Custom Designs

To provide flexibility as well as a consistent look and feel, custom designs use special versions of the required elements of the web identiy. These variations are described below. Web developers creating custom designs also should consult the checklist of Required Elements and avoid using Reserved Designs.

Since CU-Boulder's Web Publishing Policy requires compliance with the web identity standards, designers are required to meet with Web Communications prior to designing a site for a consultation, at no charge, on using the standards. Files with the necessary elements of the web identity will be provided after the consultation. Review and approval of the site by Web Communications is also required before a site is launched to ensure that CU-Boulder's web identity is properly implemented. Guidance is also available as needed throughout the project.

	See Examples with Labeled Elements

Page Dimensions: Sites should be set to no wider than 780 pixels to accommodate 800 x 600 screen resolution. Whenever possible, consider building pages using relative widths (percentages) to also accommodate screen resolutions of 640 x 480.

Wordmark: At a minimum, the CU-Boulder wordmark must be used on the front page of the site, typically as part of the standard footer. Use of the wordmark is also recommended throughout the site.

• The wordmark may appear in black or white (reversed from a color) with sufficient contrast.
• It may not be altered and may not appear in a different typeface.
• It may not be recreated — it should be reproduced from files supplied by Web Communications.
• "University of Colorado at Boulder" must be legible in any reproduction of the wordmark on the Web.
• Other logos may not be placed near the wordmark.

Navigation Bar: The navigation bar with the standard set of links must appear at the top of every page of the site.

• The navigation bar links to key features of the CU-Boulder web site; thus, the wording, links listed, and their destinations may not be changed.
• The navigation bar must be used as provided or reset according to the specifications provided.
• The width of the navigation bar may be extended up to the maximum page dimensions for custom designs. However, the width should be altered by lengthening the navigation bar from its center rather than by increasing letter or word spacing.
• The text of the navigation bar should appear in black or white (reversed out of a color). In both cases, a thin, gold color bar is recommended beneath the text to set off the navigation from the rest of the page and to reflect CU's official gold color. (See Home Page bar #2.)
• Examples: navigation bar with black text: http://www.colorado.edu/education/. With white text: http://www.colorado.edu/artssciences/.

Footer: The footer is required on every page of the site, and should follow the standard format.

• The wordmark may be shown in the footer, but other logos should not appear in the footer.
• The footer must include a Board of Regents copyright statement.
• The footer should also include contact information, either through an e-mail address or by linking to a detailed contact page.

Search Box: For searches linking to the campus search engine or the campus directory search, the standard CU-Boulder search box is required. For information on special uses, contact Web Communications.

Accessibility: The accessibility features of the site must meet or exceed those used in Web Communications designs for the CU-Boulder web site. A chart of features is available on request. For more information on accessibility, see Creating Accessible Web Pages.

Seals, Logos, and Marks: In addition to the wordmark, the "commercial" seal may be used on official university web sites and is sometimes used in implementing CU-Boulder's web identity.

• When used as a separate element, the commercial wordmark should appear in black or the official gold described in the University of Colorado Graphic Standards Manual
• The commercial seal should not be altered, animated, or placed near another university mark.
• When used as a design element as part of CU-Boulder's web identity, the seal may not appear in a background in a repeating pattern.
• Consult with Web Communications before using the commercial seal.

Recommended Elements: The use of features that commonly appear in CU-Boulder's web identity will increase the level of integration and consistency with the design. They are recommended for use in custom designs.

• Typography: For readability, sans serif type is commonly used for text. The cascading style sheets used are available at http://www.colorado.edu/templates/css/.
• Square Bullets: Square bullets are often used. Square bullets created from graphics often show in a yellow matching the color commonly used in the navigation bar. Square bullets are also used in text form for lists.
• Breadcrumb Navigation: Breadcrumb navigation is optional, but when used, should follow the style as shown here: http://www.colorado.edu/humres/advantages/index.html?a=3

Examples

Labeled examples of custom web sites that follow CU-Boulder's web identity. See examples with labeled elements

• Biological Sciences Initiative: http://www.colorado.edu/Outreach/BSI/
• College of Arts and Sciences: http://www.colorado.edu/artssciences/
• Education: http://www.colorado.edu/education/
• Human Resources: http://www.colorado.edu/humres/
• Institute of Cognitive Science: http://psych-www.colorado.edu/ics/
• Planning, Budget, and Analysis: http://www.colorado.edu/pba/
• School of Journalism and Mass Communication: http://www.colorado.edu/journalism/
• Science Discovery: http://www.colorado.edu/sciencediscovery/
• Summer Session: http://www.colorado.edu/summersession/
• Boulder Campus Catalog: http://www.colorado.edu/sacs/catalog03-04/

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