General guidelines:

These recommendations apply across all pages and are not specific to any layout or section.

• Prioritize: Prioritize key information towards the top of the page wherever possible. This could include brief summaries of the page content followed by detailed descriptions further down on the page.
• Break content into chunks: Use section and subsection headings in the correct tiered order (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to help break up page content and create logical content groupings within a page. This helps establish hierarchy and provides a way for users to easily skim and orient themselves on a page.
• Use bullets and lists: Bullet point lists or numbered lists are an effective way to call out content within a section. Using lists helps to break down key information into smaller chunks that will draw the user’s eye and make the content easily scannable.
• Highlight key information: Formatting important words or phrases in a bold style or using formatting tools (call-out boxes, buttonlinks, etc.) helps important content stand out on the page.
• Make links clear and descriptive: Use descriptive, information-focused words for hyperlinks such as “Search all projects” or “See all meeting minutes.” Do not use "Click here."
• Keep it short and on-point: Brevity and relevance are key to a successful user experience with your content.

Content entry:

• Your page title is also used as the URL (link) for your page. Try to avoid using dashes, forward- or back-slashes, quotation marks, and most symbols (#, @) in your page title to keep the URL structure clean. The site will strip most special characters and common words such as "and" and "the" from the page URL.
• Know your audience: Understand your target audience and tailor your content to their needs and interests.
• Use descriptive and meaningful titles: Titles should be descriptive and accurately reflect the content of the article. Avoid clickbait titles or misleading headlines.
• Use appropriate formatting: Use headings, subheadings, bullets, and numbered lists to break up your content and make it easier to read.
• Use images and multimedia: Use relevant images and multimedia to add visual interest and enhance the content.
• Check for spelling and grammar errors: Use a spell checker to avoid errors and ensure that your content is easy to read.
• Link to relevant sources: Link to reputable sources to add credibility to your content and provide additional information.
• Optimize for search engines: Use relevant keywords and phrases in your content to improve its visibility and search engine ranking.

Content writing:

• Reference your 'Rules for Writers' guide or internal style guides as directed by your leadership team.
• Use proper grammar and punctuation to make your writing easy to read and understand.
• Start with a clear and concise introduction. Provide a clear overview of what your page is about and grab the reader's attention.
• Write in plain language that is easy to understand. Aim for an 8th grade reading level for general content.
  • For technical content, a 10th grade reading level is acceptable.
• Use a conversational tone to engage your readers and make your content more accessible.
• Be concise. Keep your sentences and paragraphs short and to the point.
• Use active voice to make your writing engaging and direct.
• Consider using examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points, and make your content more interesting and relatable.
• Consider using quotes and attribution. These can add credibility and context to your writing.
• Avoid overused phrases and cliches that can make your writing sound generic and unoriginal.
• Edit and proofread your content carefully to ensure that it is error-free and easy to read.
• Check your facts. Verify your facts and sources to ensure that your writing is accurate and reliable.

Image guidelines:

There are a few key considerations for how images are handled across the site. While specific dimensions are recommended for safe composition, images will scale responsively based on screen size and layout. All images are centered and cropped from the outer edges, so important focal points should be kept near the center unless cropping behavior is preset otherwise.

We generally avoid enforcing hard pixel dimensions to maintain layout flexibility across breakpoints. Below are the recommended dimensions, minimum sizes, and aspect ratio ranges for various image types:

• All images are centered and cropped from the outer edges, so the subject of the image should be near the center.  
• Images like heroes will stretch to fill the full width of the page

Homepage Hero — Full Width

Hero background images can vary in height, but to ensure safe cropping across screen sizes and accommodate longer “How Do I” lists:

• This allows flexibility for content-rich hero areas without losing important visual details.

• Minimum Width: 1920px
• Aspect Ratio: variable, from square to 4:1

Landing Page and Department Hero — Full Width

Landing page hero images are slightly more compact but still benefit from vertical padding for safe cropping:

• Minimum Width: 1920px
• Aspect Ratio: variable, from square to 4:1

‍CTA Section Background Image

Used in flexible call-to-action blocks, these background images can vary depending on content density.

• Width: 1920px
• Aspect Ratio: variable, from 1:2 to 3:1

News and Events Hero

Hero image that appears above the news and event listings.

• Minimum Width: 1920px
• Aspect Ratio: variable, 2:1 to 5:1

Article, Event, Basic Page, and other featured images

• Minimum Width: 1000px
• Aspect Ratio: variable, from square to 3:2

Images within content

• Images within the content area added through the rich text paragraph will appear at their original aspect ratio.
• Large images that are meant to fill the fullest available width should be a minimum of 1500px wide.
• Image size can be reduced by setting the image alignment (reduces it to 50% of the screen) or placing images in columns