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New Hanover County
Information
Technology Department
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Issued: 02/05/03
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Policy
Number: 10-00
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Subject: New Hanover County Web Site Management Policy
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PURPOSE AND SCOPE:
The purpose of this policy is to:
· Simplify
the maintenance of the site.
· Provide
a consistent and recognizable branding or “look-and-feel” for all County web pages.
· Ensure
that all content posted to County web sites has been reviewed by the County Webmaster.
· Ensure
that all content posted to County web sites reflects a positive image of the County.
To this end, standards and guidelines have
been provided that must be followed by all persons responsible for maintaining
the web site or creating content for it. Failure to abide by this policy
can result in disciplinary action.
The scope of this policy includes all web-based
data that is contained in, or displayed on any of New Hanover County’s Internet and Intranet Websites. Any links to other sites from
County sites will be reviewed for appropriateness under this policy. Each
Departmental Content Master is responsible for adhering to this policy
and to all standards, procedures and guidelines established by the County Webmaster.
CHANGE SUMMARY:
None: Original
document
POLICY:
This document describes the overall policy for establishing,
creating, and maintaining County web sites:
- The County government views Web technology as
a highly effective way of improving service and responsiveness to its
citizens and other web site visitors. The goal of this policy is to
provide overall guidance to those responsible for maintaining the web
site and creating web content.
- The IT staff member(s) responsible for oversight
and maintenance of the County web sites will be designated as the County Webmasters.
- County Webmasters are the only persons authorized
to post content to the web.
- Web content will be published only on the designated County web sites. County Departments will not maintain any other
web sites.
- Each Department will designate a Departmental
Content Manager who will work with the County Webmaster to create and maintain web content for the Department. All
content created by Content Managers will be forwarded to the Webmasters
for review before posting.
- Each County Department will maintain a home page
that describes the Department and its activities, that lists department
services and publications, and may include additional outside resources
that would benefit the County’s citizens. The Webmasters will provide
design guidelines for these pages.
- Specific
details concerning the development and maintenance of content will be
found in the New Hanover County Web Standards document linked in the
next section. Important general requirements for content are listed
here:
- The
site will provide both Public and Private content. Public content
is accessible to anyone, while Private content may be restricted to
employees or specific groups of employees.
- The content of
all pages on the County WWW servers must be related to the function and mission of the New Hanover County.
- All public information
on County web sites will be in compliance with the latest policy
directives from the County Management or the Public Information Officer (PIO).
- Each document
must list contact information, such as the Email address, of the person
responsible for its content. This person can be the Department Content
Manager, the Department Head, or other Departmental employee responsible
for the information.
- Out-of-date
information must be removed or updated promptly
- The County Webmasters will develop standard templates to be used by
all persons providing content in order that the site will have a consistent
“look and feel”. Web-based application pages on the County site may
be relieved of this requirement if the application requires it, but
every attempt will be made to insure that the application pages have
a “look and feel” consistent with the rest of the site.
- The web site will not use frames.
- The web site will not use “cookies” on static,
read-only web pages. The use of cookies on application pages will
only be authorized when absolutely necessary.
- Viewers should find the desired data quickly. The
majority of all data should be accessible in three clicks or less of
the mouse.
j. A
robust navigational systems consisting of a combination of dropdown menus
and hyperlinks will be provided.
- Links to other
web content not located on the County web sites must not point to content that would embarrass
the County or degrade the County’s positive image.
- Links to other
web content must, when activated, open a new browser window in such
a way that it is readily apparent to the viewer that he has left the
County site.
- No logos for commercial
products or endorsements of commercial products will appear on County web pages.
PROCEDURE:
The following document contains standards,
guidelines, and procedures, which must be followed by the Webmasters, Content
masters and others who contribute data and information to be displayed
on the County’s Websites:
OTHER INFORMATION:
REFERENCES: