4.4 Website documents for specialist audiences identified as such
New standards released
The New Zealand Web Standards 2.0 were released in March 2009 and replace the previous version, the New Zealand Government Web Standards 1.0 (below). See Meeting the standards for more information.
The Standard
4.4 Any document, content and/or forms/applications on an agency web site that is deemed for a specialist audience (as defined in the Glossary of key concepts) must state that the document/content/application is for a specialist audience, and have no ambiguity as to what part of the web site (i.e., document, content) applies to the specialist audience.
Guide to this standard
A document for specialist audience does not necessarily imply exclusion of users outside that specialist audience. If it is intended to constrain the document to the specialist audience, then this would normally be achieved within an authenticated site.
Related Standard(s)
4.2 - Publish documents in the most accessible format possible
3.1 - Documents validate to published formal grammars
Rationale for this standard
One of the principal foundations of the purpose for the New Zealand Web Standards is to provide economical and equitable access to information. This applies to all information the NZ government wishes to make available to the public. Correspondingly, it is important to minimise any reasons for excluding information from being accessible to all members of the public, as much as feasibly possible.
