Web guides

Web standards 1.0 and 2.0 compared

Introduction

This page compares the requirements of the version 1 standards with those of version 2, which must be used from 31 October 2009.

Note

For advice on when the new standards take effect, see Meeting the Standards.
For one page version of all standards, including WCAG2.0 (AA) requirements in summary form, see the Standards Summary guide.
Links to WCAG2.0 guidelines go to the W3C site.

The old and new standards

Table showing difference between NZGWS version 1.0 and NZGWS version 2.0
NZGWS version 1.0	NZGWS version 2.0
1. Images
1.1 Alternative text for every non-text element	Status: low change (new requirements for CAPTCHA). Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 1.1.1 Non-text Content [W3C]: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for the situations listed below ... Guidance Standards Summary
1.2 Client side image maps preferred over server side image maps	Status: change - server-side maps now must not be used. Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.3 Technologies and techniques which must not be used
1.3 Text description of visual track of a multimedia presentation	Status: retained, with additional requirements. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) Guideline 1.2 Provide alternatives for time-based media [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
Recommendation 3.1.1 Use appropriate mark-up language when it exists	Status: No change. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 1.3.1 Info and Relationships [W3C] (Level A) Guidance Standards Summary
2. Colour
2.1 Information conveyed with colour must be available without colour	Status: No change. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 1.4 Distinguishable: Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background [W3C] Guidance Images and colour under WCAG2.0 Guidance Standards Summary
2.2 Contrast between foreground and background colours	Status: No change, although new standards more specific. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum):The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, except for the following ... [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
3. Site Markup
3.1 Documents validate to published formal grammars	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.1 Technologies and techniques which must be used
3.2 Use elements to convey document structure and mark up lists properly	Status: No/low impact Technical layer (WCAG2.0) 1.3.1 Info and Relationships [W3C] (Level A) Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.1 Technologies and techniques which must be used
3.3 Do not use deprecated features of W3C technologies	Status: No longer required.
3.4 Relative rather than absolute units	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 1.4.4 Resize text: Except for captions and images of text, text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality. [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
Recommendation 3.1.1 Use appropriate mark-up language when it exists	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
Recommendation 3.1.2 Use W3C technologies when available	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
Recommendation 3.1.3 Provide abbreviations for header labels	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
4. Special Purpose Documents
4.1 Document size and type with document links	Status: No change. Content and design standards Linking to non-HTML files
4.2 Publish documents in most accessible format possible	Status: there is no direct equivalent in the new standards, but this is strongly recommended. Note that most non-HTML formats require an HTML alternative. See the New Zealand specific requirements, specifically 2.2 Technologies which may be used but not relied on.
4.3 Use of PDF documents	Status: Most PDF documents now require an HTML equivalent. In some circumstances exemptions may be given. See the New Zealand specific requirements, specifically 2.2 Technologies which may be used but not relied on. Note - where circumstances prevent full adherence to this standard, contact the web standards team to discuss.
4.4 Website documents for specialist audiences identified as such	Status: there is no direct mapping to the new standards.
4.5 Website special-purpose documents identified as such	As above.
Recommendation 4.1.1 Information for users to select their documents to their preference	Status: No longer required.
Recommendation 4.1.2 Versions and other aspects of a document	Status: No longer required.
Recommendation 4.1.3 Compression of large files or collections of small files	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
5.1 Identify changes in natural language of document text
5.1 Identify changes in natural language of document text	Status: No/low impact While this standard is covered by WCAG2.0, the Zealand Government specifications for natural language can be found in the Technical standards, 2.1 Technologies and techniques which must be used. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) Guideline 3.1 Readable: Make text content readable and understandable. [W3C] Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.1 Technologies and techniques which must be used
5.2 Identify the primary natural language of a document	Status: No/low impact While this standard is covered by WCAG2.0 the specific New Zealand Government specifications for natural language can be found in the New Zealand layer. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) Guideline 3.1 Readable: Make text content readable and understandable [W3C] } Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.1 Technologies and techniques which must be used
5.3 Expansion of abbreviations and acronyms in a document	Status: No longer required. but recommended as good practice.
