Design Tips

The VCU Web Publishing Guidelines are meant to provide all VCU's Web audiences with improvements in the accuracy, credibility, appearance, accessibility, and timeliness of the information presented, while still encouraging innovation among VCU's Web page designers and Information Providers.

Tips for designing excellent web pages

• Use contrasting colors for your text. (white/ black; yellow/black) Do not use two different shades of the same color. This makes your pages difficult to read by people who might have poor eyesight or be colorblind.
• Add alt tags to all of your images and have text describing all non-text items (audio, video, flash) on your page. There is information on how to use alt tags on the VCU Accessibility Website.
• Don't use frames.
• Give your files descriptive names. Be sure not to use spaces and only use lowercase text.
• Make sure your images are sized correctly. Images that are sized incorrectly will appear distorted and unclear.
• Make your site easy to navigate by including links back to your homepage on all lower level pages.
• Be sure to include a contact e-mail on your homepage.