[WEB4LIB] Web Guidelines for University Web Sites

[Chris Gray]

At the University of Waterloo they've recently concluded working out just
such policies and standards.  It was initiated by the Informataion &
Public Affairs people, who gathered a small team or designers and
developers.  Their main concern was to make sure that it was readily
apparent that you were at the UW site no matter what page you were
viewing.  The guidelines are a minimal core of requirements and
supplementary recommendations that don't need to be adhered to as
strictly.  The approach taken is one of help and support, providing
resources rather than handing down restrictions.  Consultation was done
with all the administrative and academic groups on campus.  Meetings,
information sessions, and training seminars have all been a part of the
process.

There is more information at:
http://www.web.uwaterloo.ca/index.html

Chris Gray
Systems Analyst
University of Waterloo Library
"Maybe I think too much" --Paul Simon

On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Chris Le Beau wrote:

> Can anyone recommend a source(s), even if produced at your institution,
> that serve as guidelines or standards for departments and divisions at a
> university specifying how much freedom they have to develop their web
> pages? 
> 
> We're not so much interested in the technical standards, but more in the
> politics of university web site management. How much of a common look is
> required? What repercussions are there if "the look" is not followed. Is
> there a core set of pages that follow strict guidelines? Are peripheral
> pages allowed  more flexible design?
> 
> Is there a university web team? What departments are represented? What
> division or department on campus is responsible for oversite of the
> university web?
> 
> These are the kinds of questions we want addressed by a set of
> guidelines.  All suggestions welcome. 
> -- 
> 
> 
> Chris Le Beau
> Coordinator of Electronic Services
> Reinert/Alumni Library
> Creighton University
> 2500 California Plaza
> Omaha, NE 68178
> 
> clbeau at creighton.edu
> 402.280.1757
> FAX: 402.280.2435
>