Glossary

Sites like http://www.webopedia.com/ provide more comprehensive glossaries.

Access keys

Keyboard shortcuts, usually to important links on a web page. Access keys are part of the HTML 4.01 specification, designed to help people who have difficulty using a mouse.

Accessibility

Every Web user should have access to the information and experiences available online. The nature of the Web and the tools used to create and access the information it offers means that some users, for instance, those with visual, auditory, or other physical impairment, have difficulty accessing Web content. The tenets and practice of the accessible Web aim to ensure these users' impairments do not prevent them from finding the Web a valuable resource, and that they have access to the same content that other visitors enjoy.

Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging. Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities.

Many people have disabilities that affect their use of the Web. Most Web sites and Web software facilities have accessibility barriers that make it difficult or impossible for many people with disabilities to use the Web. As more accessible Web sites and software become available, people with disabilities are able to use and contribute to the Web more effectively.

Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities. For example, a key principle of Web accessibility is designing Web sites and software that are flexible to meet different user needs, preferences, and situations. This flexibility also benefits people without disabilities in certain situations, such as people using a slow Internet connection, people with "temporary disabilities" such as a broken arm, and people with changing abilities due to aging.

Agency Web site Type

Web sites are collections of web pages. Regardless of how agencies design or organise web pages into what they consider web sites, it is important to understand the distinction between a "main" agency web site, and "other" agency web site(s) within the context of the NZ government Web Standards and Recommendations.

For further assistance regarding these two web site types, refer to http://elabs.govt.nz/web-standards/example-description.html.

Main Agency Web Site: It is expected that every government agency will have one ‘Main’ web site. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘corporate web site’ or ‘master web site’, and is often a central entry point to all ‘other web sites’ that the agency may operate. It is accessed with a domain name that is usually based on the agency name, i.e. www.agencyname.govt.nz. The core address is not a sub-directory re-direct (i.e. utilisation of forward slashes) or a sub-domain. The Main agency web site will have one or more web pages, at least one of those pages being a homepage.

If an agency has only one web site, that web site will inherently be the “Main” web site.

Example

Inland Revenue has the main site www.ird.govt.nz

Other Agency Web Site: Fundamentally, any web site under ownership/responsibility of the agency, which is not the Main agency web site, is known as an "other agency web site".

This includes any agency web site which represents:

• a business unit of the agency,
• a specific initiative or web application which has its own domain name separate to the agency domain name,
• uses a sub-domain of the agency domain name,
• a cross-agency site “owned” by the agency and/or any site which utilises a sub-domain of the agency and is not the Main agency web site.

Example

Inland Revenue has other sites (not exhaustive):

• www.kiwisaver.govt.nz
• www.whatstax.govt.nz
• www.taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz

Alt text

Text that is used when images can't be shown to the user.

Archiving

The process of archiving is an important part of record-keeping. It means when documents are deemed no longer relevant, usually due to their being out of date and/or superseded by more recent versions, they qualify for removal from the “front line” of those documents made accessible to their intended audiences. Documents qualifying for removal are not simply deleted (disposed of) but stored, unaltered, with the ability to be retrieved if and when such requests are made to do so.

Anonymous

In the context of Web Guidelines, referring to a definable unit of data that as part or a whole of that unit, in itself or in combination with public information, does not identify any person.

The unit of data may be a record of an individual’s activities, but the party responsible for recording those activities may either

• not be interested in knowing the identity of the individual, or
• identify the individual by combining with one or more other distinctly separate units of data which are securely held within the party responsible for recording the activities.

Attribute

In HTML, an attribute is part of an element consisting of an attribute name, followed by the equals sign, followed by the attribute value. For example, align=”centre”.

Authentication

The process of establishing, to the required level of confidence, the identity of one or more parties to a transaction. Consists of identity management (establishing who you are) and logon management (confirming who you are).

Cascading style sheets (CSS)

Usually separate text files that specify the appearance (CCS1) and sound (CSS2) of web pages. They "cascade" in the sense that one style can override another, so that users can change the appearance or sound of web pages to suit their need.

Commenting

Adding comments in code, like HTML, that help programmers understand how the code has been written. Comments are not displayed in browsers.

Compliance

Conformity: acting according to certain accepted standards. The ability to reasonably ensure conformity and adherence to organization policies, plans, procedures, laws, regulations, and contracts.

Cookies

Small text files send by web servers to your computer when you request certain pages. Browser manufacturers introduced cookies as an aid for e-commerce applications, but they since have found many more uses. Some people refuse to accept cookies because their purpose is not clear.

CSV

Comma-separated values: a well-established open format that can be opened by spreadsheet and database applications.

Data Identifying the 3rd person

Data directly identifying, or containing reference to, persons other than the user of the current session. Note the agency can only assume a single person and/or identity as a ‘user’ in a current session.

