Playing by the rules:

Definition: playing by the rules to
include web etiquette and
Google…
Perspective: as a web designer.

Important clarification: a lot of what
I will discuss is avoidable, but there
is a lot to avoid and all the time…

Understanding the state of the
nation, and why web developers
often can’t play by the rules… even
if they knew them. Because most
of us leave our websites in the
hands of web designers.

The realities of commercial web design
• Web developers are asked to do a lot more than
what they probably are able or trained to do.
• Limited Standards & lack of enforcement
• No code of conduct

We don’t know how to help ourselves…
• Web design is an opaque process: limited
control or understanding by the customer in the
process, and limited knowledge of what or how to
control it.
• Web Industry is constantly under pressure to
perform under tight margins and technical
innovations. This leads to inadvertent and adverse
decisions being made.

The realities of commercial web design
• The client is ultimately responsible for the
mistakes and errings of the web developer and
there is very little remedy against the web
developer:
An unlicensed copy Dreamweaver is our biggest
asset.
Only you lose your reputation.

The inputs and outputs of web
development and avoiding the obvious
issues, because prevention is far
better than cure…

1. Planning: some quick points

Protecting your brand online
• Protect your domains, Twitter, Facebook and
brand in general: Get in early, lock them, renew
them, and adopt central company ownership.
Squatters are very real.
•Resolution is on case by case basis, start soft,
and if paying use an intermediary service.

Accessibility
•Accessibility is the designing of a website to be
easily accessible by people with special needs.
• Visually impaired
• Physically impaired
• Mentally impaired
•Accessibility is not Usability, however general
ease of use of the site is improved with almost all
accessibility changes .

Accessibility
•Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992
(DDA), administered by the Human Rights &
Equal Opportunity Commission.
‘one would contravene the Act if one was to
discriminate on the basis of the need to be
accompanied by an assistant or carer.’
•Australia is also a signatory to a number of
international human rights agreements.

Accessibility
• Level 1 (A) – Must do
• Level 2 (AA) – Should do
• Level 3 (AAA) – Could do
• Administered by the w3c
• There are a number of high-profile cases to cite,
and plenty of name-and-shame campaigns in
existence.

Privacy
•Have a clear and very quick policy with dealing
with privacy related requests.
•If you are engaging in behavioral targeting
(advertising) have a clear privacy policy.
•State your intentions with user content, don’t hide
your policy.

2. Building: some quick points

Building the website
• Get proof of every image purchased.
• Get written confirmation of all technology and
licenses involved in the construction of your
website.
WYSIWYG is not always WYSIWYG.
• Get confirmation that their concepts are
completely original.

Building the website
•As part of the handover, request all source files,
database technology and all necessary files.
Request that web developer provides a
reasonable pathway for handover.
•Greatest source of contention we see is in the
handover process. The web developer is probably
as pissed off as you are and they can make your
life a living hell.

3. Owning and operating: some
quick points

Building a framework
• Have a blanket policy for all websites. Especially
with work completed by agencies, sub agencies
and freelancers.
• It is critical it is not a demeaning policy – this will
work against you.

SEO
•Only one website can be number one, and
everyone is trying.
• Unethical conduct is frequent, unbeknown to the
client. This can include transplanting (stealing)
content for short term traffic gains.
•Unethical behavior goes beyond the legal world
and into Googles world.
•Monitor your content and copy using third party
tools.

Internal plagiarism
•Positively many businesses are engaging staff to
create content though this is throwing up many
instances of plagiarism.
•Staff are not aware of these laws – it is your
responsibility to inform.

Trademarks online
• Monitoring your trademarks online; use the
available channels online (e.g. Google resolution)
– much quicker than traditional legal avenues.
• Lead by example – don’t infringe your
competitors trademarks.

Trade Practices Act changes
• Comply with recent changes to the TPA in
respect to pricing: the full cost must be disclosed.

The end.
This presentation can be downloaded from;
www.robertbeerworth.com
Wiliam Web Design
www.wiliam.com.au