Common Look and Feel

The Common Look and Feel (CLF) Standards for the Internet have been replaced with [https://web.archive.org/web/20141111225959/http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ws-nw/index-eng.asp four Web Standards] that incorporate current web practices such as WCAG 2.0, as well as designing for a plethora of devices, browsers and assistive technologies through which people navigate the Web.

As of 2014, the Government of Canada Web Standards consist of the following four mandatory policies:

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054818/http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=23601%20 Standard on Web Accessibility] (in effect: August 1, 2011)
• [http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=24227 Standard on Web Usability] (in effect: September 28, 2011)
• [http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=25875 Standard on Web Interoperability] (in effect: July 1, 2012)
• [http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=27088 Standard on Optimizing Websites and Applications for Mobile Devices] (in effect: April 1, 2013)

In 2000, the Canadian CLF 1.0 standard was implemented and government departments had almost two years to make their sites compliant.

In 2007, the Canadian CLF standard was revised and a 2.0 version was released. Government of Canada organizations were given two years to comply.

In 2010, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat announced that CLF 2.0 would be replaced by [https://web.archive.org/web/20141111225959/http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ws-nw/index-eng.asp four Web Standards] to:

• take into account the most recent version of internationally accepted Web content accessibility guidelines;
• increase flexibility of Website layout and design;
• enable institutions to incorporate the use of innovative and emerging technologies to their online information and services.{{cite web|title=Common Look and Feel for the Internet 2.0 Standard is Being Updated |url=http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ws-nw/wc-cw/anncs/anncs1-eng.asp |publisher=Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat |accessdate=2014-06-04 }}

With various concerns having been raised over problems created by the CLF requirements,{{cite web|title=Everyone hates CLF |url=http://usability4government.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/everyone-hates-clf/ |accessdate=2010-03-23 }}{{cite web|title=Thoughts on CLF 3.0 From Outside the Firewall### |url=http://ampli2de.com/uxblog/index.php?itemid=40 |date=2010-03-21 |accessdate=2010-03-23 }} future versions{{cite web |title=Common Look and Feel for the Internet is being updated |url=http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/clf2-nsi2/12msg-eng.asp |date=2010-06-02 |accessdate=2010-03-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515014322/http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/clf2-nsi2/12msg-eng.asp |archive-date=2011-05-15 |url-status=dead }} of the standard may see significant changes.{{cite web |title=A Proposal for CLF 3.0 |url=http://thomasjbradley.ca/blog/proposal-for-clf-3 |author=Thomas J Bradley |date=2009-08-27 |accessdate=2010-03-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325141257/http://thomasjbradley.ca/blog/proposal-for-clf-3 |archive-date=2010-03-25 |url-status=dead }}

{{reflist}}

• The Standard on Web Accessibility is based on the [http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/ Web Content and Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0)] developed by the [http://www.w3.org/ W3C].
• The [https://wet-boew.github.io/wet-boew/index-en.html Web Experience Toolkit] is open source software created by the Government of Canada to enable departments to build websites and Web applications that comply with the Web Standards.

Category:Government of Canada

Category:Web accessibility