Common Look and Feel Self-Assessment Guide

Questions Only

Accessibility  Collaborative Arrangements  Cybersquatting  
E-mail  Important Notices  Official Languages

Accessibility

Standard 1.1 - W3C checkpoints

Question:
Does the Web site comply with all W3C Priority 1 and Priority 2 checkpoints as listed below?

W3C Priority 1 and Priority 2 Checkpoints

W3C 1.1 - text equivalents

Question:
Are text equivalents provided for every non-text element?

W3C 1.2 - server-side image maps

Question:
Are redundant text links provided for each active region of a server-side image map?

W3C 1.3 - auditory descriptions

Question:
Are auditory descriptions provided for visual tracks of multimedia presentations?

W3C 1.4 - synchronize equivalents

Question:
Are text equivalents of time-based multimedia presentations synchronized with the presentation?

W3C 2.1 - colour

Question:
Is all information conveyed with colour understood without colour?

W3C 2.2 - colour contrast

Question:
Do foreground and background colour combinations provide sufficient contrast?

W3C 3.1 - bitmap images

Question:
If an appropriate markup language exists, has it been used instead of bitmapped graphics to convey information?

W3C 3.2 - valid documents

Question:
Do documents validate to published formal grammars?

W3C 3.3 - style sheets

Question:
Are cascading style sheets (CSSs) used properly?

W3C 3.4 - units

Question:
Are relative units rather than absolute units used for attribute values and style sheet property values?

W3C 3.5 - headings

Question:
Is heading markup used according to specification and only to convey document structure?

W3C 3.6 - lists

Question:
Are lists and list items properly marked up?

W3C 3.7 - quotations

Question:
Is quotation markup used correctly?

W3C 4.1 - natural languages

Question:
Are changes in the natural language of a document's text and any text equivalents identified in the markup?

W3C 5.1 - table headers

Question:
Are row and column headers in data tables identified?

W3C 5.2 - table structure

Question:
Do data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers use markup to associate data cells and header cells?

W3C 5.3 - avoid tables for layout

Question:
If tables are necessary for layout, do they make sense when tables are linearized?

W3C 5.4 - avoid tables for format

Question:
If tables are necessary for layout, has the use of structural markup for the purpose of visual formatting been avoided?

W3C 6.1 - order style sheets

Question:
Are documents organized to make it possible to read the documents without associated style sheets?

W3C 6.2 - update dynamic content

Question:
Are equivalents for dynamic content updated when the dynamic content changes?

W3C 6.3 - programmatic objects

Question a):
Are pages usable when programmatic objects are turned off, not functioning or not supported?

Question b):
If pages are not usable, is equivalent information on an alternative accessible page provided?

W3C 6.4 - event handlers

Question:
Are event handlers input-device-independent for scripts and applets?

W3C 6.5 - accessible dynamic content

Question:
Is dynamic content accessible and, if not, is an alternative, accessible page provided?

W3C 7.1 - flickering

Question:
Have flickering screens been eliminated?

W3C 7.2 - blinking

Question:
Has blinking content been avoided, or if blinking must be used, is it controlled through a CSS?

W3C 7.3 - moving content

Question:
When a page includes moving content, is a mechanism provided within a script or applet to allow users to freeze motion or updates?

W3C 7.4 - auto-refreshing pages

Question:
Have auto-refreshing pages been eliminated?

W3C 7.5 - redirected pages

Question:
Is the server configured to perform redirects instead of using markup to redirect pages automatically?

W3C 8.1 - embedded objects

Question:
Are programmatic elements such as scripts and applets directly accessible or compatible with assistive technologies?

W3C 9.1 - client-side image maps

Question:
Are client-side image maps provided instead of server-side image maps, except in instances where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape?

W3C 9.2 - element interfaces

Question:
Can an element that has its own interface be operated in a device-independent manner?

W3C 9.3 - logical event handlers

Question:
Are logical event handlers rather than device-dependent event handlers specified for scripts?

W3C 10.1 - pop-up and new windows

Question:
Have pop-up windows been eliminated and are users informed when a new window will open?

W3C 10.2 - form controls

Question:
Are associated labels for form controls properly positioned to implicate the label with the control?

W3C 11.1 - W3C technologies

Question:
Are appropriate and current versions of W3C technologies used and are they used according to specification?

W3C 11.2 - deprecated elements

Question:
Have deprecated elements and attributes of W3C technologies been avoided?

W3C 11.4 - accessible equivalents

Question:
If an accessible page cannot be created, is fully equivalent content provided on accessible pages?

W3C 12.1 - frame titles

Question:
When frames are provided as an alternate format, is each frame titled in markup to facilitate frame identification and navigation?

W3C 12.2 - frame relationships

Question:
When frames are provided as an alternate format, is the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each other (if it is not obvious by frame titles alone) described?

W3C 12.3 - information blocks

Question:
Are large blocks of information divided into manageable groups?

W3C 12.4 - control labels

Question:
Are labels explicitly associated with their controls?

W3C 13.1 - link targets

Question:
Is the target of each link clearly identified?

W3C 13.2 - metadata

Question:
Is metadata provided?

W3C 13.3 - site maps

Question:
Is information about the general layout of a site (e.g., a site map or table of contents) provided?

W3C 13.4 - navigation

Question:
Are navigation mechanisms used in a consistent manner?

