Fiction and facts

1. It is impossible to comply with all the Web Guidelines.
2. The Web Guidelines won't let you use [fill in a technology here], or: Web 2.0 and RIA (Rich Internet Applications) cannot be coupled to the Web Guidelines.
3. The entire site complies with the Web Guidelines, except for the content, as the users are responsible for that.
4. Application of the Web Guidelines makes a website more expensive.
5. The Web Guidelines constitute a project risk.
6. You fail to comply with the Web Guidelines as soon as you make one mistake.
7. The Web Guidelines are just a whim that will blow over.
8. It is not that important, as no sanctions are imposed on not complying.

1. Argument: "It is impossible to comply with all the Web Guidelines"

This is not true: By now, there are websites aplenty that comply with all the Web Guidelines. The accessible websites register of the Quality mark drempelvrij.nl Foundation lists these websites. In the register, you will find websites with three logo types. That is because the Quality Mark drempelvrij.nl consists of three levels: accessibility priority 1, accessibility priority 2 and Web Guidelines. There is a logo for each level. The logo without stars is priority 1. The logo with two stars is priority 2. The websites fitted with the three-star logo comply with the Web Guidelines.

2. Argument: "The Web Guidelines won't let you use [fill in a technology here]", or: "Web 2.0 and RIA (Rich Internet Applications) cannot be coupled to the Web Guidelines"

This is not true: Any technology can be used, as long as structure and presentation are separated. Separation of structure and presentation involves making sure that a website still works without all the extras. If a user can only see text (or have it read to her or him) and has only a keyboard at her or his disposal, (s)he must still be able to use the website. That does not imply that an interactive Web 2.0 site with a beautiful design is no longer an option. However, frills like that must be built as extra layers on top of this basic layer, which is entirely feasible.

3. Argument (used by developer): “The entire site complies with the Web Guidelines, except for the content, since the editors are responsible for that”

The developer is partly right. Whether the website complies with the Web Guidelines is to a great extent the responsibility of the web editors. But the developer plays a role as well:

• The developer must ensure that the CMS (Content Management System) enables the web editor to publish content that complies with the Web Guidelines;
• The developer must also ensure that the CMS does not allow the web editor to enter faulty HTML code. An underline button nearly always results in invalid code.
• The developer must ensure that the CMS purges pasted content from, for instance, Microsoft Word, so that no invalid HTML code will be included in the content;
• The developer must explain to the editors how to use the Web Guidelines, or advise them to attend a course.

4. Argument: "Application of the Web Guidelines makes a website more expensive"

This is not true: In many cases, the application of the Web Guidelines does not cost a lot extra. That is, if you look at the long term and incorporate the Web Guidelines into the project from the start.

Why doesn´t a website that complies with the Web Guidelines necessarily cost more?

• The Web Guidelines ensure a high-quality website that is sustainable. Quality always costs money.

  The motto “People who think that quality is expensive don't know what lack of quality costs” likewise holds true for the Web Guidelines. Having a good website built tends to cost money, since quality comes at a price. You invest in a website that is accessible and expandable, and will last for years. It is entirely possible to have a website built quickly and cheaply, but then there may be a fair chance this website is not cross-browser compatible, loads slowly or cannot be browsed on mobile phones.

• Having a website checked costs relatively little, while checking does provide clarity about the quality of the completed website.

  If you ask for quality, you'll want to test whether the supplier offers quality. The Quality Mark drempelvrij.nl is quite suitable for this purpose. Inspection costs only amount to a small percentage of the total costs of a web project. For more information, have a look at the Checking section.

• Good suppliers already partly work in accordance with the Web Guidelines.

  For a good supplier, applying the Web Guidelines does not have to cost much extra. Any supplier who moves with the times is already complying with web standards, ensuring meaningful code and keeping structure and presentation separate. Thus, he already complies with the Web Guidelines to a large extent.

• Web Guidelines result in costs mainly if they are not applied until the final project stages, or afterwards.

