The Digital team are in the process of redesigning the Publication pages on the website. This marks the latest phase in our ongoing project to transition page templates into our Lens design system.
These changes will be rolled out in November to help make our Publication pages more accessible and easier to use, while giving website users a more consistent experience across different platforms and devices.
Why we use Publication pages
We use Publication pages to provide website users with downloadable files, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF documents.
Publication pages let us group together related files, such as minutes from meetings held by a single committee, and provide additional information about the files.
What to expect on the new Publication pages
As well as the new visual design, Publication pages will have:
- multiple attachment groups, with optional headings, helping users distinguish between different sets of information
- attachment names to tell users what each document is about
- filetype icons, showing whether the attachment is a PDF or Word document, for example
- a download icon to show users the attachment is downloadable
- a 'Related content' section, providing links to relevant web pages
Like all pages in our Lens design system, Publication pages will also have a Navigation section, allowing users to find other content from the same department.
Enhanced accessibility
As a university, it's our legal obligation to make our website content as accessible as possible.
Typecase web pages are designed to be accessible to all users, but attachments on Publication pages can cause accessibility issues for some people.
The changes to Publication pages will also include features designed to improve the accessibility of attached files, including:
- a required email address for people to contact if they need a document in a different format, for example, digital braille or large print
- a requirement for people uploading files to confirm that their documents are necessary and cannot be created as a web page instead
Further information for Typecase users
If you're a Typecase user, you will receive an email from the Digital Content team with more information about the new template and design, and when you can start using it.