 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Below are guidelines for graphic and navigational elements that your website should include, and the rationale for including them. Graphic Elements - "Header Graphics" These elements consist mainly of an identifying graphic at the top of your first (index) page, and additional graphic elements for subsequent pages. Top level links back to the main sections of the site as well as department links should appear on the first page of each department site. We expect and encourage you to use these header graphics or links as well as follow color and font specifications in order to maintain consistent use of the college's established graphic standards.
At a glance, the viewer should be able to identify: • This is part of the Saint Mary's College website... • The name of the department or office... • Clear paths to navigate to other areas of the college's website. A consistent way to accomplish this is throught the use of a "header graphic" at the top of your index page. As good design practice, the index page should feature a more elaborate "front door" than subsequent pages in a specific site. This is done in order for the browser to realize that this page is the place to start within a site....(much like the SMC home page is more elaborate than any other page on the college's website.) This page should offer all of the identifying and navigation information in one logical place for the viewer to refer to as they browse. Major paths through the site should be made available at this level, whether the browser is a prospective student, Alum, or faculty member so they can easily navigate to other areas of information throughout the site. The graphic will look like this: (specific to each department or office)
Note: What you see here is actually two separate graphic elements. The larger, light blue section will be specific to each department, office, organization, etc. and will be copied from the list found here. The darker, navigation bar below it, will be available for you to move from the college's public folder to an area within your own WWW folder. See below for information about navigation links. An example of this graphic in place on the index page of this Web Design Standards and Guidelines site Click here to find the specific header for your department or office For the top of very page in a site (after the initial index page) Use the navigation graphic from index page with a simple SMC graphic
If you choose to continue to offer navigation links to the main areas of the college's web site, you can easily provide this by using the 2nd (bottom) part of the graphic used on your index page. You will add a simple SMC graphic above the navigation. This graphic graphic was included in the Librarysmc folder you copied from public. Go to >Step by Step instructions for this option. As stated above, the Option #1 for the pages following the index page include continuation of the top level navigation links. These top level navigation links that allow the browser to steer through our site with ease. They allow access to any part of the college's website from any point. Frequently used features such as: web e-mail, PRISM, Course info, etc. are also included for easy access.
On the left of the page, should be placed links that are specific to each department. They should appear under the department/office info information that is required* on each page. Click here for an example of a Department page or an Administrative office page to see where these links should go. *Please
visit the Content page
on this website for more info on required content for your page. Q & A's about essential graphics
For clarification about design and content issues, contact: webstandards@saintmarys.edu For clarification on technical issues contact: webmaster@saintmarys.edu |
The
first page of your site is your index page. (Often called a "home
page")--this is the "front door" to your
presence in the Saint Mary's College Web Environment. 