5.4 Substituting umlauted vowels for macronised vowels	Status: No change. Unicode is a now a required technology and agencies must use macrons. Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.1 Technologies and techniques which must be used
5.5 Height and width attributes are specified in the IMG element	Status: No longer required. Sites may retain height and width attributes for images if desired.
5.6 Underlining is not used for any items making up text or headings	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.3 Technologies and techniques which must not be used.
5.7 Provide metadata to pages and sites	Status: Changed - pages now require only descriptive title tags.
Recommendation 5.1.1 Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for the site content	Status: There is no direct mapping, but this is still recommended.
Recommendation 5.1.2 Supplement text with graphic or auditory presentations	Status: There is no direct mapping, but this is still recommended where relevant.
Recommendation 5.1.3 The alt text ends with a full point and a space	Status: No longer recommended.
6. Site Content. Note: see Required pages or sections and their content for new requirements in this area.
6.1 Agency sites provide publicly available reports	Status: No change, except that only corporate (or "main" sites) are required to supply publicly available reports. Content and design standards Required pages or sections and their content
6.2 Agency sites provide consultation documents	Status: No longer a standard, though recommended where relevant. Content and design standards Required pages or sections and their content
6.3 Agency sites provide press notices from the agency	Status: No change, except that only corporate (or "main" sites) are required to supply media releases and other public information. Content and design standards Required pages or sections and their content
6.4 Agency sites provide mandatory email addresses	Status: No/low impact Content and design standards Required pages or sections and their content
6.5 Superseded material is marked as superseded	Status: No longer required. although good practice.
6.6 Paid advertising not hosted on a site	Status: No longer a standard, although by convention government sites don’t carry paid advertising.
Recommendation 6.1.2 Paper-based forms provided by an agency are made available on its web site	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice.
Recommendation 6.1.3 Agency sites provide contact details for specific policy or services	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice.
Recommendation 6.1.5 Avoid the usage of underscores in URLs	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice.
Recommendation 6.1.6 Discovery-level URLs are descriptive and less than 50 characters long	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice.
Recommendation 6.1.7 Plan in place to ensure material on the website is accurate and up to date	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice.
Recommendation 6.1.8 Disclaiming content	Status: There is a new disclaiming content standard. Note however that use of disclaimers is optional. Legal and policy standards Disclaiming content
Recommendation 6.1.9 Media releases and consultation documents available as an RSS feed	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice.
7. Page Layout
7.1 Associate labels explicitly with their controls	Status: No longer required. User agents now support explicit associations of labels with form controls, so the "until user agents" clause has been satisfied. This is therefore no longer a requirement under WCAG 2.0.
7.2 Create a logical tab order through links	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 2.4.3 Focus Order: If a Web page can be navigated sequentially and the navigation sequences affect meaning or operation, focusable components receive focus in an order that preserves meaning and operability.(Level A) [W3C]
7.3 Include non-link printable characters between adjacent links	Status: No/low impact
7.4 Web pages are able to be printed in whole	Status: No/low impact Content and Design standards Printing webpages
8. Navigation
8.1 Identify the target of each link	Status: No change, although WCAG2.0 has a much broader, more flexible criteria for meeting this standard. NZGWSv1 methods will meet WCAG2.0. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) Guideline 2.4 Navigable: Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are. [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
8.2 External and internal links are valid	Status: No longer a standard, but considered good practice.
8.3 Compulsory links on every web page	Status: this has changed so that only the mandatory link is to the website newzealand.govt.nz. All other links are at the discretion of the agency. Note, however, that the “About this site” page must contain links to certain other pages on the site. Content and design standards Required pages or sections and their content
8.4 Navigation access keys	Status: No longer required.
Recommendation 8.1.1 Use navigation mechanisms in a consistent manner	Status: No/low impact Note that consistent navigation applies to page navigation, forms, application interfaces, etc. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 3.2 Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways. [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
Recommendation 8.1.2 Differing searches for skill levels if searching provided	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice. Search is not specifically addressed in WCAG2.0 and there is no specific requirement to have a search engine. However, techniques for success criteria 2.4.5 Multiple Ways: include search as one of the required multiple ways in which a user may locate content. [W3C] Note that while there is no specific requirement for catering for search skill levels, WCAG2.0 requires that all web content (including search) be understandable. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) Guideline 2.4 Navigable: Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are. [W3C]