Degrade gracefully

Web pages written and constructed to be read by older browsers without significant disruption to the flow of the page or information. This may entail special attention to mark-up language.

Deprecated

A term used by the W3C to suggest people don't use elements that are defined in their specifications, but which are not likely to be included in future revisions because there are better ways of achieving the same result.

Discovery-level URL

A discovery-level URL is a URL that reflects the general hierarchy and grouping of web pages relevant to the business functions of the agency. For example,

• http://servername/services/info/,
• http://servername/policy/reports/2007/,or
• http://servername/contacts/auckland/.

Dithering

Using a range of available colours to simulate one that is not available.

DTD

A Document Type Definition defines the syntax to use when using mark-up languages like HTML.

e-GIF

Shorthand for the New Zealand E-government Interoperability Framework.

Element

In mark-up languages such as HTML, the combination of a set of tags, any content contained between the tags, and any attributes the tags may have. Elements can be nested, one within the other.

Exemption

An exemption, under the New Zealand Government New Zealand Web Standards, is approval for failing to meet a specific requirement of the guidelines for a limited time. Refer to the exemption process for further information.

G2P

Shorthand for the term "government to people".

GCSB

The Government Communications Security Bureau

www.govt.nz

The name of the New Zealand government portal which can be found at http://www.govt.nz.

Homepage

Any web site under ownership of an agency is expected to have at least one web page considered as the homepage. It is expected that a homepage is a page rendered via the agency’s main url associated with the web site.

For further assistance regarding a homepage, refer to http://elabs.govt.nz/web-standards/example-description.html.

Host

The Internet Service Provider (ISP) that makes a web site available on the Internet.

Image map

Regions of an image that can be defined in HTML, usually so that different parts of the image link to different documents.

ISO-8859-1

A character set that extended ASCII to incorporate some of the characters used in languages other than English.

ISP

Internet Service Provider

Javascript

A scripting language understood by most browsers that can be used to change the appearance of a page as a user moves the mouse, for example. Javascript is different from Java, which can be run independently of a browser.

JPEG

An image format in widespread use on the Internet. Sometimes shortened to JPG and usually pronounced "Jay-peg".

Lynx

A browser that shows only the text parts of a web page, including links. How a page appears in Lynx is a good guide to how a person using assistive technology will experience the page.

Metadata

A description of a resource, either online or offline, and where to find it. Metadata can be compared to a library card that tells you where to find a library book.

Metatags

A way of putting metadata into a web document. Metadata is not normally displayed in the browser.

Numerical character references (NCRs)

A way of denoting characters in HTML using a sequence of numbers so that a browser can display the character even if it is not available to the author.

NZGLS

Shorthand for the New Zealand Government Locator Service (NZGLS) metadata standard. The NZGLS is the metadata standard used describe the services and resources provided by government agencies in New Zealand.

Open source

Open source software is software where anyone can view and distribute the source code (see http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition_plain.php) .

PDAs

Personal Digital Assistants: small portable devices some of which can be used to browse web sites.

PDF

Portable Document Format: a format that is suited to printing documents intended for paper rather than screen.

Persistent

Data stored at the invocation and direction of the host and intended to be recorded beyond the current session for, potentially, an unlimited period of time.

PNG

Portable Network Graphic: An image format suited to the web but not yet widely supported.

Portal

A website that is intended primarily to link to other websites.

Postmaster

The person responsible for ensuring the smooth running of an email service for an Internet domain.

Pseudonymous

In this context, referring to a definable unit of data that as part or a whole of that unit, in itself or in combination with public information, can identify one or more people.

A full name is an example of direct personal identification. Data that on its own does not directly reveal the identity of a person but has the potential via an “educated guess” (i.e. a user ID, abbreviated name or email address) to identify a person or, via combination with other public information (i.e. a phone number with a telephone directory) can be considered in this category.

A “handle” which is an ID to the secure details of an individual or a session and is a randomly generated unique value (like a GUID) is not considered pseudonymous.

RFIs

Request for Information: usually a public notice inviting vendors to provide information about technical solutions they offer for a briefly described requirement

RFPs

Request for Proposal: usually a public notice inviting vendors to provide a detailed proposal for a technical solution to requirement described in detail.

RTF

Rich Text Format: an open but evolving format that can be understood by most word processing software.

Scripting

The use of programming code, usually in the midst of document mark-up, that is interpreted and executed either by the web server or the users browser.

SGML

Standard Generalized Mark-up Language: a system for defining mark-up languages that preceded the web by a number of years.

Sitemanager

The person who variously creates, administers and maintains a website, or is responsible for a team of people that do this.

Specialist audience

A specialist audience is an audience about which you can confidently predict the competence level, the technology, the work circumstances and the impairment status.

