Well-engineered Web site requirements specification
A requirements specification should be prepared for a well-engineered Web site. This specification should include, at least, the following generic items: a) Date of issue and status b) Scope c) Issuing organization d) References e) Approval authority f) Body g) Delivery instructions h) Assurance requirements i) Conditions, constraints, and characteristics j) Glossary k) Change history
Well-engineered Web site design description
A design description should be prepared for the Well-engineered Web site. The design description for the Well-engineered Web site should include, at least, the following generic items: a) Date of issue and status b) Scope c) Issuing organization d) References e) Context f) Notation for description g) Body h) Summary i) Glossary j) Change history
Design review
Web page designs should be subjected to design reviews in keeping with good engineering practices. Depending on the value and expected impact of specific well-engineered Web site, additional reviews may be warranted. The design review subject matter may include evaluations of the graphical design, legal implications, cultural impacts, linguistic review, market research, accessibility and usability. The design review should span the entire range of functional objectives, technical capabilities and constraints throughout the system. The review should also address the capabilities and limitations of the target user community. The insertion of new technology into the system requires the widest range of reviewer experience. In addition, the content should be subjected to review by applicable experts and other users.
Proofreading and quality objectives and testing
Quality assurance should be part of site planning and development. The project plan should indicate specific tools and processes to be used during implementation to assure the quality objectives are met. Well-engineered Web pages should be subjected to proofreading and quality assurance. Proofreading should involve the use of the full range of browsers, screen resolutions, and browser window sizes and shapes.
Final assessments must be done on the object(s) (text, graphics, layout, navigation, multimedia, etc) as delivered to client device(s), and not assume that generation tools will convert the source accurately. Proofreading shall be applied to static as well as dynamically generated pages. The quality assurance process should validate that the presentation meets all the objectives and requirements of this recommended practice and other applicable standards. It should also validate the user requirements. Quality assurance shall be applied to static as well as dynamically generated pages.
Validation testing should be pursued in at least two distinct phases: development testing and operational testing. Development (component) testing should be conducted as part of the implementation process. Development testing of well-engineered Web sites shall be designed to address issues such as:
a) Well-engineered Web pages shall display as designed. b) Scrolling requirements shall be sensitive to the type of information being conveyed. c) Well-engineered Web sites shall provide security controls such as passwords and firewalls if required. d) Well-engineered Web pages shall be tested for conformance to this recommended practice using a verification tool to verify compliance where appropriate Operational testing should be conducted using the support of the members of the intended user community. Operational testing of well-engineered Web sites shall be designed to address issues such as: a) Well-engineered Web pages shall display as intended. b) Well-engineered Web pages shall not require excessive scrolling. c) Well-engineered Web sites shall provide required security controls. d) Well-engineered Web pages shall be tested for conformance to accessibility requirements. e) Well-engineered Web pages should render a reasonable printout or offer an alternative method of print output. f) The Web site shall meet all defined user requirements. New user requirements that evolve from design initiation through final delivery shall be documented. g) All links shall work correctly.
Managed pages
Managed pages shall include one or more meta tags indicating the guidelines or standards applicable to this page. The format for the meta tag shall be “.” Said URI should be a unique identifier for a specific version of a guideline which might not resolve to an actual document. Pages conforming to this standard may include the meta tag designated in 1.3.1. This will facilitate site management against selected guidelines, and also target client selection of conforming pages.
