Introduction
OMB’s policy guidance (M-23-22) requires that agencies, including GSA, ensure their websites, web applications, digital services, and mobile applications conform to the following requirements and principles:
- Accessible to people of diverse abilities
- Consistent visual design and agency brand identity
- Content that is authoritative and easy to understand
- Information and services that are discoverable and optimized for search
- Secure by design, secure by default
- User-centered and data-driven design
- Customized and dynamic user experiences
- Mobile-first design that scales across varying device sizes
To learn more about OMB’s policy guidance, please visit Memo M-23-22 Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience, Section III.A: Requirements for Websites and Digital Services
Much of this guidance will be specific to your individual projects, however there are a number of requirements that nearly every GSA website must follow and this guide is designed to help guide you, the developer, through them. It's by no means a complete reference to a 100% compliant GSA website, but it will build a strong foundation for your project's future success.
Getting Started
Before we can get started, you'll need to ensure you have a few prerequisites configured with your project.
Prerequisites
U.S. Web Design System (USWDS)
GSA relies on USWDS for the various components it requires on websites. For this reason, USWDS must be installed and operating as expected before moving forward.EDX Chrome Extension
While not strictly requiried, this extension is helpful to both techincal and non-techincal users to validate that required GSA elements are present on the current webpage.
