Recommended Web standards



Purpose

The South Dakota Board of Regents web standards and guidelines address content, design, functionality and usability by systemwide users and community visitors. Standards provide expectations that all information presented on Board of Regents official websites meet criteria pertaining to accessibility, functionality, accuracy, consistency and is current. Guidelines assure websites are developed with consistent image, colors, formatting and navigation.

Policies/Laws

All Board of Regents official websites, pages, and pages linked from official pages will comply with all Board of Regents policies and state and federal laws. Particular attention will be paid to copyright laws and copyrighted materials shall be noted on the web page.

Inappropriate content/use

Instance of inappropriate content or use of the BOR official web pages shall be referred to the appropriate Web Administrator the CITO.

Guidelines

Documents

• All public documents uploaded should include a title (header) and author, page, date (footer) and should be in the PDF format.

• Include the following text and image on pages where PDF files are used.

[pic] PDF documents require a pdf viewer to open. Such PDF readers are available from Adobe, Foxit and other organizations free of charge.

• Documents loaded for internal use may be offered in multiple formats. Try to keep the document types limited to Word, Excel or PDF formats. If a different format is needed for a specific reason, try to make sure your targeted audience has access to software that will read the format.

File names

• File names should be in lower case letters with no spaces.

• You may use the underscore in place of a space.

Examples:

sdbor_standards_5_30_03.pdf

sdbor.edu/administration/technology/standards.htm.

Font

Font face should degrade gracefully.

Use the default font whenever possible.

Not all browsers read fonts the same way. If you use something other than the default font, check in several browsers for readability.

Common web readable fonts are: Times Roman, Arial, Verdana, and Helvetica.

• The recommended font for the SDBOR website is Arial, Black, 9pt. Other fonts are acceptable to use to draw attention to a particular item on the web page.

o Times New Roman

o Verdana

o Helvetica

Web Page Width

• Web page width should not exceed 1000 pixels of viewable space. Optimally, the page should be designed for a maximum screen resolution of 1024 x 768

Graphics

• Keep graphics file sizes as small as possible. Whenever possible, keep total page size, including inline graphics, to 50K or less.

• Always use the "ALT" attribute on graphics, for the benefit of those who browse with graphics turned off and for those using a screen reader or text-based browser.

• To speed graphics loading, include the "HEIGHT" and "WIDTH" attributes of your graphics. If you need a large and a small version of a graphic, make two versions; do not use height and width to resize them on the fly. The height and width attributes of the tag should always match the actual resolution of the image being displayed so the browser doesn’t have to modify it.

• Constant motion is distracting. If you absolutely must have animation, set it to stop after one or two cycles.

• If the graphic is a link specify the border attribute to equal 0.

• Design graphics for 1024 x 768 displays and 16,777,216 colors.

Example of code with above specified attributes:

• As often as possible, visual effects such as gradients, rounded borders and such should be defined in CSS to minimize the amount of ‘accessory’ images needed to make up the page design.

Video

• Embedded videos should not be allowed to start without a user’s prompting.

• If embedding video from a video sharing site such as YouTube, carefully change the configuration of the video does not suggest other videos after playing the one you want.

Image Maps

• If you find it necessary to use an image map for navigation, provide the same navigation in text form duplicating the links found on the image map.

• Include “ALT” attribute for every link within the image map.

Links

• Test your links often to ensure they are up to date and not broken.

o Various free tools such as Google Analytics can be helpful in identifying broken links and trends in traffic patterns on your site. Use tools to identify broken or orphaned links on a regular basis.

• Do not link to an "Under construction" page; this is an annoying waste of time for the user.

Load time

• Pages should load quickly, do not overload with large graphics.

Navigational aids

• Clear, consistent navigational aids should be used. The user should know where they are at all times.

Printing

• Pages should be printable both in terms of page contrast and page width.

Updates

• Time sensitive information should be updated as needed. Creation date and last update dates should be visible

• Also, when there is time sensitive information posted on the website in a format other than a webpage (PDF, Word or Excel documents) the date of the update should be posted with the link to the document. Whichever format is chosen for a specific page, ensure all instances of the updated date is the same throughout.

o Example: SDBOR Web Policies (updated 4/18/05)

o Example: SDBOR Web Policies – last updated 4/18/05

Tables

• Used wisely, they can be useful for page layout.

• Screen readers and text-based browsers read straight across the monitor. Plan tables so they make sense when read, or provide a non-table version of the page.

Usability

• Test your designs with several people not involved in the design process, including some target users.

