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Checklist for Redesigned/New Website Content

Please note that this process and guidelines applies to all web content in epa.gov, including water.epa.gov content. If you have questions about the process or guidelines, please contact your Web Council members (Content Coordinator or Infrastructure Coordinator).

Goals for EPA.gov redesigns

  • Reflect user-centric content
  • Improve the writing of relevant content to specific audiences
  • Reduce redundant, outdated and trivial content

First Submission to Web Council Member:
Steps 1-3 -- Purpose, Audiences, Personas

___1. Statement (1-2 sentences) re: the purpose of the website.  Tie in to EPA strategic plan goals or administrator priorities.
Examples:

___2. List of 1-3 audience(s) for the site. When developing the site, ignore the other audiences. (General public is not an audience)

___ Researchers/scientists/application developers/consultants
___ Concerned citizens/students
___ Regulated entities, businesses, industry
___ Kids
___ Enviros, nonprofits, NGOs, community organizers, educators

___3. Discussion of how the content relates to EPA Personas  Entering Intranet . EPA has constructed three user personas. Pick the one that most closely matches your primary audience. Identify the top goals/tasks/questions/information needs of your identified audiences and construct information to match their needs. Using EPA's Personas Webinar Slides (PDF) (26pp, 804KB, About PDF).

Second Submission:
Step 4 -- Site Outline

___4. Identify content needed to meet the information needs of your audience and send outline of site (e.g. wireframes, navigational scheme in Word) to Web Council Member. Complete 4a for existing sites and 4b for a new site.

Overall:

4a.  Existing sites: Evaluate existing content on the subject according to the criteria below.

For each piece of content review and decide:

___Does it relate to the site’s purpose?
___Is it for identified audience?
___Do people use it now?

Then:

___Rewrite content for the web

  • Take Writing for the Web class.  We are terrible at writing for the Web.

___Rewrite to consolidate duplicate content
___Rewrite to better match the audience
___Identify information gaps that need to be filled
___Post content in a single format.  Don’t post multiple versions of the same content.

4b.  New Site: Decide on content to create.  Content should reflect purpose and audience needs.

___Write content for the web

Third Submission:
Steps 5-6 -- Review of Completed Site including Metadata

5.  Develop site to get audience information needs to them as quickly as possible.

6a.  Fill in HTML Metadata
For detailed information see the Metadata FAQs

Title (dc.title)
Description
Keywords
Publisher (dc.creator)
Content type (choose only one. Copy and paste the selection.)

Channel (choose all that apply. Copy and paste the selection.)

Leave the other fields empty. Used only in content published from WebCMS.

Example:

<title>Sunwise Homepage | Sunwise | US EPA</title>
        <meta name="DC.description" content="Sunwise is an environmental and health education program that aims to teach children and their caregivers how to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun." />
        <meta name="keywords" content="education, ozone, sunburn, cancer, melanoma, uv index" />
        <meta name="DC.title" content="Sunwise Homepage" />
        <meta name="DC.type" content="Overview & Factsheets," />
        <meta name="DC.Subject.epachannel" content="Learn the Issues," />
…
        <meta name="DC.creator" content="US EPA, OAR, Office of Atmospheric Programs" />

6b. If not already done, fill in PDF Metadata in Document Summary
For detailed information see the Metadata FAQs

Title
Author
Subject
Keywords

Example:

Fourth Submission:
Review by External Groups

Final Site Design to:

Local Navigation

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