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Characterization and assessment of HTML style guides

Conference ·
OSTI ID:197843

This paper describes a study in which HTML style guides were characterized, compared to established HCI style guides, and evaluated against findings from HCI reviews of web paces and applications. Findings showed little consistency among the 21 HTML style guides assessed, with 75% of recommendations appearing in only one style guide. While there was some overlap, only 20% of HTML relevant recommendations from established style guides were found in HTML style guides. HTML style guides emphasized common look and feel, information display, and navigation issues with little mention of many issues prominent in established style guides such as help, message boxes and data entry. This difference is reinforced by other results showing that HTML style guides addressed concerns of web information content pages with much greater success than web-based applications. It is concluded that while the WWW represents a unique HCI environment, development of HTML style guides has been less rigorous, with issues associated with web-based applications largely ignored.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
197843
Report Number(s):
SAND--95-2865C; CONF-960468--1; ON: DE96004312
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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