CDes follows the University Style Manual as closely as possible. When an element isn't covered, follow The Chicago Manual of Style.

Online documents have some characteristics in common with software, so there are interface guidelines that apply as well.

To date, Apple's original Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines remains the best single reference for designing interfaces and presenting information on a computer screen. A few of the human interface principles Apple outlined 15 years ago are applicable to Web site content.

Consistency

Consistency allows users to navigate related pages by transferring knowledge and skills from one page to another. The "look and feel" of as many page elements as possible are governed by the template's Cascading Style Sheet (CSS). Assign a style to a text or graphic element whenever practical and refrain from applying element-level styling of any kind. If you need a style that doesn't exist in the style sheet, let us know and we'll implement it. The style sheet is a site-wide element.

What you see is what you get (WYSIWYG)

Users should be able to see what they need when they need it. Menus present lists of available pages or sections so that users can clearly see the choices available instead of having to remember them. Navigation elements and menu structures should be fully exposed when people need them. Use an unordered bulleted list or the menu elements embedded in the template consistently for interior (section) menu structures.

User control

Apple said it best in its original Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines: "Allow the user, not the computer to initiate and control actions." The user should be in complete control. Don't underline hyperlinks for example; this is always governed by the style sheet in any case, and modern browsers allow the user to determine whether hyperlinks appear as underlined elements or not. Similarly, don't use the target="_blank" HTML directive to open a new window when a link is clicked. Again, modern browsers allow users to control-click to open the content in a new tab, or shift-click to open the link in a new window.

Feedback and dialog

Users should be kept informed about what's happening on the Web page. Feedback for the clicking of hyperlinks is provided by the template's style sheet. Don't override it. Feedback that the user's action is being operated on is provided by the browser; there's no need to roll your own.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness in Web applications is provided primarily by the "Back" button in the browser. Never disable it. Similarly, retain menu displays whenever possible and never override the site's core navigation menu.

Perceived stability

The menu bar in the browser provides a sense of stability on the Web. Don't disable menu items, add menu items, or create a menu structure that looks like the browser's menu bar.

Aesthetic integrity

According to Apple's interface guidelines, "aesthetic integrity means that information is well organized and consistent with principles of visual design." If you encounter a situation in which the presentation of information is especially complex, consult the communications team for help in order to retain aesthetic integrity.

Accessibility

Consider that the information on your Web section may need to be accessed by users with different limitations; structure and present the information accordingly. In most cases accessibility concerns are addressed in the classes defined in the template's CSS; don't override them.