4b When and how to use pop-ups and pop-outs

Pop-ups (pages which launch in a new window or a new browser tab):

• Generally avoid using pop-ups unless absolutely necessary:
• Acceptable usage:
  • Use pop-ups for links to help information about the underlying page, for example, on forms
  • May be used for launching a site survey
• If using:
  • Provide a warning on the link that a pop-up will result via text or the title attribute – [see 2b]
  • Always provide an explicit 'close' button on the pop-up windowMay be used for launching a site survey
  • Make the pop-up window smaller to ensure that it does not obscure the original page
  • Try to avoid multiple pop-ups filling up the screen

Pop-outs(content that launches in a box or container that obscures some of the current page contents):

• Use pop-outs to:
  • Add small amounts of extra information (essentially help, tips and hints)
  • Perform small localised tasks that must be performed before continuing
• Inappropriate use:
  • Do not present a lot of detailed information in pop-outs
  • Do not use pop-outs to present complex processes or sequences of actions
  • Do not use pop-outs when there is a high likelihood of a user wanting to go back to a previous state of the pop-out
• If using pop-outs:
  • Use an explicit close label or button to provide a simple way to close the pop-out and return to the pre-pop-out state
  • Ensure that it opens where it does not obscure useful underlying information
  • Ensure the pop-out opens in the visible part of the page and avoids popping out off the visible page or scrolling to see its contents