• Make sure they test it with a variety of hardware, browsers and connections.

Content Management

• Whenever the opportunity presents itself, sites should adopt a content management system (CMS). Examples of such would be WordPress, Mura CMS or DotNetNuke.

• Contributors and editors of material served from such CMSs should be given appropriate permissions to add and edit content.

• CMS installations shall be patched in a frequent and regular fashion as to minimize exposure due to known vulnerabilities.

Standards (Required Elements)

General:

Accessibility compliant

• Every attempt should be made to comply with Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act and with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines ().

• All SDBOR affiliated web documents should meet Level 1 Priority Checkpoints set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Colors

• The standard web colors used for the SDBOR logo and website are as follows:

Web:

RGB

Blue - Hex #000066

Red - Hex #990000

Background – White Hex #FFFFFF

Hyperlink - Hex #990000

Visited Hyperlink - Hex #000066

Active Hyperlink - Hex #000066

Text Color – Black Hex #000000

Functionality

• Web pages should be functional without Java, JavaScript, CSS, Flash or browser specific tags. These features can and should be used to enhance functionality, but must not be required, and the page should degrade gracefully when they are not present. For websites with forms requiring user input, data from the user should be validated both on the browser and on the server in case client side validation has been disabled.

Logo and Variations for the South Dakota Board of Regents

• The South Dakota Board of Regents logo will be used on every official Board of Regents web page.

• The logo colors must be maintained and the logo may not be rotated, expanded, or changed to distort or alter in anyway without specific permission of the Board of Regents Web Upgrade Project Team.

• The full name of the unit must be displayed with the logo.

• For variations on the logo not shown on the linked page, please contact the executive director of the Board of Regents for pre-approval.

• View and download logo files: ().

Official name

• South Dakota Board of Regents is the formal name to be used on all web pages.

• If using the name in a second reference, SDBOR may be used.

• Also, the Board of Regents title can be used, and when referenced a second time, BOR may be used.

Personal Web pages

• Personal web pages are not allowed on any official Board of Regents website.

• Professional pages are allowed with contact work related information but not personal information.

Domain Names and URLs

• All official South Dakota Board of Regents website URLs will be consistent and uniform and should begin with sdbor.edu.

• All official South Dakota Board of Regents domain names require approval by the Web Upgrade Project Team prior to securing.

Links

• All links should be tested to ensure they work.

• If a link opens a new browser window, subsequent requests for a second window should target that same window (rather than open up a new window with each request).

Commercial/advertising

• No commercial or advertising will be linked to any official Board of Regents website without permission of Web Upgrade Project Team.

Completeness/accuracy/view ability

• All web pages should be checked for completeness and accuracy. Spelling and grammar should be checked as well as view ability.

• Web pages should be checked in several browsers, such as, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome.

Visitor Comments/Questions

• All sections of the SDBOR website shall have contact information

• Email addresses should not be directly exposed to the public. Instead, a contact form with a picklist of functional areas, including a general contact should be employed. Email containing the contact form data will be relayed based on the value selected in the ‘functional area’ picklist.

• The main area of the webpage will display a link to a contact form.

Archived Information

• The Web Users Group will meet annually to decide if any information they are responsible for should be archived. They also will decide what outdated information they control should be deleted from the archive.

Technical:

Search Engines/SEO

• Use a short, descriptive TITLE tag. Search engines display the first 60 to 70 characters.

• Use META tags for description and/or keywords. Some search engines display your description (from 150 to 395 characters) if you provide one, otherwise they construct their own.

• Write the first few paragraphs so they contain keywords people are likely to use in searches.

HTML

• All tag names should be in lower case to comply with HTML 5 standards.

• All attributes should be quoted to ensure that all browsers render code correctly and that xhtml standards are adhered to.

• HTML filenames should be lowercase, with no spaces, for Unix compatibility.

• Tables should be coded with proportional widths (i.e., stretchable to accommodate a variety of monitor resolutions).

• Many free HTML standards validation tools exist which are free to use. One or more should be employed to validate standards and address any non-compliance issues.

Template Features:

Footer

When a new page is created using the template a standard footer will be attached to your page. The footer will include but is not limited to the following items.

• Contact – Name and contact information for the person responsible for the page.

• Disclaimer – A link to the full SDBOR disclaimer.

• Equal Opportunity – An Equal opportunity statement.

• Last Modified – this information will automatically be updated each time to modify and save your page.

• General Navigational Links – will be determined by the project team and update when necessary.

Header

• Title – each page should contain a meaningful title.

