Web Guidelines Report Sample

1 Introduction 4
1.2 E-Service Usability. 5
2 Optimizing the user Experience 5
2.1 Reduce the user workload 5
2.2 Design for Working Memory Limitations 5
2.3 Warning of Time out Session 5
2.4 Format Information for Reading and Printing 5
2.5 Provide Printing option 6
3 Navigation 6
3.1 Provide feedback on user’s location 6
4 Ease of Use 7
4.1 Design, Structure & Navigation should be consistent 7
4.1.2 Use Descriptive Tab Labels 7
4.1.3 Use Site Map 7
4.1.4 Use “Glosses” to assist Navigation 8
4.1.5 User Can be Guide to Content by Transit Pages 8
4.1.6 Links and Clickable Areas are Easy to use by Everyone 8
4.2 Typography, Contrast & Color 9
4.2.1 9
4.2.2 The contrast between the text and background is sufficient 9
4.2.3 Sufficient text appearance 9
4.3 Essential Design 10
4.3.1 Follow Standard 10
4.3.2 Develop the website according to a standard rather than for a specific browser 10
4.3.3 Create a design that operates without considering screen size and window 11
4.3.4 Separate design from content 11
4.3.6 Using relative units 12
4.3.7 Website is not depended be on JavaScript 12
4.3.8 Using Metadata for as many possible pages 12
4.3.9 Frames should not be used 13
4.3.10 Tables should not be used for layout 13
4.3.11 Possibility of Bookmarking the URLs 13
4.3.12 14
4.3.13 The back button is functional at all times 14
4.3.14 Possibility to use the website regardless of input device 14
4.3.15 Provide a logical tab order for the website 14
4.3.16 Provide access keys for important functions 15
4.3.17 Motion are not used in the interface 15
4.3.18 Avoid using flickering or blinking 15
4.4 Data Tables 15
4.4.1 Use headers for rows and columns and use graphics to draw attention to them 15
4.4.2 Shorten long headers for rows and columns 15
4.4.3 Connect data cells to header cells 15
4.4.5 Use table caption to give a concise description of the table’s content 15
4.4.5 Explain the meaning of a table in text 16
4.5 Forms 16
4.5.1 Minimize the number of fields and required fields in forms 16
4.5.2 Clearly mark required fields 16
4.5.3 Group the form’s fields 16
4.5.4 Suitable Fields for the Requested Information 16
4.5.5 Create Clear and Clickable Field Labels 17
4.5.6 User Preference for Information Filling 17
4.5.7 Size Adjustment of Text Fields for Expected Input 17
4.5.8 Automatic Forms and Their Naming 18
4.5.9 Appearance of Form Elements Using Style Sheets 18
4.5.10 Using buttons in forms 19
4.6 Web applications 19
4.6.1 Protect users against accidentally losing work 19
4.6.2 Show Valid Information 19
4.6.3 Inform the user before sending/ receiving personal information 19
4.7 Error Handling on Websites 20
4.7.1 Integration of comprehensive error messages 20
4.7.2 Provide user opportunities to undo an action 21
4.7.3 Design a page that emerges in place of 404 error message: ‘page is not found’ 21
4.8 System-initiated circumstances 22
4.8.1 Automatic actions (forwarding, signing out etc) should be avoided 22
4.8.2 Automatic reloads of pages option should be allowed for users 22
5 Basic Content 22
5.1 The “About Us” Page 22
5.1.1 Provide information about the authority’s responsibilities 22
5.1.2 Inform users about authority’s responsibilities in events of emergency 23
5.1.3 Publish the authority’s comments on a proposal circulated for consideration 23
5.1.4 Outline authority’s activities and relevant contact information 23
5.2 Basic Content 24
5.2.1 Use “home” page to accentuate purpose of the website 24
5.2.2 A Clear Title for All Pages 24
5.2.3 Create a section called “Terms or use of Condition 25
5.2.4 Information Regarding Legal Information & handling of Cookies 25
5.2.5 Sharing an Overview about the Information Manager 26
