Standards & Guidelines Glossary

1. MUST, MUST NOT, SHOULD, SHOULD NOT, MAY

The key words MUST, MUST NOT, SHOULD and SHOULD NOT and MAY in bbc.co.uk standards & guidelines are to be interpreted in accordance with the following definitions:

• MUST means an absolute requirement. Example: if you own a TV you must buy a TV licence.
• MUST NOT means an absolute prohibition. Example: "thou shalt not kill".
• SHOULD means a recommendation that may be ignored in particular circumstances but the full implications must be understood. Example: you should breathe.
• SHOULD NOT means not recommended although acceptable in particular circumstances but the full implications must be understood. Example: you should not drink too much alcohol.
• MAY gives permission to perform a particular action, it should not be used to express a possibility, where you should use 'can' or 'might'. Example: you may choose which route you use to get from A to B but this route should be chosen to enable the shortest travel time.

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2. Other definitions

Best practice

Definition: a process which has been agreed as the most effective and efficient way of doing that action, but has not been officially accepted as a guideline.

Clickable content

Definition: content items that can be clicked. Examples: menu items, buttons, interactive elements of a game.

Core content

Definition: the fundamental reason for a web page, without which there would be no point to the page existing. For example, the core content on the CBBC Games page is all the games – if there were no games there would be no point to the page being there.

Deprecate

Definition: please try not to use this technology/tool/process in the future (NB. does not imply that existing items depending on the deprecated technology will no longer work). Example: use of vote.pl has been deprecated; recording on audio cassettes has been deprecated.

Decommission

Definition: this will not work any more if you are using it (after decommissioning date). Example: use of exec cgi has been decommissioned; analogue TV broadcasting after 2010 proposed switch-off.

Guideline

Definition: a guideline is something you SHOULD do, for the good of yourself and your colleagues. Example: Healthy Eating guidelines.

Standard

Definition: a standard is something you MUST do, for the good of yourself and your colleagues, which can be monitored and enforced. Example: UK Law.

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3. Symbols

This symbol indicates that a document is not currently directly available to those outside the BBC. While we go through the process of making these documents externally available, you can obtain them from your Technical Account Manager.

This symbol indicates that a document is in the password-protected part of the Standards & Guidelines site because it contains sensitive technical information about bbc.co.uk. Those organisations who have signed an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) with the BBC can request a password to access these pages from the Editor, FM Standards & Guidelines.

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