If you do not know who is likely to want information beyond broad categories such as teachers, youth, the media or business people, then it is a general audience, because you cannot make judgments about the technology, working situation, ability or impairment of the user. In these circumstances, the multi-modality approach prevails.

Good audience definition with no unproven assumptions should be a starting point. A specialist audience may or may not require a specialist document.

Examples of specialist audiences include:

• The surgeon who needs to communicate with 24 other specialist surgeons, all of whom are personally known, including their work situations, competence, technology and impairment status. They are clearly a specialist audience.
• A project team or working group where you know people are working from their offices, you know their technology and their personal circumstances.
• Airline pilots have to reach high standards of physical fitness and have a high standard of technology and competence. While you may not know the individual pilots, there are some assumptions you could make about them, such as that they won’t have vision impairment or be colour blind. They are therefore a known audience.

Special-purpose documents

A specialist document is one in which information has to be presented in a particular way, either because that is the only way it can sensibly be presented electronically, or because of the limitations of available technology.

A specialist document may need to be accessed by a general or a specialist audience. If the specialist document is to be accessed by a general audience, then the multi-modality approach must be taken.

Examples of specialist documents include:

• A spreadsheet that cannot be provided in csv format (csv is considered an accessible format), because (for example) it contains macros for modelling purposes.
• A hydrographic map may be an example of a specialist document. The graphical representation of information is the best way to present it. Consideration would need to be given to supplying in an alternative format the information contained in this specialist document should it be requested, unless a specialist audience as defined above is the only audience.
• In the case of the airline pilot above, you could not assume that they would be the only people interested in an air crash report. An air crash report would therefore not be a specialist document, and would therefore require a multiple formats approach.
  Note: Public accountability documents, such as Statements of Intent, and public consultation documents should never be published on web sites as specialist documents for specialist audiences.

SVG

Scalable Vector Graphics: a W3C specification for a graphic format based on XML

Tab order

A way of specifying the order of elements on the webpage for people using the tab key rather than the mouse.

Tag

In mark-up languages such as HTML, a code that identifies an element in a document, such as a heading or a paragraph, for the purposes of formatting, indexing, and linking information in the document. In HTML, a tag is generally a pair of angle brackets that contain one or more letters and numbers. Usually one pair of angle brackets is placed before an element, and another pair is placed after, to indicate where the element begins and ends. For example, in HTML, <p>hello world</p> indicates that the phrase “hello world” is a paragraph.

Temporal (storage of data)

Data stored at the invocation and direction of the host and not held any longer than the current session. In special circumstances, data may be held beyond the current session for a maximum period of time. The typical case for a need to do this is chargeable online services, which have been consumed in a session but the user has closed the browser prior to completing a full payment transactional process. Approval would need to be obtained from SSC IT for any such cases.

Thumbnail

A small version of a bigger picture that a person can use to assess whether it is worth requesting the larger version.

Tracking data

Tracking data is data about a user that is captured and stored while they visit a web site. It is often used to provide:

• a) Customised services, where a user’s identity may or may not be linked with other data already held by the agency
• b) Logs of user activity on a web site. The identity of the user is not necessary with this information.

Client-side “cookies” are a common way to record tracking data.

Transactional forms

Web forms are transactional when the data needs to be sent to the server to be verified and processed. The form uses HTTP POST, rather than client side scripting, to verify its content. Transactional forms are considered more accessible than client scripted forms.

Unicode

A standard for a very large character set that encompasses many of the characters used in languages around the world.

URL

Universal Resource Locator: a way of describing the location on the Internet of a wide variety of resources and a method (protocol) for requesting a copy. A web address is an example of a URL.

Usability

The extent to which a product (a web site) can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.

UTF-8

A subset (albeit a large one) of the full Unicode character set, which incorporates the macronised long Maori vowels.

W3C

The World Wide Web Consortium develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) to lead the Web to its full potential. W3C has around 500 member organizations

WAI

Web Accessibility Initiative: a W3C initiative to promote web accessibility.

Web bugs

Images fetched from a remote web server that are used by commercial organisations to monitor people's use of websites.

Web Site “Working Satisfactorily”

This definition contains and extends the definition of a web site degrading gracefully.

The web site should be able to present all information as per the intention with the site design. In addition, all information is provided such that no transaction is hindered from being carried out to its intended completion as a result of a user not being able to make a selection as per the intention of the site design.

Alternative means can be provided as a contingency for cases where difficulties are anticipated and or known (e.g., from early phases of testing). An example is information provided in a drop-down box for user selection. If the drop-down box has difficulties being rendered on a browser, an alternative would be provided, which enables all the information contained in the drop-down box to be presented to and able to be selected by the user.

XHTML

A recasting of HTML as an XML application rather than an SGML language.

XML

Extensible Mark-up Language: a system for defining and extending mark-up languages.