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Designers and Developers

Web pages and web applications that are developed in direct support of and sponsored by WVU, WVU colleges, schools, departments, programs and offices are considered official WVU Web pages and are subject to review and approval by University Relations – Digital Services.

WVU-Branded Templates

Every WVU website is required to use the WVU Design System. It includes HTML code, Sass, and various components you can use to build WVU-branded templates.

Supported Browsers

Unless otherwise noted, websites in CleanSlate CMS and other UR - Digital products support the latest versions of Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox. We do not include support for compatibility modes. We no longer support deprecated versions of Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11.

Website Approval

All website and web application designs must be submitted to Conceptboard to be reviewed and approved for compliance with WVU brand, design standards and federal ADA accessibility requirements.

Approval timeline

Website and application designs should be submitted to Conceptboard for review and feedback during the early development phase, and again for final approval prior to launch. Allow a minimum of five business days to receive final approval.

UR Digital staff will review the submission, provide feedback via Conceptboard, and issue final approval to move to production once the brand, design, and accessibility requirements have been met.

Get access to Conceptboard

If you need to submit a design but do not currently have access to Conceptboard, submit the Conceptboard Access Request Form.

Once granted, access to the tool should be retained and used as necessary for subsequent projects and submissions. Access for new web designers and front-end developers is typically assigned during onboarding sessions with the UR Digital team, but can be requested at any time.

Create a board for your design

When creating a board to submit a new design, add the following users to your Contacts list in Conceptboard ( Users - My Team). Invite each user to the new board:*

  • Michael Esposito
  • Cathy Orndorff
  • Adam Glenn
  • Tatsu Johnson
  • Jay Allen

* If you're unable to add any of these users, email Jay Allen and include a link to the board. They will be able to add users for you.

Additional Conceptboard users can be added to the board as needed.

Conceptboard design submissions should include the sandbox or development URL when possible. Optionally, include:

  • Screenshots of the website or application
  • Photoshop mockups
  • Wireframes
  • Project details, history and/or other important background information
  • Other visual representations of the design as needed to facilitate the review

Scan for accessibility errors

WVU is required by federal law to have zero WCAG A/AA errors on websites, web applications, and other electronic content published by the university.

Prior to submitting your digital product for approval, complete each of these accessibility checks. Doing so will significantly aid the review and approval process.

If your website or web application has not been listed to be scanned in Siteimprove, submit the Siteimprove Scan Request Form to have it listed to be scanned.

Request approval

When you're ready to request final approval for the production launch of your website or application, start an approval in Conceptboard with the following users selected as approvers:

  • Michael Esposito
  • Adam Glenn
  • Tatsu Johnson

UR - Digital staff will provide feedback via Conceptboard and respond with any outstanding questions. Once approval is issued, the website or application may proceed to production launch. Please use the Website Launch and URL Request Form at this stage to request assignment of a production URL for your website or application.

Initial requirements

Accessibility: All websites must meet our accessibility guidelines prior to launch. You must run your .sandbox site through Siteimprove and the site must have zero A or AA accessibility errors.

WVU Logo: You may only use approved WVU logos. You may not alter them. This includes resizing, adding effects such as drop shadow, bevel, etc. You may not use the WVU logo over a background texture. You may not have any graphic element within 10 pixels of the logo.

Text: Your body text should not be on a textured or colored background. It should be dark gray on a white background for easier readability, as defined in the official style sheet.

Navigation: Your website should contain a consistent, clearly defined set of navigation links within the top 610 pixels of the page.

Whitespace: Your site layout should have a balance of positive and negative space. It should not look cluttered so as to hinder legibility and the visual hierarchy.

Unit Name Positioning and Size: Your unit name should be displayed in the top left of the page, styled in accordance with the branding. View examples.

Logotypes and Wordmarks: You should not use logos, logotypes, or wordmarks for your unit that are not approved by University Relations – Design. If you need a logo designed for a special event or a wordmark, contact Kevin Hart at kghart@mail.wvu.edu

Vertical Scrolling: The most important information should appear near the top of your page. However, screen resolution and browser viewport dimensions vary from computer to computer. All of your information does not need to fit “above the fold.” Generally, users expect to scroll and it is best to meet user expectations.

Texture and Graphics: Subtle gradients, highlights, drop-shadows and reflections can give your site a polished look. However, overuse of these effects can cause visual distraction and dilute the overall WVU brand, and should generally be avoided.

Additional Styling: The elements on your site should not be styled with thick borders, rounded corners, or other arbitrary styling. You should follow the style sheet provided with the official theme.