W3C 14.1 - writing styles

Question:
Is the clearest and simplest language used for the site's content?

Standard 1.2 - document technologies

Question a):
Is HTML or another W3C-recommended language the primary format for all documents?

Question b):
If a document cannot be represented in HTML or another recommended language, are users given information on how to obtain alternate versions?

Question c):
Are all Portable Document Format (PDF) documents identified and provided only as an alternate format?

Standard 1.3 - alternate formats

Question:
Is information about downloadable alternate formats available, including a description of the file type and a link to necessary viewer or reader software?

Standard 1.4 - text equivalents

Question:
Are text equivalents for all non-textual elements such as graphics, images, navigational aids and sound tracks provided?

Collaborative Arrangements

Standard 2.1 - Federal Identity Program identitifiers

Question:
Is GoC participation in a collaborative arrangement acknowledged through the prominent display of one of the FIP identifiers in a way that achieves a visual balance between the government and its partners?

Standard 2.2 - symbols

Question:
Are all icons, symbols and logos shown on the Web site either a federal identifier symbol approved by the Treasury Board for government-wide use, or identifiers or symbols required by partners within the context of a collaborative arrangement?

Cybersquatting

Standard 3.1 - domain names

Question:
Have all institutional titles and/or acronyms, including those chosen for primary URLs, been registered as Internet domain names under .com, .net and .org?

E-mail

Standard 4.1 - institutional addresses

Question:
Does the Web site provide users with a means of contacting the institution or individuals via electronic mail?

Standard 4.2 - signature blocks

Question a):
Do all outgoing e-mail messages sent by GoC employees conclude with an employee signature block?

Question b):
Does contact information for e-mail addresses serving a program or a service include the institutional name, postal and e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers with area code?

Standard 4.3 - "Canada" wordmark and FIP signatures for e-mail

Question:
Does outgoing e-mail sent by GoC employees consistently and correctly use the "Canada" wordmark and the FIP institutional signature?

Standard 4.4 - acknowledgements

Question:
Does the Web site have an automatic acknowledgement feature to assure users that correspondence sent to a generic, institutional or group mailbox has been received?

Important Notices

Standard 5.1 - important notices link

Question:
Do all Web pages include an "Important Notices" link that directs users to an "Important Notices" page?

Standard 5.2 - copyright notice

Question:
Is the "Copyright / Permission to Reproduce" notice included within the text of the "Important Notices" page?

Standard 5.3 - privacy notice

Question:
Is the "Privacy Notice" text included within the text of the "Important Notices" page?

Standard 5.4 - personal information

Question:
Does the Web site include a "Privacy Notice Statement" on all pages where a user is given an opportunity to provide personal information?

Navigation and Format

Standard 6.1 - common menu bar

Question:
Is the GoC Common Menu Bar used at the top of every content page in the Web site?

Standard 6.2 - institutional menu bar

Question a):
Do all Web pages incorporate an Institutional Menu Bar similar in design and placement to the Common Menu Bar?

Question b):
Does the terminology on the Institutional Menu Bar use plain language to describe the organization's program and services?

Standard 6.3 - metatags

Question:
Are the following five metatags used as the metadata standard for descriptions of Web resources: Title, Originator, Language of Resource, Date and Controlled Subject?

Standard 6.4 - date indicator

Question:
Do all Web pages have an all-numeric currency (date) indicator located at the end of a page that conforms to the ISO date standard?

Standard 6.5 - colours

Question:
Do all Web sites use only the standard 216-Web-safe colours for Web site elements?

Standard 6.6 - frames

Question:
Are frames used only as an alternate format?

Standard 6.7 - Web analyzer tools

Question:
Is a Web analyzer tool being used to collect site usage data?

Standard 6.8 - validators

Question:
Have the HTML of new and old Web pages been validated with an HTML validator?

Official Languages

Standard 7.1 - domain names

Question:
Do gc.ca registered domain names meet official languages requirements?

Standard 7.2 - welcome pages

Question a):
Does the Web site's Welcome Page at the main point of entry conform to FIP standards?

Question b):
Do Welcome Pages used at a sub-site level conform to the same requirements as Welcome Pages at the main point of entry to a site?

Question c):
Are all elements of the Welcome Page viewable without scrolling in a 640 x 480 pixel screen?

Standard 7.3 - "Canada" wordmark and signatures

Question:
Do all Web pages contain properly placed images of the "Canada" wordmark and the institutional signature?

Standard 7.4 - unilingual welcome page message

Question:
Do unilingual Welcome Pages include a bilingual message about where services can be obtained in the other official language?

Standard 7.5 - language choice

Question:
Does the Web site allow users to proceed through it in the language of their choice?

Standard 7.6 - server messages languages

Question:
Do messages generated by the Web server comply with official language requirements?

Standard 7.7 - text equivalent languages

Question:
Are text equivalents given in the language of the Web page in which they are embedded?

Standard 7.8 - metatag languages

Question:
Do the mandatory elements that make up the metatag for a Web page as per Standard 6.3 correspond to the page's official language?

Standards 7.9 - collaborate arrangements languages

Question:
Do Web sites representing a collaborative arrangement comply with official languages requirements?

Standard 7.10 - e-mail addresses

Question:
Do e-mail addresses for all employees correspond to the institution's chosen bilingual domain name?