By way of cybersoc.com, I recently came across The BBC’s Fifteen Web Principles – a list of principles developed for the BBC 2.0 project. Although it’s in draft format, the list has been signed off by the BBC board.

Robin Hamman at cybersoc.com has posted about the items on the list that most interest him, and I thought I’d do the same. I think the following points are useful guidelines for any website development or redevelopment project, not just those which want to be ”web 2.0”:

• Number 2: The very best websites do one thing really, really well: do less, but execute perfectly.
• Number 3: Do not attempt to do everything yourselves: link to other high-quality sites instead. Your users will thank you. Use other people’s content and tools to enhance your site, and vice versa.
• Number 6: The web is a conversation. Join in: Adopt a relaxed, conversational tone. Admit your mistakes.
• Number 7: Any website is only as good as its worst page: Ensure best practice editorial processes are adopted and adhered to.
• Number 8: Make sure all your content can be linked to, forever.
• Number 12: Accessibility is not an optional extra: Sites designed that way from the ground up work better for all users.

One of the new media websites I regularly stop by is New Media Knowledge (NMK) – a ”learning and information hub” for people working in the sector. I’ve attended several NMK events and courses, all of which have been useful and good value, and have also made good use of the resources available on the site.

Ian Delaney, the recently-appointed NMK website editor seems to be making a big impact already, with an impressive amount of new content having been added to the site since I went on holiday in December. Here are links to a few of the articles that caught my eye:

• Xmas Special: Why Didn’t I Do That? – summarises last December’s NMK Christmas lecture, which was about celebrating great new media design.
• Voluntary Redundancy – looks at a forthcoming NCVO report about the challenges that social networking technology creates for the voluntary sector.
• Beers & Innovation 7 – sums up the discussion at the most recent Beers & Innovation evening, which explored innovation within new media agencies.