Standard: Home Page
Brief description
(see the full document below for details)
The home page is the first page people see when they come into your area. Some people skip past it, though, using links from search engines or other sites. It is often referred to as the "index."
Note: This is a "legacy" standard, written before the Web Council was created. It has been in force since the effective date. Since the creation of the Web Council, it has been rewritten to follow the normal layout for standards. "Date approved" refers to when the Web Council approved this rewritten version.
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Definitions
Home page: the page that serves as the introduction to a Web area.
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Content requirements
- The main section of the home page should provide the following brief information, in this order:
- a definition of the area's topic
- a brief statement of the site's purpose or audience; if your intended audience is not the general public, say so explicitly, so that visitors who are not part of your intended audience don't waste their time navigating your site for the information they want. Avoid organizational information like mission statements, which belongs on the "about us" page.
- Optionally, a brief description of what information is offered
- links to the most sought-after information: categories, specific tasks, sidebar links (especially with more context), news items, etc.
- The home page must not have a page name because it would be redundant with the area name.
- OPA discourages program logos and all such logos must be approved by OPA.
- The home page must be written at a level understandable by the general public.
- If the home page is an HTML file, the file name must be index.htm or index.html. If the page is created using a database, use the default file name appropriate to that system.
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Style requirements
- Graphics on the home page must meet the graphic selection and page layout standard. Put text in the upper left corner and right-align any accompanying graphics.
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How to
Select links that will be most useful to your audiences. If the links in the left sidebar qualify as the most useful, then include them also in the main body; duplication is appropriate in such cases. Links in the main body may be to any type of document, including PDF or other formats.
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Examples
Example of a well-designed home page
Examples of non-HTML home page file names: index.cfm, index.jsp
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Rationale
The home page's purpose is to provide a quick introduction to a topic and the most important links, not lengthy text about the area's subject. People look in the main section of the page first, going to sidebars only if they find nothing useful there. Therefore, the main section should make it easy for people to decide where to go next.
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Related governance documents
EPA
Related Policies
Related Procedures
Related Standards
Related Guidance
Non-EPA
None
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Full Metadata about this standard
Name Home Page
Tracking number NT00000000
Type Standard
Required or Recommended Required
Effective date 01/01/2004
Date approved 03/12/2007
Category Links and Navigation, Required Pages, Writing and Style
Web Council review by 03/12/2009 (or earlier if deemed necessary by the Web Council)
Governing Policy Web Governance and Management (PDF) (4 pp, 339K, About PDF)
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