Note: This article is relevant to the legacy DesignPLUS Sidebar installed before July 2023. If your institution installed or updated the DesignPLUS Sidebar after July 2023, please check the New Sidebar Guides and the New Sidebar FAQ.
A question that comes up from time to time is if there are any options in Cidi Labs DesignPLUS to create an image carousel or slideshow type of interaction.
One of the aspects of design that we seek to promote in the content that we empower users to create is that items and elements should meet both accessibility and usability best practices.
While we could technically add that type of functionality to Canvas, we have chosen not to do so for a variety of reasons. Essentially, it all boils down to the fact that carousels have been shown to be incredibly ineffective and a poor design choice.
If you don't believe us, try Googling "Should I use a carousel?" You will be hard-pressed to find any accessibility or usability advocates or articles that actually recommend using a carousel. The top result is a page that was put together by Jared Smith, who is the associate director of WebAIM. The page, Should I use a carousel?, uses a carousel to provide a quick overview of why they are a poor design decision.
One alternative option that is available through one of our Hidden Gems is a pop-up image gallery option for viewing and cycling through larger images.
