Legal requirements for better website design

There is now a legal requirement to make websites easy to use by everyone, including those who are disabled. E-Commerce regulations mean that people must be able to see the full cost of items - and be able to correct errors quickly and easily.

New laws mean that organisations can no longer just build the website they want -- and forget about the people using it. There is now a legal requirement to make sites easy to use by everyone, including those who are disabled.

Dr Mark Newman of UKinsite, the internet consultancy, explains: a few years ago many websites concentrated on having a nice appearance, but were too difficult to use. Standards have gradually increased, but many websites still miss out important information -- such as telling people the full price of a product up-front.

With the introduction of the Electronic Commerce Regulations and the Disability Discrimination Act, poor quality websites are no longer an option."
The new regulations mean that people must be able to complete on-line transactions easily. Commercial websites will have to include details of the company name and location, and also show whether prices include tax and delivery costs.
People who are blind or partially sighted will also benefit from changes in the law, as organisations will need to provide websites that cater for their needs.

There are some simple steps that organisations can take to make sure that their sites are easy to use by everyone -- whether sighted or blind -- but too often these get ignored.

Weve watched people go round in circles trying to find out whether they bought what they wanted, correct errors, or even find products in the first place" Dr Newman notes. Organisations now have a legal obligation to make sure that people arent put in this position."

For more information on how websites can be designed to help the people using them, contact UKinsite directly on 024 7632 3095 or see their website at www.ukinsite.com.