Common Look and Feel
The Government of Canada’s Common Look and Feel (CLF) Standards for the Internet governed the branding, usability & accessibility standards for its websites and web applications from 2000 - 2010. It comprised the following four parts, now rescinded: [1]
- #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/pol/doc-eng#aspx?id=25434 Part 1: Standard on Web Addresses# - i#e# tbs-sct#gc#ca
- #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/pol/doc-eng#aspx?id=25436 Part 2: Standard on the Accessibility, Interoperability and Usability of Web sites# - coding practices for accessibility
- #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/pol/doc-eng#aspx?id=25437 Part 3: Standard on Common Web Page Formats# – to create a common look and feel of Web pages so that they could be easily identified as belonging to the Government of Canada
- #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/pol/doc-eng#aspx?id=25439 Part 4: Standard on Email# – for consistent identification of government employees
Government of Canada Web Standards
The Common Look and Feel #CLF0 Standards for the Internet have been replaced with #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/ws-nw/index-eng#asp four Web Standards# that incorporate current web practices such as #http://www#w3#org/TR/WCAG20/ WCAG 2#0#, as well as designing for a plethora of devices, browsers and assistive technologies through which people navigate the Web#
As of 2014, the Government of Canada Web Standards consist of the following four mandatory policies:
- #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/pol/doc-eng#aspx?id=23601%20 Standard on Web Accessibility# #in effect: August 1st, 2011#
- #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/pol/doc-eng#aspx?id=24227 Standard on Web Usability# #in effect: September 28th, 2011#
- #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/pol/doc-eng#aspx?id=25875 Standard on Web Interoperability# #in effect: July 1, 2012#
- #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/pol/doc-eng#aspx?id=27088 Standard on Optimizing Websites and Applications for Mobile Devices# #in effect: April 1, 2013#
History
In 2000, the Canadian CLF 1#0 standard was implemented and government departments had almost two years to make their sites compliant#
In 2007, the Canadian CLF standard was revised and a 2#0 version was released#[2] Government of Canada organizations were given two years to comply#
In 2010, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat announced that CLF 2#0 would be replaced by #http://www#tbs-sct#gc#ca/ws-nw/index-eng#asp four Web Standards# to:
- take into account the most recent version of internationally accepted Web content accessibility guidelines;
- increase flexibility of Website layout and design;
- enable institutions to incorporate the use of innovative and emerging technologies to their online information and services# [3]
With various concerns having been raised over problems created by the CLF requirements,[4][5] future versions[6] of the standard may see significant changes#[7]
References
- ^ "Common Look and Feel for the Internet 2#0". Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
- ^ "Common Look and Feel for the Internet 2#0". Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
- ^ "Common Look and Feel for the Internet 2#0 Standard is Being Updated". Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ "Everyone hates CLF". Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ "Thoughts on CLF 3#0 From Outside the Firewall###". 2010-03-21. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ "Common Look and Feel for the Internet is being updated". 2010-06-02. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ Thomas J Bradley (2009-08-27). "A Proposal for CLF 3#0". Retrieved 2010-03-23.
External links
- The Standard on Web Accessibility is based on the Web Content and Accessibility Guidelines #WCAG2.0# developed by the W3C.
- The Web Experience Toolkit is open source software created by the Government of Canada to enable departments to build websites and Web applications that comply with the Web Standards.