Recommendation 8.1.3 Non-government links not an endorsement	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice.
9. Style sheets
9.1 Organise documents so they may be read without style sheets	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.2 Technologies which may be used but not relied on
10.1 Ensuring dynamic content is accessible	Status: No/low impact Various WCAG2.0 techniques require the use of stylesheets.
10.1 Ensuring dynamic content is accessible
10.1 Ensuring dynamic content is accessible	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.2 Technologies which may be used but not relied on
10.2 No blinking or scrolling text and flashing objects	Status: Scrolling text is allowable. For blinking or flashing text or objects, see the WCAG2.0 Guideline below. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold: Web pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period, or the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds. (Level A) [W3C]
Recommendation 10.1.1 Minimise movement in pages	Status: No longer a formal recommendation, but considered good practice.
11. Tables
11.1 Table row and column headers	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (WCAG2.0) (Applies to all tables standards) 1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. (Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
11.2 Mark-up for data and header cells in tables	Status: No/low impact Guidance Standards Summary
11.3 Do not use tables for layout	"Tables for layout" is not explicitly addressed in WCAG2.0, but it is highly recommended that tables for layout are not used. However, if using tables for layout, ensure these linearise properly as per the techniques available below, and that they do not use any structural markup for visual formatting. Guidance Standards Summary
11.4 Provide summaries for tables	Status: No/low impact Guidance Standards Summary
12. Frames
12.1 Frames are not to be used	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.3 Technologies which must not be used
13. Scripting and Applets
13.1 Pages usable when scripts applets and other programmatic objects turned off	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (NZ layer) 2.2 Technologies which may be used but not relied on
13.2 Alternative event handlers and device dependence	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 2.1.1 Keyboard: All functionality of the content is operable through a keyboard interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes, except where the underlying function requires input that depends on the path of the user's movement and not just the endpoints. (Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
14. Page Refreshing
14.1 Periodical page auto-refreshing	Status: No change, although WCAG2.0 provides more detail. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable: For each time limit that is set by the content, at least one of the following is true: ... (Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
14.2 Page auto-redirecting	Status: No change, although WCAG2.0 provides more detail. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable: For each time limit that is set by the content, at least one of the following is true: ... (Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
15. Site Behaviour
15.1 Pop-ups and other windows appearing	Status: No/low impact. Advise users when spawning a new window from a link or a form control (3.2.2, below), and never on focus (3.2.1, below). Technical standards (WCAG2.0) 3.2.1 On Focus: When any component receives focus, it does not initiate a change of context. (Level A) [W3C] 3.2.2 On Input: Changing the setting of any user interface component does not automatically cause a change of context unless the user has been advised of the behavior before using the component.(Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
15.2 Unique interfacing and device-independence	Status: No change Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value: For all user interface components (including but not limited to: form elements, links and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies. (Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
15.3 Keyboard shortcuts	Status: No longer required. Accesskeys are no longer required for conformance to WCAG 2.0. It is an advisory item: Providing access keys (advisory technique for Success Criterion 2.4.1 (Level A) [W3C].
15.4 Skipping over long lists of unwanted links	Status: No/low impact Note that if a page has a proper heading structure, this may be considered a sufficient technique instead of a "Skip to main content" link. Note also that navigating by headings is not yet supported in all browsers. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. (Level A) 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks: A mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple Web pages. (Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
16. Site Layout
16.1 Links to homepage of Main agency web site	Status: Required content has changed. Some requirements, such as that for ministerial information, have been removed. The About page is now required to contain more links than previously. See Content and design standards > Required pages or sections and their content There is now a Terms of use standard. This requires agencies to provide terms of use for sites requiring authenticated or non-authenticated access. Note also that privacy, copyright and copyright of third parties statements have been updated and moved to the Legal and policy standards section.
16.2 Minimum content of homepages
16.3 Minimum content within About This Site
16.4 Minimum content within Main agency web site
16.5 Crown Copyright
