Using the App

Mobile use and accessibility

PathologyLabTraining is a responsive web app. Most features work well on a phone or tablet; a small number are best on a laptop. There is no separate native app.

What works well on mobile

• Reading interview questions and articles — fully responsive
• Taking a Practice Test — works on phone, but expect to scroll more for longer questions
• AI Interview Coach — full chat works; voice-to-text via your phone's keyboard
• Help chat widget — full-width Sheet on phone, single-handed friendly
• Browsing specialty pages and embedded guides — full content
• Account management, billing, login — fully responsive
• Help Centre and individual articles — fully responsive with prose-optimised typography

What is best on a laptop or desktop

• Virtual Lab simulations — some have drag-and-drop or side-by-side panels; tablet or laptop recommended
• NHS Application Support drafting — long-form writing is faster with a real keyboard
• Portfolio uploads of large files — PDF attachments above 5 MB are easier on a wired connection
• SAML SSO admin setup — IdP configuration involves long URLs and certificates; laptop strongly preferred
• Result Interpretation modules — work on phone but the side-by-side reference / result panes are tighter

Accessibility features

We aim for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance:

• Keyboard navigation — every interactive element is reachable via Tab; Enter activates buttons; Escape closes overlays. The help chat widget supports keyboard-only use end-to-end.
• Screen reader support — semantic HTML, aria-label on icon-only buttons, role="log" with aria-live="polite" on the chat message stream so new assistant messages are announced without stealing focus.
• Touch targets — interactive elements meet the 44×44 px minimum on mobile.
• Colour contrast — text and UI controls meet AA contrast ratios in both light and dark mode. Dark mode is available via the theme toggle in the top navigation.
• Reduced motion — UI animations respect prefers-reduced-motion. The help chat FAB and Sheet animations are subtle on systems with reduced motion preferences.
• Focus management — when a Sheet opens, focus moves into it. When it closes, focus returns to the trigger element.

Known limitations

• No native iOS or Android app — everything runs in the browser. Add to Home Screen works (iOS Safari, Android Chrome) for a near-app experience.
• PDF print of the Portfolio is most reliable in Chrome or Edge; Safari sometimes mishandles long table-of-contents.
• Drag-and-drop simulators are not currently optimised for screen-reader use; we are working on accessible alternative interaction patterns.
• Audio in the AI Interview Coach (voice rehearsal) uses your browser's MediaRecorder API; iOS Safari requires HTTPS and explicit user permission each session.

Reporting an accessibility issue

We treat accessibility regressions as bugs. If you find one, email [email protected] with:

• Page URL and the specific element
• Your browser and assistive technology (e.g. Chrome + NVDA)
• A short description or screen recording if you can

We aim to acknowledge within 2 working days and fix within 10.

Browser support

We test against the current and one prior version of:

• Chrome / Edge (Chromium)
• Firefox
• Safari (macOS and iOS)

Older browsers may work but are not actively tested. Internet Explorer is not supported.