Setting the standard

The Interagency Committee on Government Information's Web Content Standards Working Group released draft recommendations last week for comment. Final recommendations will be used for policy guidance from the Office of Management and Budget.

Comments should be submitted by April 30, and the link for submitting can be found on the the Data Call on the FCW.com Download at www.fcw.com/download.

Here are some of the draft recommendations:

• Web sites should convey current information and indicate when pages were last updated.
• Content must be organized in ways that make sense to citizens, such as by topic or region.
• Sites should include common content, such as an About Us link; information on jobs and publications; and links to federal Web sites related to grants, regulations and contracts.
• Sites should be accessible to a broad range of citizens, including those with disabilities and limited English proficiency. They should be written in plain language so visitors can understand the information.