A web standards wiki has just been launched by the NZ Government to "help government make well-designed websites that enable access regardless of disability, web browser, mobile device, or connection speed". Not all websites are created equal and, as purveyors of public information and services, libraries also need to make sure their websites are usable by as many people as possible. The wiki has a nice intro to why web standards are important for those who are new to the topic.
The thing that I like about the wiki is that it provides a place where good examples can be shared. There is not always agreement on how some issues are best resolved, and the wiki provides an opportunity for everyone to share their expertise, and signal when they think updates to the standards should be made.
If you are planning to build or upgrade a website anytime soon it may be worthwhile taking a look. Not all of the standards will apply, but most are based on the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative or common-sense usability advice. If you are wondering how we at the National Library are doing... well, it's a mixed bag. Our newer sites rate fairly well, but we've also got some old sites that need some attention.
Here is my selection of the standards and recommendations that can benefit any website:
Images
- 1.1 Alternative text for every non-text element
- 1.2 Client side image maps preferred over server side image maps
- 1.3 Text description of visual track of a multimedia presentation
- Recommendation 3.1.1 Use appropriate mark-up language when it exists
Colour
- 2.1 Information conveyed with colour must be available without colour
- 2.2 Contrast between foreground and background colours
Site Markup
- 3.1 Documents validate to published formal grammars
- 3.2 Use elements to convey document structure and mark up lists properly
- 3.3 Do not use deprecated features of W3C technologies
- 3.4 Relative rather than absolute units
- Recommendation 3.1.1 Use appropriate mark-up language when it exists
- Recommendation 3.1.2 Use W3C technologies when available
- Recommendation 3.1.3 Provide abbreviations for header labels
Special Purpose Documents
- 4.1 Document size and type with document links
- 4.2 Publish documents in most accessible format possible
- 4.3 Use of PDF documents
- Recommendation 4.1.1 Information for users to select their documents to their preference
- Recommendation 4.1.2 Versions and other aspects of a document
- Recommendation 4.1.3 Compression of large files or collections of small files
- Recommendation 4.1.4 Create documents primarily in the valid formal grammars
Writing Content
- 5.1 Identify changes in natural language of document text
- 5.2 Identify the primary natural language of a document
- 5.3 Expansion of abbreviations and acronyms in a document
- 5.4 Substituting umlauted vowels for macronised vowels
- 5.5 Height and width attributes are specified in the IMG element
- 5.6 Underlining is not used for any items making up text or headings
- 5.7 Provide metadata to pages and sites
- Recommendation 5.1.1 Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for the site content
- Recommendation 5.1.2 Supplement text with graphic or auditory presentations
- Recommendation 5.1.3 The alt text ends with a full point and a space
Page Layout
- 7.1 Associate labels explicitly with their controls
- 7.2 Create a logical tab order through links
- 7.3 Include non-link printable characters between adjacent links
- 7.4 Web pages are able to be printed in whole
Navigation
- 8.1 Identify the target of each link
- 8.2 External and internal links are valid
- 8.3 Compulsory links on every web page
- 8.4 Navigation access keys
- Recommendation 8.1.1 Use navigation mechanisms in a consistent manner
- Recommendation 8.1.2 Differing searches for skill levels if searching provided
- Recommendation 8.1.3 Non-government links not an endorsement
Style Sheets
- 9.1 Organise documents so they may be read without style sheets
- 9.2 Use style sheets to control layout and presentation of page and elements
Dynamic Content
- 10.1 Ensuring dynamic content is accessible
- 10.2 No blinking or scrolling text and flashing objects
- Recommendation 10.1.1 Minimise movement in pages
Tables
- 11.1 Table row and column headers
- 11.2 Mark-up for data and header cells in tables
- 11.3 Do not use tables for layout
- 11.4 Provide summaries for tables
Frames
Scripting and Applets
- 13.1 Pages usable when scripts applets and other programmatic objects turned off
- 13.2 Alternative event handlers and device dependence
Page Refreshing
Site Behaviour
- 15.1 Pop-ups and other windows appearing
- 15.2 Unique interfacing and device-independence
- 15.3 Keyboard shortcuts
- 15.4 Skipping over long lists of unwanted links
Quality Assurance
- 18.1 Minimum web browsers and their respective versions for sites to work in
- Recommendation 18.1.1 Operating systems and device types for sites to work on
Data Tracking
- 19.1 Data tracking able to be disabled
- 19.2 Rules governing storage of tracking data
- 19.3 Client-side personally identifiable data storage
- 19.4 Encryption of personal information in tracking data
- Recommendation 19.1.1 Scope of collecting tracking data
- Recommendation 19.1.2 Server side session state
Online Forms
- 22.1 FIELDSET element grouping related form elements
- 22.2 Descriptive labels tagged
- 22.3 Confirmation of information submitted online
5 comments:
I think the motivation for web standards is good, but the implementation often gets mired in stupidity. For instance, consider Recommendation 18.1.1 (Operating systems and device types for sites to work on):
To ensure a high likelihood that your web site “works satisfactorily”, the suggested minimal set of browser and their respective versions, combined with operating systems and their respective versions, is:
* Internet Explorer 5.5, on Windows 2000
* Internet Explorer 6.0, on Windows XP
* Internet Explorer 7.n, on Windows XP and Vista
* Mozilla Firefox 1.0.X (or 1.5.X), on Windows XP or Linux.
* Mozilla Firefox 2.x, on Windows XP or Linux
Guide to this recommendation...
Consider a range of computer types. ..
Principally, this should be IBM PC derivative and Apple computers. To go the extra mile, other devices besides computers can also be used for testing, such as handheld devices.
Honestly!
* they need to educate themselves about the difference between operating systems and "types" of computers, and, if they are going to go there, consider more important capabilities like screen resolution, CPU power, memory, likely network bandwidth, etc.
* the distinction between "IBM PC derivative and Apple computers" is just silly; it's all about the OS (Windows, Linux, Mac OS)
* they need to proof their work (why isn't Mac OS in their list?)
If they can't sort the most basic things out, I find it hard to buy in to it...
Fair enough comment, Anonymous, but why not post your comment on the standard on the egovernment site? That's precisely why the launch of the wiki is so valuable!
My point was that
I think the motivation for web standards is good, but the implementation often gets mired in stupidity. If they can't sort the most basic things out, I find it hard to buy in to it...
And that point surely belongs on a blog post that is promoting web standards...
Hi Anon - it does belong here, but on the wiki too - that's where we'll be taking comments such as this and feeding them directly into the upcoming standards review. That's what the wiki was designed to do, in large part. As you note, we have some work to do on the standards. Cheers - Anthony, SSC Web Standards team.
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