16.6 Copyright of third parties
16.7 Privacy Statement
Recommendation 16.1.1 Divide large blocks of information into manageable groups	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
Recommendation 16.1.2 Provide information about the general layout of a site	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
Recommendation 16.1.3 Placement of distinguishing information	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
Recommendation 16.1.4 Provide information about document collections	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
Recommendation 16.1.5 Create a style of presentation that is consistent across pages	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice. Note that consistent navigation is a standard. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation: Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user. (Level AA) [W3C]
Recommendation 16.1.6 A homepage has a link to Search or a search box	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
17. Archiving
17.1 Archiving preserving the context of documents	Status: Requirements for archiving have been removed from the web standards because they exist elsewhere. See Archives New Zealand's Web guide Managing web information as records and archiving websites
18. Quality Assurance
18.1 Minimum web browsers and their respective versions for sites to work in	Status: changed. We now default to the Yahoo! ratings. Technical standards (NZ layer) 2.4 Browser testing standard
Recommendation 18.1.1 Operating systems and device types for sites to work on	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice. Note that testing on mobile devices is increasingly important. See “Mobile” under the technical web guides
19. Data Tracking
19.1 Data tracking able to be disabled	Status for all data-tracking related standards: Now less prescriptive. There are no special limitations on cookies, except that: sites must not rely on cookies to function, but rather, should use cookies for enhancement, and sites must detail cookie use in their privacy statements. Legal and policy standards Privacy statement Technical standards (NZ layer) 2.2 Technologies which may be used but not relied on
19.2 Rules governing storage of tracking data
19.3 Client-side personally identifiable data storage
19.4 Encryption of personal information in tracking data
Recommendation 19.1.1 Scope of collecting tracking data
Recommendation 19.1.2 Server side session state
20. Authentication
20.1 Requesting users to authenticate themselves	Status: Authentication is not covered by the web standards. For more information on authentication, see Identity Management and Authentication Standards at the e.govt website. Note however that the Terms of use standard requires agencies to provide terms of use for sites requiring authenticated (and non-authenticated) access.
Recommendation 20.1.1 Standards to comply with if requesting user authentication
21. Security
21.1 Security requirements for internet exchange of personal information	Status: Security is not covered by the web standards. See guidance in the Technical web guides area.
21.2 Compliance to PCI DS for credit card details online
22. Online Forms
22.1 fieldset element grouping related form elements	Status: fieldset still required. Note “legend” tag required also. Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
22.2 Descriptive labels tagged	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (WCAG2.0) 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) [W3C] Guidance Standards Summary
22.3 Confirmation of information submitted online	Status: this is not directly covered in the standards, but considered good practice.
New standard Error detection and messages (WCAG2.0). WCAG2.0 addresses error detection in Guideline 3.3 Input Assistance: Help users avoid and correct mistakes. [W3C] The guideline contains four A-AA Success Criteria that relate directly to error prevention, detection and correction.
23. Tendering and Contracting
23.1 GETS notified of tenders on or over the government procurement threshold	Status: This is no longer a web standard as it covered elsewhere. Note that New Zealand Public Service Departments, New Zealand Defence Force and New Zealand Police are mandated to use GETS for the publication of all opportunities to tender above minimum thresholds and related information. See Government procurement at the Ministry of Economic Development website for more information on these rules).
23.2 Specifying compliance with web standards and recommendations	Status: No/low impact Strategy and operations standards Tendering and contracts
23.3 Data re-use by third party hosts	Status: This is no longer a web standard. Web teams should consult their legal units.
30. Site Delivery
Recommendation 30.1.1 Alternative accessible pages if necessary	Status: No/low impact Technical standard (NZ layer) The New Zealand layer requires alternatives for non-HTML technologies.
31. Operational
Recommendation 31.1.1 A comprehensive disaster recovery plan	Status: Not a formal recommendation, but still considered good practice.
Recommendation 31.1.2 Accommodating any discussion forums	Status: updated as per the Terms of use standard. Guidance Implementing social media monitoring (web guide)
32. Web Strategy
Recommendation 32.1.1 Agency incorporating the E-government policy framework into its web strategy	Note: the new standards require only that an agency has a web strategy. The content of that strategy is at the agency’s discretion. Strategy and operations standards Web strategy Guidance See advice on Māori language in the Legal and policy web guides Accessibility and the New Zealand legal environment
Recommendation 32.1.2 Agency incorporating the disability strategy into its web strategy
Recommendation 32.1.3 Agency incorporating the Maori language strategy into its web strategy
Recommendation 32.1.4 Agency having a record-keeping strategy