In many discussions with various developers I have heard the term ’standards compliance’ used very loosely to, usually, denote the idea that (X)HTML code of web pages on a given web site validate against a W3C validator of some sort.
Unfortunately, I would not consider simply just a W3C (X)HTML compliant web site in any way standards compliant today at all. At best, (X)HTML code validity is a fairly good first step towards achieving ’standards compliance’.
Here is a quick insight into different grades of standards compliance which I would consider as required, relevant and highly recommended for implementation on every web based project.
Good standards compliance
Better standards compliance
- Include the above steps, and also
- Ensure the site complies with accessibility guidelines to at least A
- Ensure that the basic usability guidelines are followed
- Use semantic HTML throughout the whole site
Much better
- Include all the above steps, and also
- Use microformats wherever possible
- Ensure at least AA accessibility compliance
- Ensure graceful degradation of the code (especially JavaScript)
- Make sure your pages are below 100Kb in size by all means
Best
- All of the above, but also
- Make sure the web site is usable (not just accessible) within a screen reader, which should also mean that the web site is easily usable for normal users without use of a mouse
- Create site architecture which is SEO ready from the outset (including pretty URLs)
- Ensure compatibility with future browsers/clients (mobile phones, playstations and small laptops)
- Ensure that the overall solution is very consistently implemented, including common approach to component coding, clear and concise reusable site portions, etc.
- Ensure (re)use of commonly recognised and well adopted UI design patterns
- Code with future compatibility in mind, so as to ensure forward compatibility with emerging technologies and new versions of web browsers
The above check list is by no means definite, final or full, but it is a good starting check point to ensure that the end product of a web site is of high quality and fit for the web of today and evenly reaches all types of users hitting your web site day to day.
Written by Jason Grant, BSc, MSc on 26th May 2008
Tags: guidelines, standards