Who is responsible for website quality assurance?

There are many websites that provide information about the quality of websites and there are even books published about the topic, for readers out there who still prefer the printed page. Yes, there is a even a "Website Design for Dummies" book available. Most of the websites that provide information about quality in websites are published by companies that design websites (they are selling you a product), or they are search engines (organizations that sell advertising space on their webpages). There is so much information to sort through it is difficult to find anything impartial.

According to http://socialmediarockstar.com/ there are nine essential elements to a successful website, according to http://craig-edmonds.com/ there are only three. Who are these publishers? They are a couple of web designers, bloggers, possibly computer nerds that have nice websites. These websites are for profit organziations. Are they credible? According to their own autobiographies, they are. All I know for sure is that if you search the keywords "elements of a quality website" on google, their sites are the first to appear.

We can rate a textbook based on the content and currency of the information. Most textbooks are laid out in similar format. The front of the book has details about the publisher, the author and the publication date. This information is easy to find. There is usually a table of contents, followed by the content of the book, which is usually laid out in an organized fashion. At the end of the book, often we will find glossaries, indices and bibliographies. Items that we can use to find further information on the topics presented in the text or verify the sources of the information. Unlike a textbook, websites do not follow a standard format.

Doing research on the world-wide-web is like entering a library without the dewey decimal system. Text books are mingled with magazines which are shuffled in with the science fiction novels. Since there is no governing body, the end user is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the information they are viewing is valid, credible and current.

And just as you should "never judge a book by its cover"; never judge a website by its graphics. A website could be just like a hollywood backdrop, on the surface it appears detailed, but there is no substance.