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Pre-Release Checklist for Web Authors

The following checklist will help ensure that content is created according to TMU's Web Standards and Guidelines, which also includes best practices for Web Accessibility.

1. Layout & Design
  1. Responsive Layout: Content displays correctly across desktop, tablet, and mobile screen sizes.
  2. Page Content Hierarchy: Key content is visible and prioritized near the top (“above the fold”).
  3. Consistent Page Templates: Sections and subsections use correct AEM templates/components.
  4. Typography: Fonts and text styles follow brand guidelines.
  1. Global navigation: Uses the standard TMU header and navigation structure (standard on all sites).
  2. Primary navigation menu: Use clear, specific and familiar wording for link labels.
    1. Make menu labels easy to scan.
    2. Do not let navigation exceed one row in horizontal menu.
  3. In-page links: Use anchor/jump links for long-from content.
  4. External links: Open in the same tab unless required otherwise; use descriptive link text (no “click here”).
  5. Broken links: Check all internal and external links manually or with a tool.
  1. Icons: Enable external link icons, and file type icons in text components.
  2. Alt Text: All images must have meaningful alternative text. Use the Alt Text Dashboard to locate files missing alt text.
  3. No animated GIFs or autoplay motion unless accessibility is addressed.
  4. Proper File Naming:
    1. Use descriptive, lowercase, single hyphenated filenames (e.g., student-guide.pdf).
    2. File names must not end in hyphens or underscores.
    3. Do not create filenames like  'parent---weekend___august---.html'
    4. Do not use special characters, underscores or generic terms in filenames
  5. Use recommended image sizes in components & templates.
  6. Adhere to File Size Limits
  1. WCAG 2.0 Level AA Compliance: All content must meet or exceed TMU’s accessibility requirements. See: TMU Accessibility Standards
  2. Use Alt Text Dashboard to check for missing alt text, labels, and more.
  3. Use the in-page Accessibility Checker to instantly idenitfy accessibility issues.
  4. Ensure proper heading structure (H1-H6) on all pages..
  1. Spelling & Grammar: Proofread for typos, consistency, and plain language.
  2. Branding Compliance: Aligns with TMU Brand Standards.
  3. Copyright: Only use content you created or have permission to use.
  4. Outdated Content: Remove or update references to past events or deadlines.
  1. Embedded Video & Audio: Should have captions, transcripts, and player controls.
  2. Forms: Test for functionality, required fields, and confirmation messages.
  3. Avoid auto-play, auto-reload, or animation that cannot be paused or stopped.
  4. File Download Links: Indicate file type and size in link text (e.g., “Download the handbook (PDF, 1.2 MB)”).
  1. Cross-Browser Testing: View your content in multiple browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on desktop and mobile.
  2. Platform Testing: Test on both Mac and Windows; Android and iOS devices.