Information Technology

Web Design Standards Questions & Answers

 

Q1: It is sometimes frustrating to use a website where you need to click on links to get small related pieces of information. Why is it necessary to include a standard about not duplicating information?

A1: Linking to an authoritative source is valuable when updates occur. Users may be misled when duplicated information is not updated on a timely basis.

 

Q2: Standard 3 says that each page should link back to the preceding level or levels. Which do you mean?

A2: Dead-end pages frustrate users, so every page should include a link to its parent. Web page authors should consider whether visitors would value additional links to higher levels or other locations.

 

Q3: My department provides teaching materials on its website for use by faculty and students. Redesigning these pages to meet department-level standards will take a great deal of work. Is this really necessary?

A3: Department-provided teaching materials should meet the standards for faculty pages. Where compliance may cause unusual hardship, the task force recommends extending the deadline for compliance on a case-by-case basis through the appeals committee.

 

Q4: Some of the standards in the report are existing policies that have not been enforced in the past. Will they be enforced now?

A4: Yes, the guidelines will now be enforced. A previous task force provided guidelines for web pages. We have incorporated guidelines in these standards with a process for enforcement and appeal.

 

Q5: The report states that Web pages not in compliance with these standards may be edited or disabled, at the discretion of the director. Will we be informed of the points of non-compliance? Will we be given ample opportunity to repair the non-compliant pages before someone arbitrarily edits or disables them

A5: The Information Technology Web Team will of course provide ample opportunity and assistance in bringing web pages into compliance. The roles of the Director and the appeals committee are included in the report to provide for resolution of compliance issues.

 

Q6: The Faculty Association might have some issues with the presidents appointing the members of a board of appeals. Why should a Director have the power to decide when a board of appeals exists?

A6: The report does not purport to revise the Presidents role in establishing committees or to revise employment contracts. Future task forces and other bodies will be established in accordance with appropriate procedures.

 

Q7: My Web pages are carefully designed and I believe they meet a higher standard than what is proposed in the report. Nevertheless, I would have to revise my pages, and in my opinion, downgrade them to comply with these requirements. Can my pages be exempted from the requirements?

A7: The appeals committee will deal with individual issues such as this.

 

Q8: We have graphic designers on campus. Why dont they design the standard header and navigation bar rather than the Information Technology department?

A8: The Information Technology department employs one full-time professional web designer with five plus years of experience. In addition, the web team employs three students who are majoring in the fields of Graphic Communications, Graphic Art or CSIS. The Information Technology department web team works collaboratively with the print graphic designers on campus to produce major campus image redesigns involving the web.

 

*These Questions and Answers were derived from the Web Design Standards Task Force.