⚙️ Purpose
The Web and Digital Communications team will review all new websites before they are launched. This procedure does not aim to police content, but to ensure its accuracy and exigency. Consider MARCOMM as a “third set of eyes” that will help you to see your site and its content more clearly.
Requirements
Prior to launch, new websites are evaluated for compliance with NMSU standards and policies for website accessibility and visual identity. We encourage web content editors to refer to the checklist below regularly—before and during the site development process in order to expedite the website launch request process.
Standard Criteria for Digital Accessibility
Images have accurate, descriptive alternative text.
Section headings are used to organize content and are written in title case or sentence case.
Links have a clear purpose based on the link text alone. (e.g. the phrase “more information” is linked, instead of “click here for more information”).
Text conveys information rather than images of text. (e.g. JPEGs, PNGs and other image files should not be used to display text).
Site complies with NMSU’s Web Accessibility Policy and does not return material errors when checked with a web accessibility evaluation tool such as SiteImprove.
Standard Criteria for University Identity
Site complies with NMSU’s Brand Identity Guidelines and Editorial Style Guide.
For school, academic division, department, program, office, institute, center or university-wide initiative websites, NMSU’s universal website header and footer are present.
Standard Criteria for Quality Assurance and Best Practice
Content is accurate, up-to-date and free of typos.
The site is responsive and mobile-friendly.
Images are optimized (e.g. generally less than 200 KB in file size).
Images used in Cascade CMS template features or components are sized properly according to guidelines.
Site does not duplicate information from authoritative University sources (e.g. course information, tuition and fees, academic calendar dates, etc.).
Navigation is clear, concise and facilitates access to the information visitors seek.