Help users find the information they want on your website
Good habits
- Use logical folder structures.
- Use lower case and underscores _instead_of_spaces in filenames.
- Ensure that the page prints OK.
- Provide alternative text (alt text) for all images and graphics.
- Fill in page ‘title’ field in the following format: Page title - [Group (optional)] - Department - University of Canterbury.
- Regularly review and clean up folders.
- Save older versions of files to an ‘/old’ folder, review and clean it 3–4 times a year.
- Use good navigation. Link to pages within your site and to relevant pages within the UC website, e.g. to UC Scholarships.
- Check your links work and go to the right places.
- Ask a colleague to check your work before you make it live.
- Check that any changes you make work, when ‘put’ on the live site.
Good content
- Keep it simple. Small, accurate up–to–date sites are always better than complicated out–of–date sites.
- Organise your information from the most to least important to increase the chance that your key messages will be read.
- Use headings (heading styles 1, 2 and 3).
- Use plain english:
- Use short paragraphs, short sentences.
- Use active verbs (subject then verb then object).
- Write directly to the audience.
- Choose words appropriate for the users.
- Don’t be afraid to give instructions.
- Use lists (with bullet points if it improves readability).
- Use positive language.
- Proof–read, spell and grammar check pages before putting them live.
- Use the University standard terminology.
- Be consistent. Always use uppercase for the 4 letter course codes, e.g. PSYC 103 not Psyc103, use 100 Level, 200 Level etc. for the course levels.
- Don’t use the ampersand sign ‘&’.
- Where emphasis is required, use bold (sparingly) rather that italic or capitals (CAPITALS can be misinterpreted as SHOUTING).
Good design
- Use the University standard templates and design.
- Pages should be kept short, ideally no longer than an A4 page.
- Limit the use of tables — using percentages not pixels for size.
- Limit the total size of graphics to less than 40K
- Limit the total number of graphics per page.
- Use white for backgrounds so as not to compete with or obscure the information on the page.
- Do not use animated images or blinking or scrolling text.
- Do not use Flash or any other introductory pages, go straight to the homepage.
Keep information up–to–date
- Review information regularly.
- Get ideas and suggestions from other staff.
- Provide the information your audience needs.
- Encourage ideas and suggestions.
- Encourage involvement.
- Make sure people keep you up–to–date.
- Link to University databases e.g. Course Information System (CIS).
- Avoid duplication by linking to existing information rather than re–creating it.
Design your home page carefully
- Use the University standard templates and design.
- Avoid the need to scroll by limiting the amount of information on a page.
- Limit your news area to 3–5 items, each linking to a separate news page containing the full news stories.
- Limit the number of links in each section (‘For’ and ‘About’) to around 7 links.
- Contact Web Support if you need help with the design of your Home Page.