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1.0 Design Guidelines

1.1 Site Architecture

1.1.1 Overview

The new ACF website design was built with a “One” site architecture approach comprised of 5 basic templates to accommodate the main types of content presented on the ACF website. The Tier 1 template is used for the ACF Home Page and has a unique page design. The main content area on the Home Page contains section headings that were organized into easy-to-find categories of information considered to be "citizen-centric". Common page elements such as Highlights and What’s New are introduced on the Home Page, as are multiple navigation paths used universally on the site that include a search feature, a site index, a "Questions?" link to frequently asked questions and repeated footer navigation.

Until the ACF component websites have all been redesigned, the content listed under the main section headings on the Home Page now go directly to anchors on a “directory” style page, currently Tier 2, where you can link directly to the content contained in the existing/un-redesigned site. The directory style approach is necessary to provide a temporary way to link to existing content while the redesign is in progress. When all of the new components of the ACF website have been designed, or redesigned, they will be linked to directly from the ACF Home Page in their new directory structure.

Tier 3 consists of the “home pages” for the main components of the ACF website customized to accommodate their unique content -- Program Offices, Staff Offices, Initiatives / Committees, and ACF Topic Index pages. Tier 4 are the Main Topic pages, or sub-pages of Tier 3 pages and Tier 5 is the page layout used for specific content.

1.1.2 Tier Architecture

Tier 1: ACF Home Page

Description

The ACF Home Page is unique and presents links to the Main Topic Directories, ACF Office Pages, and Frequently Asked Questions menu. The ACF Home Page offers multiple navigation options to allow access to content with "two clicks." This page is maintained by the Web Services Team.

Page Elements

Citizen and User-centric topics: Services for Families, Working with ACF, Policy/Planning, About ACF

Page Elements: Mission; ACF News; Highlights; What’s New

Navigation: Search feature; Questions? link; Site Index link; Find an ACF Program menu; Frequently Asked Questions menu; Footer links

Tier 2: Main Section/Topic Directory Pages (temporary)

Description

Currently, a ‘directory style’ listing of existing content organized by main section headings on the existing home page. After redesign, the home page main section links will go directly to the ACF Program Office, Staff Office, Initiatives/Committees and/or Topic Pages. These pages are maintained by the Web Services Team.

Current Topic Directories

Services for Families
Working with ACF
Policy/Planning
About ACF

Tier 3:  Program Offices — Staff Offices — Initiatives & Committees — ACF Topic Index Pages

References: [generic page] | [explanation] | [source code] | [ex: FBCI home page]

Description

Tier 3 pages are the ‘Home Pages’ for the four (4) main component websites maintained on the ACF Internet:
Program Offices; Staff Offices; Initiatives and Committees; and ACF Topic Index Pages. The page elements and layout are modified slightly to accommodate the varying content of each component website.

Tier 4 - Main Topic Pages

References: [generic page] | [explanation] | [source code] | [ex: FBCI Specific Topic]

Description

Tier 4 pages are derived from the topics contained within the main content area on a Tier 3 page. It is recommended to have between 1-6 main topic pages.

Page Elements

HHS/ACF Branding; Staff Office Branding;

Main Content: Text, Subtopics, links to Content (Tier V) Pages

Navigation: Main Menu; Global ACF Banner; Global ACF Footer; Related Topics; Related ACF Sites.

Tier 5 - Content Pages

References: [generic page] | [explanation] | [source code] | [ex: FBCI Specific Content Item]

Description

Tier 5 pages contain specific text or content that is linked to from a Tier 4 Main Topic page.

Page Elements

HHS/ACF Branding; Staff Office Branding - title only (slogan optional);

Main Content: Text, Links, Lists, Data-Tables

Navigation: Global ACF Banner; Global ACF Footer; Related Topics; Related ACF Sites.

Supplementary Pages

These are global site pages that are maintained by the ACF Web Team, i.e., ACF Disclaimer policy, the Exit Page Disclaimer, the ACF FOIA policy, the Search and Advanced Search page; and the Site Index. Currently these pages are based on the Tier 2 design.

Customization

Certain elements of design such as title colors, headings, logo images and branding images may be changed. The images used for the site brand and site branding are both expected to be customized for every site. Some Page elements may be moved on the page or removed from the page; these include the Highlights block, the What's New block, and the Mission or Welcome statement. The lower left-column and the right-column on the Tier 3 (home) pages allow the most customization.

Some Page elements may not be altered; these include: the ACF Global Banner, the ACF Global Footer; the actual layout (column structure) of each tier and the use of the Main Menu. Customization details are available in the pages relating to specific layouts, page elements, and features. SEE Customization Guidelines.

SEE ALSO: Technical Specifications


Last Updated: September 27, 2004