STEVENS COSSY
All work

11 / Government web frameworks / Currently in testing

GCDS-PageTOC

A persistent “On this page” navigation feature I created. This GCDS prototype supports my work with GCDS and GCWeb and is currently being tested for intended future use on Canada.ca.

GCDS prototype with a persistent On this page sidebar, an expanded Discussion branch and the active subsection highlighted beside the report.
Prototype · Currently in testing · Feature design · GCDS & GCWeb context Open image to inspect in detail

Keep the reader oriented in a long page.

The brief

Keep section navigation available as readers move through a long document, with a clear indication of their current location and a practical layout on smaller screens.

Design approach

I developed a heading-driven table of contents with a persistent desktop sidebar, nested section groups and active-location highlighting. On mobile, it becomes a collapsible control above the article. The GCDS adaptation provides a working example for testing alongside the wider GCWeb context.

Design details

  • Generates a nested navigation hierarchy from the document headings.
  • Keeps the current section visible and opens its branch as the reader moves through the page.
  • Supports keyboard navigation and a collapsible mobile presentation.
  • Currently in testing for intended future Canada.ca use; not presented as an approved or released GCDS or GCWeb component.

Persistent navigation connects the reader’s location to the structure of the document.

Desktop GCDS prototype showing the persistent table of contents beside the Introduction section.
Desktop: section links stay alongside the article as the reader moves through the report.
Expanded mobile On this page disclosure above the Introduction, showing section links and the current location.
Mobile: the same navigation becomes a collapsible control above the article.

Screenshots of the local GCDS prototype, September 2026. The feature is currently being tested for intended future use on Canada.ca. Sample report text is demonstration content; authorship credit here is for the navigation feature. Government identity, conservation content and institutional materials remain with their respective owners.

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