Place active elements in a predictable tabbing order
no. 052
Make sure the tabbing order for active elements follows a logical and predictable sequence
Users who cannot use a pointing device such as a mouse to navigate through content have to rely on alternative means. Navigating with the keyboard can be just as efficient, as long as the tabbing order through content can be reliably predicted and that every active element included in a page can indeed be reached in an sequential order that makes sense.
To do so, simply make sure active elements such as links and form controls receive focus in an order that follows sequence and relationships in the content. This means ensuring the order in which each element gets tabbed into follows a predictable pattern throughout the general structure or presentation of the content. This is usually achieved by mapping the focus order to the sequential order of the source code, though this is not always mandatory. As long as the resulting tabbing order makes sense, keyboard users will be able to predict the page’s focus path and as a result, navigate through content more efficiently.
User Story
As a sighted keyboard user, I want to be able to [...]