Maintenance, Upkeep, & Quality Assurance Standards

When any content is placed on the Web as part of any CDE Web product (Web site, Web page, Web application, Web document, or any other Web-related item), both the content and the Web product must be re-examined from time to time to determine their status in terms of:

• The continued need or usefulness for the Web content/Web product.
• The accuracy of the Web content.
• Current CDE Web standards compliance.

All CDE Web content and Web products (including content and Web products that are developed for the CDE or as a result of a CDE contract) must be fully re-examined following this standards document no less frequently than once per year. This re-examination is referred to as an "annual review."

For the CDE’s own primary Internet (http://www.cde.ca.gov/) and Intranet (http://intranet.cde.ca.gov/) Web sites (main Web servers only), specific annual review procedures for content that is added using Contribute software are well established. Adherence to these procedures (available on the CDE Intranet site) constitutes compliance with this Web standards document.

CDE division contacts for CDE-developed Web applications are expected to ensure that the Web applications that they oversee are reviewed under these standards at least once per year.

CDE Contract Monitors for contractor-developed Web products of any kind (Web sites, Web pages, Web documents, Web applications, or any other Web-related content) are expected to ensure that the contracted Web products that they oversee are reviewed under these standards at least once per year.

All annual reviews performed with the intent to comply with these Maintenance, Upkeep, and Quality Assurance Standards must include and consider the following:

Continued Need or Usefulness for the Web Content/Web Product

• Determine the average number of Web requests (hits) per month and peak hits per month during the past year. A low number of hits signifies that few end-users are accessing the Web content/Web product.
• Review Web content/Web product with appropriate CDE staff to determine if there is an ongoing need.
• Consider whether Web content/Web product could be combined with other Web content or another Web product resulting in something that is more useful.

Accuracy of the Web Content

• Consult with content providers, other CDE and non-CDE authorities on the particular content subject, and/or CDE management to determine if a content update is required.
• If a content update is required, determine whether the existing content may remain posted while the update is being prepared, or if it must be removed until more current content can be provided.
• Even if content is still accurate, determine whether it is appropriate to add language or statements so that end-users are aware that the content continues to be relevant.

Current CDE Web Standards Compliance

Web technology continues to change and with it, CDE Web Standards are updated to reflect the CDE’s desire to ensure that all CDE Web content and Web products are of the highest quality, are easy and intuitive to use, and comply with all legal mandates.

• Visit CDE Web Standards and ensure that all appropriate Web standards are being followed.
• Visit the CDE Web Standards Change Log and review all changes to CDE Web standards since either the original posting of or the last annual review of the Web content/Web product. Ensure compliance with all current standards, including those that may have been added or changed. In addition, the following must receive special attention:
  • Ensure that there are no broken links and that all links point to the correct destination. A plan must be in place to check links more frequently than once per year.
  • Ensure that there are no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. A plan must be in place to check for spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors more frequently than once per year.
  • Ensure that any new additions to the Web content/Web product are consistent with the existing Web content/Web product.
  • Ensure that the Web product is working properly and that there are no gaps in navigation, logic, or functionality.