• Logo – the appropriate SDBOR logo.

• Links – will be determined by the project team and updated when necessary.

• Search – each page will have a search box in the header.

Purchased Software and Externally Developed Websites:

Externally Developed Packages

• All software with a significant public facing web interface purchased from an ISV or designed and coded outside of Board of Regents IT department shall be subject to review and approval by SDBOR IT for adherence to these standards and guidelines.

• This review and approval shall occur prior to the production release of the software under review.

• Prior to purchase of said software and/or configuration of related domain names or subdomain names, a request for approval shall be routed through the Board of Regents IT department. This will begin the approval process and allow sufficient time for RIS staff to prepare required infrastructure.

Standards Adherence

• All purchased packages software shall comply with the above standards and guidelines.

• At a minimum, externally developed sites under SDBOR control must provide a link back to the main SDBOR webpage and the appropriate SDBOR logo.

New Designs / Non-compliant

Definition of terms

ADA – Pertains to the Americans with Disabilities Act Titles II and III.

Accessibility – Developing a website that is accessible makes it easier for people with disabilities to use. Given the Web's increasingly important role in society, access to the Web is vital for people with disabilities.

XHTML – Documents are XML conforming. As such, they are readily viewed, edited, and validated with standard XML tools.

HTML – HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. An HTML file or document is nothing more than a text file. Even HTML's "tags" are text. There are no hidden or special codes. All the work of interpreting the HTML tags and translating them into what you see on screen is done by the browser software -- Netscape, Internet Explorer, Lynx, WebTV.

Contributor – Assigned to add links and upload documents to specific web pages.

Editor – Assigned to editing, updating and deleting information on assigned web pages.

Senior SDBOR Staff – Senior staff of the South Dakota Board of Regents.

Website Administrator – The website administrator is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the functionality of the website.

Website Manager – The Website Manager coordinates with the Web Users Group to devise plans and timelines for website redesigns, works with Website Administrators to formulate web presence policies, and administers compliance of those policies. Presides over meetings dealing with all aspects of the SDBOR web presence and coordinates training of new users or new products.

Chief Information Technology Officer – this person is responsible for all Statewide/Systemwide policies, budget planning, and legislative advocacy dealing with technology.

Web Upgrade Project Team – developed to upgrade the current South Dakota Board of Regents websites to utilize more recently available tools, databases and user interfaces, to more effectively serve students, potential students, their families, system employees, potential employees, the public, the Board of Regents and other constituents.

Web Users Group – The Web Users Group contains all of the current Contributors and Editors who currently work with the SDBOR website. The group meets periodically to discus new techniques, issues they have encountered and other web related topics as they arise.

Responsibility/Authorization

Standards/Guidelines/Laws/Policies – All individuals listed below are responsible for reading and complying with the Board of Regents Web standards and guidelines, all applicable state and federal laws referenced in this document and all South Dakota Board of Regents IT Policies.

Senior BOR Staff – senior staff of the Board of Regents will assign a Web Administrator for their prospective Website(s) and may also assign an Editor and Contributor.

Website Manager – is responsible for making sure that the Editors, Contributors and Administrators have the information they need to create websites within the SDBOR guidelines. Also, responsible to ensure that the Editors, Contributors, and Administrators have the technology they need and the training to use it effectively.

Website Administrator – is responsible for administering Web standards and guidelines for their prospective Website(s). The Website Administrator is responsible for how the information appears to the public. The Website Administrator is responsible for ensuring that the information contained therein is of the highest editorial standards (spelling, punctuation, grammar, style, etc.) and factually accurate, as well as current. Also oversees the Editor and Contributor of web pages within their Website.

Editor- Assigned to editing, updating and deleting information on assigned web pages. They are also responsible for ensuring that the information contained therein is of the highest editorial standards (spelling, punctuation, grammar, style, etc.) and factually accurate, as well as current.

Contributor – Assigned to add links, and upload documents to specific web pages. They are also responsible for ensuring that the information contained therein is of the highest editorial standards (spelling, punctuation, grammar, style, etc.) and factually accurate, as well as current.

Web Upgrade Project Team – The Web Upgrade Project Team is responsible for overall design of official Board of Regents Websites and ensuring the Web standards/guidelines are adhered to.

Web Users Group – This group will contain all current Editors, Contributors and Administrators pertaining to SDBOR websites. The list will fluctuate as people move and new users are added to the BOR office. They will meet periodically to discuss issues they have encountered, new technology and training issues they need, plus any other topic they need to discuss with the group as they arise.

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