Thorough testing and validation are essential to ensure that the breadcrumb functionality meets the acceptance criteria and provides a reliable navigation experience. The following testing activities should be conducted:

Unit Testing

Unit tests should be performed to verify the functionality of individual components, such as the breadcrumb text, navigation logic, and failure detection mechanism.

Integration Testing

Integration tests should be conducted to ensure that the breadcrumb functionality integrates seamlessly with other parts of the Travel Pay system, such as the appointment details page, claim details page, and travel claims list page.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

UAT should be performed with real users to gather feedback and validate that the breadcrumb functionality meets their needs and expectations. Users should be asked to perform common tasks, such as navigating between different sections and recovering from simulated routing failures.

Conclusion

The planned breadcrumb functionality for the Travel Pay section of VA.gov is designed to provide users with a clear, consistent, and reliable navigation experience. By addressing the complexities of different entry points and potential routing failures, this strategy aims to enhance user satisfaction and reduce confusion. Thorough testing and validation will be essential to ensure that the breadcrumb functionality meets the acceptance criteria and provides a seamless experience for all users.

By implementing these recommendations, the VA aims to create a user-friendly and efficient system for managing travel pay claims. The focus on clear navigation, error handling, and accessibility will contribute to a positive user experience and improve overall satisfaction with VA.gov.