Checklist item: Pages are designed for common Internet browsers and operating systems, accounting for browser differences.
Guideline: Design, develop and test for the most common Internet browsers. Do not assume that all users will have the same browser features, and will have set the same defaults. Design the Web site so that it will work well with the most popular operating systems.
Designers should attempt to accommodate 95 percent of all users. The designer should find out what settings most users are using, and specify on the Web site exactly what assumptions were made about the browser settings. Designers should consult one of the several sources that maintain current figures to help ensure that they are designing to accommodate as many users as possible. Ensure that all testing of Web pages is done using the most popular browsers.
Sources of information about the most commonly used browsers:
- http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html
- http://www.thecounter.com/stats/
- http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp
Sources of information about operating system platforms: