E-government and Standards Compliance

Web standards and guidelines improve quality across the web.

In New Zealand, the Government Web Guidelines are mandatory for public sector sites. They aim to ensure all New Zealanders have equal access to information online, regardless of their physical abilities and the quality of their equipment and software.

The guidelines make good sense to Shift, and are central to our best practice approach. Shift creates standards-compliant sites that don’t compromise on uniqueness and elegance.

Inland Revenue

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Equity and economy

The guidelines are all about equal access to information, and economy. An accessible website is easy to find, fast to load and simple to use.

Standards compliant sites have features that enable people of varying physical abilities to access the web, such as voice browsers, screen readers and text resizers.

The standards promote better information sharing between government agencies, so the wheel doesn’t need to be reinvented each time a new site is built.

Think standards from the start

Accessibility considerations are paramount at each step of Shift’s design process. We put a considerable amount of time into technical testing to ensure the site works on a range of browsers and platforms.

The guidelines call for flexible, adaptable websites and are themselves in a state of perpetual change. Shift stays on top of revisions and additions to the guidelines, and enjoys a close working relationship with the State Services Commission.

Web standards for business sites

Companies, as well as government agencies, are recognising the good business sense of standards-compliant design. Sites designed to web standards are easier to publish content to, and easier for users to read and navigate.

Shift works closely with clients to craft solutions that achieve business objectives within a best-practice framework.

Award-winning sites

Shift has received a number of awards for successfully integrating the Government Web Guidelines into practical, great looking websites. Our award-winning work includes:

• Te Ara - Winner, Technology and Society, GOVIS (Government Information System Managers’ Forum) Awards 2005 [www.teara.govt.nz]
• Inland Revenue - Winner, Best Government Website, NetGuide Awards 2006 [www.ird.govt.nz]

We have also worked on the following government sites, all of which have a high degree of compliance with the guidelines.

• Govt.nz - Revamped visual design and navigation for the government portal. [www.govt.nz]
• Ministry of Culture and Heritage – Redesigned the Ministry of Culture and Heritage corporate site. [www.mch.govt.nz]
• New Zealand History Net – Designed this website of information and resources from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage’s History Group. [www.nzhistory.net.nz]
• Ministry of Economic Development – Developed a web presence strategy to unify 37 sites. The Ministry’s corporate site is one of the first to launch within the new framework. [www.med.govt.nz]
• Auckland Botanic Gardens – Shift’s Auckland office recently completed this guidelines-compliant site for the Auckland Regional Council. [www.aucklandbotanicgardens.co.nz]
• Auckland Plus – Another site for the Auckland Regional Council, promoting business and investment in Auckland. [www.aucklandplus.com]