The main reason to design a website with web standards includes; better search engine results, capability with multiple web browsers, and easier maintenance and updates. If standards are applies search engines can use key words in tags, pictures titles, or code to look for results. Depending on the internet browser if the code does not follow basic standards there is a risk that the page will not appear correctly. When the code of a site has been developed correctly it makes maintenance and updates much easier to keep up with, even with multiple administrators. Establishing a design standard, allows all administrators to fix errors or update the site. Documentation is also key.

Sample checklist of standards that should be applied

Quality of code

Does the site use a Character set?

Does the site use Valid (X)HTML?

Does the site use Valid CSS?

Does the site use unnecessary classes or ids?

Is the code well structured?

Does the site have any broken links?

How does the site perform in terms of speed/page size?

Does the site have JavaScript errors?

Degree of separation between content and presentation

Does the site use CSS for all presentation aspects (fonts, color, padding, borders etc)?

Are all decorative images in the CSS, or do they appear in the (X)HTML?

Accessibility for users

Are “alt” attributes used for all descriptive images?

Does the site use relative units rather than absolute units for text size?

Do any aspects of the layout break if font size is increased?

Is there sufficient color brightness/contrasts?

Is color alone used for critical information?

Is there delayed responsiveness for dropdown menus (for users with reduced motor skills)?

Are all links descriptive (for blind users)?

Accessibility for devices

Does the site work acceptably across modern and older browsers?

Does the site work well when printed?

Does the site work well in a range of browser window sizes?

Basic Usability

Is there a clear visual hierarchy?

Are heading levels easy to distinguish?

Is the site’s navigation easy to understand?

Does the site use consistent and appropriate language?

Does the site have a sitemap page and contact page? Are they easy to find?

For large sites, is there a search tool?

Is there a link to the home page on every page in the site?

Are links underlined?

Are visited links clearly defined?

Site management

Does the site use friendly URLs?

Do your URLs work without “www”?