UBC websites are the foundation of an enterprise-wide digital ecosystem. They connect our organization in a cohesive, intentional way that provides a central place for critical transactions and conversation.
Consistent use of the CLF and components from the Okanagan CMS help create a sense of trust and assures prospective students, staff and faculty that the content they interact with is, in fact, created by UBC.
About the Brand & Quality Review
The Brand and Quality review performed by University Relations ensures new web properties at the Okanagan campus adhere to UBC’s overarching brand guidelines and also align with design, accessibility and UX best practices established by organizations such as the Nielsen Norman Group and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
What are we examining during the Brand & Quality review?
Overall
- Do web page layouts follow design best practices with UBC’s 12-column modular grid?
Navigation/Sitemap
- Are menu items succinct, yet still descriptive?
- Does the site align with the recommended framework, providing consistent UX?
- Is the page name consistent with slug?
Imagery
- Are they professional quality and size properly?
- Are they authentically UBC and align with UBC photography guidelines?
Links
- Are there broken links?
- Is more than one word hyperlinked? Is ‘click here’ avoided (WISIWYG)?
- Do links open in new tab outside current domain?
Accessibility
- Do images have alt tags?
- Is imagery with text or logos avoided?
- Is there heading hierarchy?
Page Layouts
- Are layouts conventional?
- Homepage + level 2 landing pages = full width
- Level 3 and below = left hand navigation
Cloneable Page Layouts
- Are elements of ‘standardized’ page layouts included to foster consistent UX?
- Undergrad program pages
- Graduate program pages
- News template
- About page
- Contact List Directory
Headings & Text
- Is there appropriate hierarchy (h1, h2, h3, h4)?
- Is there visual relief for large blocks of text, using subheadings and/or arbitrary paragraphs (scannable content)?
- Is general formatting visually compelling?
- Does copy align with UBC ‘s editorial guide?
Call-To-Actions
- Are there clear CTAs for pages and/or sections and are these clearly highlighted (eg. buttons, mega buttons)?
Sections
- Is content broken down into appropriate ‘modules’ and sections?
- Are colour or image backgrounds used sparingly (avoiding candy-striping and disconnecting ‘grouped’ content)?
- Is vertical spacing consistent?
- Constant padding at 20px; adjusted margins creating 70px between content.
Feature Image or Video
- Is there a sized desktop and mobile version?
Lead
- Are lead paragraphs too lengthy and do they overpower the page?
Accordions
- Are they over-used (5-7 max recommended in one-set recommended)?
Tabs
- Is the number of tabs limited (2-4 max depending on column width)?
- Is content formatted appropriately within the tabs?
Tables
- Is use limited (max of 3-4 column) to avoid horizontal scroll on mobile devices?
Two Column Carousel
- Is the copy and the photograph balanced (landscape image recommended)?
Story Box
- Is the copy and the photograph balanced (landscape image recommended)?
Story Tiles
- Are photos sized correctly?
- Is copy limited?
- Is a destination URL included?
Image Slider
- Are cutlines included?
- Are the photos sized with consistent dimensions (width and depth)?
Button Bar & Mega Buttons
- Are label creating odd line breaks (one line vs. two)?
Flip Cards
- Are front headlines limited?
- Is backside content short and concise (~50 words or 10 lines)?
Contact List Directory
- Are professional quality portrait images included in profiles? If not, is the standardized placeholder graphic included?
Launch
Once website content is finalized (following the Brand & Quality review), IT Web Services will schedule a launch date for your site.
- Launches normally occur on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays — typically in the afternoon — when technical staff are available.
- Communicators/webmasters must prepare a redirection list before launch, which redirects URLs from your old site to pages on your new website. Contact IT Web Services; a template will be provided.