ARTICLES - WEB STANDARDS - WHAT IS IT ABOUT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
THE DRY RESPONSE...
The W3C promotes their stance that Web technologies "must be compatible with one another and allow any hardware and software used to access the Web to work together".
THE STRAIGHT-FORWARD RESPONSE...
Accessibility is not just about making web sites usable by disabled or by sight-impaired people. Accessibility is about making the web site usable by people - irrespective of the browser they use, the assistive technology they require to view the web site or any other factor.
And in layman's terms web standards is about...
- Accessibility - ensuring that as many users as possible (be they disabled or not) are able to access and use a web site in the way that it was intended
- Browser compatibility - creating web sites that will render correctly for users not only in Internet Explorer 6.0 on the PC but also in any one of a dozen different browsers across half a dozen different operating systems in both PC and Mac formats
- Structure - the way that forms, images, text, colour and layout are used has important implications for all users - it's about creating intuitive, good looking and functional web sites
- Adherence to the latest coding standards - a mark of the developer being up-to-speed with the latest web developments
- Ease of maintenance - following web standards means a forward looking web site that is easier to maintain and is more reliable than ones using increasingly deprecating coding
- It's a case of following the clear guidelines already in existence - The W3C, RNIB and e-Government all have extensive guidelines in place. There should be no excuse for not being web standards compliant
WHY ARE WEB STANDARDS IMPORTANT TO YOU, THE CLIENT?
- An accessible web site is something to be proud of - advertise the fact and let users see that it is important to you
- Your web site will be easier to maintain, to edit and will be more reliable
- Your web site is going to be accessible to as many users as possible
- Choosing a developer that adheres to web standards means that you are choosing a developer that is up-to-speed on current web developments
- A standards compliant web site will perform better in search engine rankings
- Lastly, by following proven guidelines from the W3C, RNIB and e-Government, you will have a web site that fulfils its obligations to the Disability Discrimination Act, 1995
WHY ARE WEB STANDARDS IMPORTANT TO ARKOSE DESIGN?
- A standards compliant web site is a mark of quality
- The web is moving towards standards, not away from them
- Web standards are about inclusion not exclusion - why deliberately exclude potential users just because they are using an Apple Mac, an older version of IE or are sight-impaired
- Web sites coded according to web standards are more reliable and easier to maintain - a big plus for the client from a cost point of view
- Web standards are something that every web designer should be doing anyway
- Web standards require the developer to work in a logical and structured way - every time, for every client
- Deprecated code (e.g. tables, HTML 4.1) will still work in browsers at the moment, but why buy a used car with unseen problems in the future when you can get a brand new vehicle with extras included free and for the same price?
WHAT IS THE DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT, 1995?
The Disability Discrimination Act, 1995 (DDA) effectively places responsibility upon employers and suppliers of goods and services to provide reasonable adjustment and, more importantly, to remove any barriers that could result in discrimination. Since 1999 the DDA has covered public facing web sites and internal systems even giving examples in its Code of Practice such as; 'An airline company provides a flight reservation and booking service to the public on its web site. This is a provision of a service and is subject to the Act'.
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