Web Development Guidelines

see also: Student Web Development Guidelines

Preface

The Web Development Guidelines are intended to provide a framework for developing and presenting web pages in a consistent and friendly manner while maintaining flexibility and creativity. The Guidelines are specifically intended to:

• assure accuracy of the information,

• provide continued and structured support for the server,

• assure currency of the information,

• and develop page design standards that are consistent with the University's image and mission.

Web pages are subject to any and all University rules and policies and nothing stated or implied in these guidelines should be interpreted or understood to supersede the published rules and polices of the institution. Web pages that are deemed to violate legal statutes or University rules and regulations will be removed from the MSU Billings Web pages pending a review by the appropriate administrative office(s).

Questions about how to implement the Web Development Guidelines should be directed to IT Dept. x5722.

Guidelines

Identification
All who publish on the MSU Billings web site should make their home pages identifiable as being an MSU Billings hsite. This can be accomplished either through the use of the terms “MSU Billings” or “Montana State University Billings”, or through the use of an approved MSU Billings logo.

Use of the official MSU Billings logo must be consistent with the standards established for the logo which are developed by University Relations. Official "web" versions of the MSU Billings logo will be available from the University Relations office.

Home Page Requirements
The main page (“home page”) for each web site within the University main web site should be named default.htm or index.htm.

Each department or organization’s home page should also contain the following elements:

The official MSU Billings logo, as described above

“MSU Billings” or "Montana State University – Billings" in the page title. The page title is displayed in the top title bar of the browser window and helps search engines find your site.

Location and contact information, including an e-mail link to the person responsible for the pages. Additional contact information, such as phone/fax numbers and physical location, is also recommended.

A link back to the main University home page: http://www.msubillings.edu/. One of the logo graphics mentioned above can be used for this purpose, or it can be a text link.

Information and Links
Try to avoid duplicating information between departments. If another department publishes information related to yours, create a link to their page or include their contact information.  

Don’t make links from your main page to any other files until those other files are ready for the public. Use the following list as a guideline for "quality control":

• Is the information accurate and up-to-date?
• Are the spelling and grammar correct?. (Most web publishing programs have spell checkers.)
• Do links between files and images work? (You will need to test these after the pages are made public as well)

Graphics
All graphics for the web must to be saved in the GIF or PNG format and the file names for graphics must end with the extension .gif or .png.

Graphics that convey information (such as navigation buttons) should have alternate text representation available in order to accommodate the needs of persons with visual disabilities and/or users that use non-graphical browsers. Most web authoring software provides the means to insert alternate text for graphics; contact the Web Coordinator for assistance in this matter.

There are many web sites that offer “clip art” collections. To save a graphic from another web site to your computer, right-click (Mac users: click and hold) on the picture and then choose "Save Image As" or "Save Picture As" (depending on the program you are using). Locate the folder where you are storing your web page files and then click Save. Always assume that graphics on another site are copyrighted unless you see a statement on the web site specifically stating otherwise. Always ask for permission before using another site's graphics.

While it is recognized that web pages are dynamic in nature and are always changing, use of “Under Construction” graphics should be avoided. A page that is not ready for publication is not made ready by the addition of a caveat such as under construction - such page publication should be deferred until the page contains sufficient information as to make it useful.

The use of animated graphics, while decorative, can be distracting. Try to limit the use of animated graphics to one per page.

Layout and Other Design Concerns
Web pages are viewed in a heterogeneous environment of different browsers, operating systems, and monitor sizes/resolutions. Use the following guidelines to ensure that your web pages are accessible to the broadest audience:

Graphics should be no wider than 400 pixels unless necessary. Large images may load very slowly and can discourage those attempting to browse your pages. Make the viewing of large images optional by showing them as links and forewarning your audience of their size.

Use percentages, rather than pixels, to define the width of table cells. Tables used for page layout should either be defined as spanning 100% (or less) of the page width, OR 750 pixels (or less) in width.

Some “features” in web development are specific to single browsers. Always take a look at your pages in both Netscape, Internet Explorer and Mozilla (including Firefox) (and if possible, in both PC and Mac versions) to ensure that your design “transforms gracefully.”

Acceptable Use
Web sites on the MSU Billings servers may not be used for commercial purposes, as this may negatively impact the tax-exempt status of the University. Advertising, including but not limited to “pay-per-click” banner ads and reciprocal links to sponsors that generate income, is strictly prohibited. If University resources are used for the benefit of third parties or for-profit activities, MSU Billings reserves the right to remove any page from its server at any time without prior notice to the provider.

Acceptable use is defined further by University’s Network Service Provider and other University departments, including the Office of Information Technology.

All departments and organizations that wish to provide information via the server are encouraged to do so. Because of limited resources, the ongoing responsibility for maintaining this information will fall to the providing unit.

General Disclaimer for Personal Pages
Individual page authors and Student Organizations' web coordinators assume all liability and responsibility for information on personal web pages. Montana State University Billings does not sponsor, review or monitor the contents of the personal home pages of its faculty, students, staff, or Student Organization Web Coordinators on World Wide Web sites using University facilities, nor does the University endorse the contents of any such personal home pages.

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