5.2.6 State the Organization Responsible for Publishing the Website 26
5.2.7 Updating the Information 26
5.2.8 Clarifying about Out-of-Date Information 26
5.3 Search 27
5.3.1 The website should have a search function 27
5.3.2 Make the search function accessible from all pages 28
5.3.3 Allow users to search with familiar terms 28
5.3.4 Provide clear search results pages 28
5.4 Distributing the website’s content and services 29
5.4.1 Allow users to subscribe to information 29
5.5 Involvement and transparency 30
5.5.1 Allow users to ask questions and carry on a dialogue with the authority 30
5.5.2 Make public directories and databases searchable 31
5.6 Emergency information on the website 31
5.6.1 Write a Policy for handling emergency information 31
5.6.2 Creating awareness among target groups 31
5.6.3 Create a page or website for information in the event of an emergency situation 32
5.6.4 Make and manage an emergency website for the organization that does not dependent on any place or time 32
5.6.6 Constant assessment of the emergency website 33
5.5 Content of the website 33
5.7.1 Usage of straightforward, simple and easy-to-understand language 34
5.7.2 Prioritizing the information 34
5.7.3 Using descriptive and clear headings and sub-headings 34
5.7.4 Dividing the long texts into small paragraphs 34
5.7.5 Dividing the enumerations in the lists 34
5.7.6 Consistency while naming things 35
5.7.7 Being brief and precise 35
5.7.8 Writing time and date in accordance with the standards 35
5.7.9 Refrain from using abbreviations 36
5.8 Formatting of the websites or webpage 36
5.8.1 Using proper HTML elements while creating lists 36
5.8.2 h-elements used for Mark up headings 36
5.8.2.1 Use Appropriate and Correct use headings 36
5.8.2.2. The Use of style sheets in order to format the appearance of headings 36
5.8.3 Facilitate calling the linked telephone numbers 37
5.8.4 Indicate when a page, or part of a page, is in another language 37
5.8.5 Never underline text that is not linked 37
5.8.6 Clarify when a document is a part of a larger document 37
5.8.7 Mark quotes in the code 38
5.8.8 Separate thousands with a non-breaking space 38
5.9 Images and graphic objects 38
5.9.1 Use alt text to describe all significant images and graphic objects 39
5.9.2 Use empty alt texts for images that are not significant 39
5.9.4 Provide text alternatives for image maps 40
5.9.5 Avoid using characters to create images 40
5.10 Links and documents 40
5.10.1 Formulate clear links 40
5.10.2 Publishing content principally in HTML or XHTML format 41
5.10.3 Inform users when a link is opened in a new window 42
5.10.4 Give documents clear file names 42
5.10.5 Allotting clear names to documents 42
5.10.6 The process of separating links with one (or more) character (s) 42
5.10.7 Quick links and the Distribution of Pages 42
5.10.8 Avoiding long and complicated URLs 42
6 Web Content for Mobile Devices 43
6.1 Style Sheets for Mobile Devices 44
6.1.1 Adjusting navigation to fit smaller displays in handheld devices 44
6.1.2 Creating a comprehensible outline for smaller displays 44
6.1.3 Presenting content relevant to the user’s request 45
6.1.4 Simplifying text input 45
7 Web publishing tools 45
7.1 Criteria for the selection of an apt publishing tool 45
8 Web 2.0 46
8.1 What is Web 2.0? 46
8.2 Why Web 2.0 46
8.3 Link Social Media to your Website 46
9 languages 47
9.1 Providing Easy-to-Read Information 47
9.2 Using the Requirements of the Reader 47
9.3 Providing Basic Information in Sign Language 47
9.4 Video format 48
9.5 Provide basic information in Arabic languages 48
9.6 Arabic Website 48
9.6.1 Text should be written from Right to left in Arabic Websites 48
9.6.2 .Page layout should be right aligned rather than left aligned 48