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Process - Website Design Services

York's Brand Stewardship Policy was developed to protect and uphold the image and reputation of the university by regulating the use of brand properties. For all website design, development, audit, and maintenance projects (see full list here) requiring external services from York's approved vendor list, University Brand and Marketing (UB&M) under the Communications & Public Affairs Division is the central resource to ensure institutional compliance. Read below to learn the process for each project category and role that UB&M will play. If you are unsure of where your project fits, please contact us for more information.

Learn more about the Website Design Services and Vendor of Record list

Process for Working with UB&M and Approved Vendors

This includes high profile, major website design or development work on properties that are over 50 pages in size or anticipated to be over $50,000 in cost. Another inclusion is if the website has a large pan-university audience that touches on high-priority institutional objectives/campaigns. Some examples could be porting new websites to the York 2020 theme, reworking the user journeys, optimizing content and redeveloping user experience.

During the project process, UB&M will either be the main initial contact with the Vendor or if the project is led by another department, UB&M will be involved in key milestones including:

  • Initial project discussion with Partner, before connecting with Vendor
  • Participating in reviewing quotes from Vendors, using a creative brief
  • Vendor selection
  • Approval of all design and final website and/or digital properties before going live

This includes medium to low profile website design or development work on properties that are under 50 pages in size or anticipated to be under $50,000 in cost. These website projects will be very specific to a single audience. Some examples could be porting a units website presence to the new York 2020 theme, creating wireframes and design layouts using existing modules, implementation of templates or guidelines to a website project.

During the project process, the Partner will be main initial contact with the Vendor and UB&M will be involved in key milestones including:

  • Participating in reviewing quotes from Vendors, using a creative brief
  • Vendor selection (consultation)
  • Approval of all design and final website and/or digital properties before going live

This tier applies to small edits (like adding current modules and changing text) to existing websites that are under the new York 2020 theme as long as no substantial design work is within project scope. These projects do not have a project brief and are considered additional support on existing properties. Some examples could include creating new website copy, updating webpages to new modules, or content edits.

During this project process, the Partner will obtain quotes from Vendor on the approved list for the appropriate category. UB&M will be involved:

  • Highlight that you have engaged and are working with a Vendor
  • Share final website/project for approval

Note - if no design work was included and existing brand visuals are still identical to previous product, final UB&M approval will not be necessary

Additional Information:

  • Designing New Modules - York has created a library of modules to assist in designing your website, keep brand consistency and user experience. However if there is a module (or updated design) outside of this library that Vendors, faculties, or units wish to create, it must be approved by UB&M first. Learn more about the process above.
  • Plugin Request - Plugins provide additional optional functionality not available out-of-the-box from WordPress. At York, WordPress websites come with specific and approved pre-installed Plugins available for any websites to use. Any plugin not available with the York 2020 theme would need to be reviewed before approval. To request a new plugin, please reach out to cpadigit@yorku.ca and share the plugin title, link, functionality and why this is needed vs the plugins available.
  • AODA Guidelines - All York public websites and web content posted after January 1, 2012, must conform with WCAG 2.0 Level AA other than than providing captions on live videos or addition descriptions for pre-recorded videos. Learn more about resources available to ensure compliance.
  • Technical Resources - These resources will provide the Vendor with the institutional programs and requirements to build, analyze and optimize your website to ensure it is meeting the highest user functionality.
  • Tagging and Taxonomy - As part of developing a York website you are agreeing to adhere to the SEO and Tagging and Taxonomy guidelines and structures. Please see the page to ensure you have included this detail in the brief to the agency

This process is not intended to limit any website development or undertaking but extends in so far as it is relevant and applicable to ensure that York University is properly represented within that relationship, in particular, when a brand property is used for promotion or identification.