Standards & Principles
The work changes from project to project. The standards behind the work should not.
A few principles that stay consistent.
Make the next step visible
Organize the project so the goal, current state, priorities and next useful action can be understood without unnecessary complexity.
Separate source from assumption
When research or records matter, preserve traceability and distinguish original material, summary, interpretation and open questions.
Design for real devices
Web layouts should adapt to phones, tablets and desktops rather than treating mobile as a squeezed version of desktop.
Improve before replacing
Do not rebuild useful content, systems or assets merely for novelty. Preserve value and change what genuinely needs to change.
Define the work before doing it
Clarify deliverables, timing, dependencies and review points so a project has a visible definition of done.
Refine with use
Treat the first working version as a foundation. Improve it as real feedback, content and project information become available.
Useful beats ornamental.
Good presentation matters, but appearance is not the finish line. A DDPW project should become easier to understand, easier to use, easier to maintain or easier to act on.
That standard applies whether the work is a website, a research library, a project plan, a business workflow or something that crosses several categories.
