Web Site Look & Feel: Overview

About FSS Web Sites

The FSS Web Services Development Standards describe the rules for building web-based enterprise applications at MIT. The FSS Web Services Team builds enterprise web applications on two gateways: SAPweb and SAPweb Self Service. SAPweb contains administrator applications that perform actions on people, material, and money. SAPweb Self Service contains applications designed for the MIT community to manage information about themselves, including benefits and payroll Information.

Introduction

The "look and feel" of a web site is very important to the success of a web site. The "look" refers to the graphic design of a web site. It means the page colors and graphics considered as a whole. Your graphic design should give the user a sense of professionalism and continuity. The "feel" refers to the information design of a web site. It is the specific location of common elements such as navigation elements. Your information design should give the user an easy and consistent means by which to move about the web site. Together, the look and feel should reflect the purpose with which the site was designed.

Consistency of "look and feel" in all areas of a web site allows users to develop an intuitive model for using the site. Users can then rely on that intuitive model when they need to use a part of the site new to them. The intuitive model helps users learn new functions and transactions more quickly and easily. For this reason, all pages on MIT-FSS web sites are required to conform to a standard look and feel.

Our "look and feel" guidelines start with adherence to general MIT web site standards, which can be found in Appendix A.