• Web
• Structure & Context
• Web Design Standards
• Required Web Elements
• Working with Content
• Social Media Branding
• Social Media Guidelines
• Email Signatures & Avatars
• Email Signature Tool

In an effort to achieve a cohesive web presence, UofL has established fundamental visual standards for all sites and pages. This includes:

User Interface Design (Themes)

All UofL websites must use an official template put forth by the Office of Communications & Marketing and comply with the university’s Brand Identity & Visual Standards.

More information about the available Plone 4 themes can be found on IT's web resources website.

The User Experience

If a user has a negative experience with a UofL digital property, an unfavorable, lasting impression is left. How a user feels about your website directly impacts how they feel about UofL.

All design and development decisions regarding web and mobile should be driven by the question of “what is best for the user?”

Therefore, all design and development decisions regarding web and mobile should be driven by the question, “What is best for the user?” This includes minding:

Platform

All louisville.edu websites must be mobile-friendly. Pages and sites should gracefully transition between desktop, tablet and mobile sizes. Appropriate enhancements and features for each platform should be taken into consideration (e.g. telephone numbers should be interactive and obvious on mobile phone sizes).

<a href="tel:+15028521111" title="Dial Example Number"> (502) 852-1111</a>

Interactivity

Touch-based environments should have extra care given to all interactive elements. Make sure that anything “touchable” is of appropriate size and with the correct amount of space around the object to allow it to be interacted with, ensuring no accidental interference from other elements.

Content

Content (the text) should be given top priority when creating a digital property for UofL. It should be easy to read, in a conversational style, and should avoid an institutional or corporate tone. Content should be up-to-date and accurate so as not to erode a sense of trust with the user. Content should be organized in a scannable, hierarchical manner, avoiding large, multi-paragraph sections and giving generous use of headings and subheadings.

More information on content can be found in the Content Standards.

Browser Support

Officially supported web browsers include the latest versions of Internet Explorer (IE 11), Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox. This does not include support for compatibility modes.

Please note that our websites no longer support depreciated versions of Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Exceptions

To be considered for exemption to any of these design standards your project must:

• Be approved by the Office of Communications & Marketing
• Follow the university brand standards
• Comply with the university’s agency policy, if applicable
• Comply with university accessibility standards
• Not mimic, reuse or duplicate (in whole or in part) content or the user interface design of an official template (e.g. a site may not attempt to imitate the look and feel of the university’s homepage)
• Include reviews by the university’s Creative Director at the project milestones of information architecture, wireframe, initial concept, and prior to final launch