Clarity: It should be obvious what information is available under each
category on the home page and each page liked to it.
Simplicity/Efficiency: One should be able to arrive at the desired
information via a short pathway of clicks.
Accuracy: Information should be correct and up to date. With regard to
info on academic programs, this can be done using the same editorial
staff employed for printed publications. (Indeed, much of this info can be
taken from the catalog, which has been vetted both by faculty curriculum
committees and the publication editor.)
Responsibility: It should be clear who is responsible for a home page
and whom to contact with comments, corrections, etc.
Non-responsibility: There should be, as discussed at the last
webmasters meeting, a standard disclaimer statement indicating that
those maintaining the official NIU home page, and those pages linked
directly to it, cannot vouch for the accuracy of -- and do not necessarily
subscribe to the opinions in -- other home pages that might be accessed
through them.
--Jerry