Straightforward Design definition
Straightforward Design. The SCAG suite of websites uses simple information architecture, organized navigation and reliable heading throughout. By utilizing headings, lists and consistent structure, SCAG is able to achieve an esthetic and engaging site that encourages participation by all. • Color: SCAG ensures that foreground and background color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen. Color alone is never used as a communication device. • Text: Normal text on a web page ensures the widest compatibility and fastest download. It also assists search engines in indexing information on the website. Be sure to allow sufficient white space for good readability. Avoid italicized fonts, as they are difficult to read. Avoid excessive use of graphic elements. Keep amount of text and graphics to a minimum for easy viewing and shorter download time. Break very long text documents into multiple pages. • Sitemap: SCAG prefers a text-only sitemap for each of its sites as an index to that site. Text- only sitemaps work well with screen readers. • Style Sheets: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) centralize the style information for the website. Using CSS allows for greater flexibility when a style change is needed to accommodate a specific disability. It also keeps the code clean and is faster to download. • Navigation: SCAG’s sites include both textual as well as graphical navigation aids.