Design Using Most Common Browsers and Operating Systems

Classification:
[x] Standard

Categories:
[x] Applications
[x] Hardware & Software
[x] Things to Avoid

Standard:

HHS should design, develop, and test for the most common browser (Internet Explorer release 6.x, as of December 2006) and Operating Systems (OS) (Windows XP, as of December 2006); however HHS must design websites that display without significant degradation for users using other browsers, such as Firefox, Safari, Netscape, Opera, and older versions of Internet Explorer (releases lower than 6.x) and other operating systems such as Windows 2000, Windows 98, and OS X.

Rationale:

The goal is that users should be able to view Web content without having to use a particular browser. To ensure that Web browsers are displaying content without significant differences, designers and coders should view the Web pages in different Web browsers on different Operating Systems.

The preferred way to accomplish this is to design with browser and OS neutral code (HTML 4.x, XHTML 1.x, etc). This means avoiding IE-specific and XP-specific code and active X controls.

Exception(s):

You may get an exemption from this standard:

If your Web logs or other data collection efforts indicate that the majority of your users are accessing information in a browser/version other than MSIE 6.x and operating system other than Windows XP.
If you currently employ Web applications that don’t display or work well using the most common browsers and/or operating systems. These applications may be “grandfathered” in. [Note: more details on how this will be handled will be developed with the HHS OPDIV and STAFFDIV Web Representatives.] However, you must provide a prominent notice describing what browsers and/or operating systems work best with the application, as well as information on how to obtain said browsers.

Sources:

Evans, 1998; Jupitermedia Corporation, 2003; Morrell, et al., 2002; Nielsen, 1996, thecounter.com, 2006.

Requirements (content & style): N/A

Related Standards:
Design for Dominant Screen Resolutions

Related Guidelines:
Design for Common Browsers (V2, 4:1, p. 30)
Account for Browser Differences (V2, 4:2, p. 31)
Design for Popular Operating Systems (V2, 4:3, p. 32)
[NOTE: Establish a notification system in the WCMS that reminds WCD staff to update this standard, if needed, on a quarterly basis.]

Checklist:
Design using most common browsers and operating systems.