Production Acceptance Criteria

Before any new web application, or major change to an existing web application is put in place it must pass the ITSC Production Acceptance Criteria, maintained by the Information Technology Services Centre.

The production acceptance criteria include two areas of responsibly maintained by the Web Business Manager. It is expected that all web systems are checked throughly against these two criteria and appropriate steps taken to achieve compliance. The two areas are;

  1. Compliance with the ECU Corporate Web Style
  2. Compliance with the ECU web accessibility initiative

Compliance with the ECU Corporate Web Style

Web application compliance to the ECU Corporate Web Style is based on a scale of grading. The grading ranges from the highest level (maximum compliance), through to the lowest level (no compliance). You must first determine your web systems level of current compliance, or intended level using the information below, and then engage with the web application developer with the aim to achieving the highest level of compliance possible. You must then make you submission to the ECU Web Business Manager with your reasoning and proof of your efforts in achieving compliance.

The two principle designs available for visual compliance of a web application system are;

Once you have considered your desired grading below, and have selected the visual design that best suits your web application system, you must then contact the Web Business Manager to arrange for a copy of the visual style.

Under no circumstances are the '2009 Corporate Web Style (Red) - Internet', or the '2009 Corporate Web Style (Blue) - Intranet' visual styles to be used or adapted to a web application system. These visual styles are exclusive to the ECU WebCMS and their use outside of that environment is strictly prohibited.
Compliance 5

Grade 5 - Maximum compliance

Systems of this level are generally bespoke applications that have been developed in house by the ITSC Small Applications Team. They are based on the 2010 Web Application Systems (Internet) or the 2010 Web Application Systems (Intranet) styles.

Systems of this level are characterised by the following;

  • Exact matches to the defined application styles.
  • Menu characteristics behave and conform to application style above.
  • Operate web plug-in free.
Compliance 4

Grade 4 - Second highest level of compliance

Systems of this level are usually purchased from a vendor, and the vendor allows for heavy customisation, or the application has been heavily customised in house.

Systems of this level are characterised by the following;

  • Adherence to style header and footer.
  • Include a correctly sized and placed ECU Logo.
  • Exhibit many of the common traits to the application styles above, such as font family, font sizes, font colour, rollover link colour etc.

Example systems within this level include;

  • Student Information Management System (SIMO).
  • Staff Connect.
  • Courses and Units Offering System.
  • Travel Approval System.
Compliance 3

Grade 3 - Medium compliance (most common)

This is the most common level of compliance for web systems. This level leverages the ability of most web systems to customise the 'header' and 'footer' of the web application.

Systems of this level are characterised by the following;

  • Adherence to style header and footer.
  • Include a correctly sized and placed ECU Logo.

Example systems within this level include;

  • Course Management System (CMS)
  • Research Activity System (RAS)
  • Research Online
Compliance 2

Grade 2 - Minimal compliance

Systems of this level are usually purchased from a vendor, and the vendor allows for very little customisation. Mostly commonly these web systems facilitate changing 'the logo'.

Systems of this level are characterised by the following;

  • Include an ECU Logo.

Example systems within this level include;

  • Outlook Webmail (Staff)
  • Live.edu Webmail (Students)
  • Blackboard (MyECU)
  • Staff Kiosk
Compliance 1

Grade 1 - No compliance

Systems of this level are usually purchased from a vendor, and the vendor allows for no customisation. Web applications that fall into this grade are actively discouraged.

Systems of this level are characterised by the following;

  • No ECU branding whatsoever.

Example systems within this level include;

  • Oracle E-Business Suite (Purchasing)
  • Envisage

 

Compliance with the ECU web accessibility initiative

Edith Cowan University is committed to making our web pages and systems meet accepted web accessibility standards. We have a commitment to providing accessible websites that comply with the W3C Web Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 AA (Priority 2), whilst our long-term goal is to conform with the WCAG 1.0 AAA guidelines (Priority 3). To assit web developers in achieving these standard the Web Business Team have developed the Website Quality Assurance Checklist. This checklist covers three broad areas:

  • PART A: Web-based publication standards and usability
  • PART B: Web-based content
  • PART C: Accessibility

In order to meet our web accessibility standards you should ensure your web application system passes all the guidelines within the 'PART C' section. Failures can indicate that the web system being tested would not be accessibile to all parties.

To download the Website Quality Assurance Checklist, please visit our web page on the Web Content Management Policy.

For further information of the W3C WCAG guidelines, visit the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.