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Web Site Maintainers • Design and Development Standards

Library Public Website Web Design & Development Standards

Library Web Operational Management Group
October 2012

Interface Look & Feel

A user-centric website will include the development of clear and consistent navigation, the separation of audience-specific from content specific navigation, and standard naming of similar content, to the greatest extent possible.

  1. Promote user self-sufficiency and access for a wide range of users.
    1. The user interface should be designed to promote the success of the campus community in accessing library services and resources.
    2. The website and interfaces will be accessible to users with disabilities.
  2. Be based on user-centered design.
    1. Design will be focused on how the user will use the system.
    2. Design will be informed by user testing and usability studies at the appropriate  stages of the design process.
  3. Show consistent identification, navigation, terminology and content.
    1. To assist users in assessing the information on our site, pages we publish should have consistent identification as belonging to the uWaterloo Library.
    2. The interface should provide useful, consistent navigational tools (e.g., navigation bars) that represent the most-used navigational features.
    3. Standard language and terminology should be used throughout the website to refer to the same activity or item.
  4. Be clean, organized, simple and jargon-free.
    1. The interface should speak the users' language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than using jargon, acronyms, and Library-oriented terms.
  5. Be concise.
    1. Content should be written in a brief and concise format.
    2. Content developers should use plain language to the extent possible.
  6. Be continuously evaluated and updated.
  7. Facilitate comment and feedback.
    1. Users should be able to easily report problems they encounter with interfaces and search engines, databases and applications.
    2. Feedback forms should be widely available and accessible.
  8. Provide targeted and timely response.
    1. User interfaces should be designed to get users started in the direction most likely to result in success for their current need.
    2. The system should provide a response time that is acceptable to the user.

Functionality

  1. Provide access on and off-campus.
    1. Off-campus access should be as easy as on-campus access for authorized users.
  2. Maintain user task context.
    1. The user interface should keep users informed about where they are in the
  3. session and, as much as possible, help them keep their place in our web-based user interfaces.
  4. Ability to search the entire Library website.
  5. Provide support for multiple browsers, devices, and platforms.
  6. Have ability to check links in order to keep broken links to a minimum.
    1. Reduce the number of broken links by having them checked automatically periodically.
  7. Limit the number of places user has to go to search.
    1. Make access to the multitude of electronic resources easy and simple for the user to find.
  8. Allow for embedded social media.

Compliance

  1. Comply with all Campus and Copyright standards.
    1. The Library website represents the official business of the University and should comply with all University or campus policies and guidelines.
    2. Canadian Copyright standards must be adhered to.
  2. Comply with all library resources licenses and contracts.
  3. Comply with all provincial standards.
    1. The website and associated practices should comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act as defined in the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_070429_e.htm) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards – Information & Communications (http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/2011/elaws_src_regs_r11191_e.htm#BK9).
  4. Comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0) as outlined by the W3C. (http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/)
    1. The Library website will meet level A compliance in all instances.
    2. The Library website will seek to meet level AA compliance wherever feasible.
  5. Correctly use Campus and Library positioning and templates.
    1. Correct usage of names, logos and seals must be followed. (http://positioningguide.uwaterloo.ca/)

Help

  1. Provide tips for improving search results.
    1. Assist users to refine their searches.
  2. Provide clear instructions on use.
    1. Help screens should be easy to find and search; be focused on the user's task; list concrete steps to be carried out; and be brief.
  3. Refer to human assistance.
    1. The site should be able to refer a user who needs more help to a person.
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October 26, 2012