  If the Web Guidelines do not play a role until the final stages of a project, it might become quite costly. In that case, the code that does not comply with the Web Guidelines must be corrected afterwards. This may prove to be a time-consuming job. Therefore, modifying existing websites is not always a low-cost assignment.That's why it is important to incorporate the Web Guidelines into the process at an early stage. That means at the initialisation stage, the call for tenders and the award. In that instance, you may make a clear and binding agreement with the contractor that the Web Guidelines will be complied with. Read more about Web Guidelines and project management.

• More content often means higher costs.

  The more content, the higher the costs. It cannot be helped. Making large quantities of content comply with the Web Guidelines, especially videos, animations or PDF files, is a time-consuming and thus costly job. On the other hand, these videos, animations and PDF files have a purpose: informing your visitors. Ensuring that all your customers may see and understand the information on your website is an important aspect of customer-friendliness.

5. Argument: "The Web Guidelines constitute a project risk"

On the contrary! Making use of the Web Guidelines in a web project actually improves the chances that the project will be realised within the specified timeframe and budget. After all, by demanding the use of Web Guidelines and having the completed result checked you ensure that the supplier builds a high-quality website.

Tips for project leaders to deal with the Web Guidelines successfully:

• Make sure that you yourself fully understand the usefulness and purpose of the Web Guidelines.
• Appoint a role for the Web Guidelines in all the stages of the project.
• Select a contractor (supplier) who has demonstrable experience with successful application of the Web Guidelines. The list of accessible builders on the Bartiméus Accessibility Foundation website is a good start.
• Schedule audits at various stages in the project and really perform them.
• Only accept the end result upon completion if the supplier can prove that the website complies with all the Web Guidelines. Make inspection an integral part of the activities.

6. Argument: "You fail to comply with the Web Guidelines as soon as you make one mistake"

This is not true: When the website is inspected, a distinction is made between a single mistake (an incidental mistake), and a structural problem. With many control points in the inspection, a mistake is only defined as structural (and thus rejected) if the number of mistakes of that type found during the inspection amounts to more than 10 percent of the sum total. See the document on inspection & sampling for the details. This document sets out to explain how a sample is made up from the website that is to be checked, how a check proceeds and how its results are interpreted. This document can be downloaded at the website of the Quality mark drempelvrij.nl Foundation (page in Dutch, downloadable documents in English).

7. Argument: "The Web Guidelines are just a whim that will blow over"

That is not likely. With some regularity, the Web Guidelines are the topic of discussion in the Dutch House of Representatives. The reason for this is that certain groups in Dutch society are shut out since many government website are insufficiently accessible. Dutch government puts more and more emphasis on ICT, and the Internet is increasingly deployed as an important channel for information and services. Government websites not being equally accessible to all people contributes to the so-called 'digital divide'.

In the past, concern for this digital divide has resulted, among other things, in a parliamentary motion (Madsen/Fierens, April 2006), the Ministerial decision on the quality of government websites (Dutch cabinet, June 2006), inclusion of the Web Guidelines as an e-access priority in the National Implementation Programme Services and e-Government (NUP, December. 2008).

Regulatory regarding Web Guidelines

8. Argument: "It is not that important, as no sanctions are imposed on not complying"

The Web Guidelines have been developed at the request of the members of the Dutch House of Representatives. They set great store by the accessibility and quality of digital (government) information. Thus, the Web Guidelines are very important: information on the Internet must be accessible to everyone.

Complying with the Web Guidelines is not a demand that has been laid down by law. Therefore, there are no sanctions for failing to comply. The Dutch government regards legislation as a serious policy tool, which is only considered if other tools fail to have the desired effect. Other tools include a cabinet decision or an administrative agreement, which both exist for the Web Guidelines. Thus, the fact that there is no sanction does not detract from the importance of the Web Guidelines. Through the ministerial decision and the administrative agreement, both the central government and the provinces, water boards and municipalities have agreed to comply with the Web Guidelines. Read more about this in the Regulatory section.

Accessibility of services through the Internet will soon be laid down in a law. In the course of 2010, the Equal Treatment (Disability and Chronic Illness) Act will have effect with regard to goods and services, including services through the Internet. As from then, your website may no longer discriminate anyone, including people with a disability.