The purpose of this site is to define standards and provide templates for the OSU Web. These standards have been developed to complement the graphic identity standards for print media. This guide is for all Web developers and Web site managers who create or maintain official OSU Web sites.
The OSU Web Identity Standards have been developed to improve usability, content management, and institutional branding through consistency in design, navigation structure and functionality.
The OSU Web has become one of the most visible and important ways in which we communicate with all of our audiences. Individually and collectively, the sites within the OSU Web create an impression about the university: who we are, what we do, and the impact we have regionally and internationally through research, outreach and teaching.
It is critical that OSU Web sites meet the highest standards in terms of content, ease of use and accessibility. There are tremendous potential benefits, both for developers and users, to adoption of uniform standards:
Standardization simplifies the user experience, which is one of the most powerful ways to improve usability. With standardization, users are not required to learn a new navigation scheme or labeling system every time they visit a new site within the OSU Web.
Standardization can also greatly help those who design, develop and maintain sites. With adoption of carefully selected standards for layout, design elements and navigation comes the freedom to focus on the quality of the content. In addition, use of common tools and techniques saves time and money, allowing us to reinvest resources in other vital areas of the Web.
These guidelines were developed in July 2003 by the University Web team, in consultation with Central Web Services.
Web Communications
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