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Please check this site frequently for updates, new resources and information. Most importantly, we ask our fellow State web colleagues to make sure your ideas and expertise are reflected in the development of this site by contacting webcom@doit.state.md.us

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

Branding

  1. What pre-requisite skills are needed to implement the 2008 Branding standards?
  2. How do I get started with the 2008 Branding?
  3. Can I get assistance with designing my own agency’s banner?
  4. Our agency title does not contain ‘Department of’ or ‘Office of’, can our banner contain our agency title on a single line?
  5. Where do I add a picture of my agency secretary/director?
  6. How can my agency site display the statewide navigation in black font instead of white?
  7. When is the deadline to complete the 2008 Branding?
  8. Can the content template be implemented now, along with the header and footer?

Statewide Directory

  1. How can I correct my agency’s main address and/or telephone number on the State Directory?
  2. My agency does not have a coordinator listed on the Request an Update page, how do we designate a coordinator?
  3. How do I link my Contact Us page to my agency’s listing in the State Directory?

Search

  1. How do the statewide search services differ from the free Google search?
  2. Can my agency collection contain more than one web site?

Maryland.gov URLs

  1. How does my agency request a Maryland.gov URL?

Accessibility

  1. Do agency sites have to meet Section 508 accessibility standards?
  2. How can I ensure PDF documents are accessible?
  3. How can I learn about creating accessible Flash content?

Branding

  1. What pre-requisite skills are needed to implement the 2008 Branding standards?

    A working knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is necessary to implement the new Branding standards. Additionally, ownership of Adobe PhotoShop or Fireworks will allow those agencies to design their banner.


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  2. How do I get started with the 2008 Branding?

    Start with reviewing the steps at http://doit.maryland.gov/webcom (click on Branding Standards from the left side menu). Once you obtain the Design Toolkit, create a test page and implement the header, footer and the Governor’s image (if applicable). Send an email to webcom@doit.state.md.us for peer review. Once the team reviews and approves your test page, proceed with the implementation to your site pages.


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  3. Can I get assistance with designing my own agency’s banner?

    Yes, contact us at webcom@doit.maryland.gov, and we will work with you to design your agency’s banner.


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  4. Our agency title does not contain ‘Department of’ or ‘Office of’, can our banner contain our agency title on a single line?

    Yes, the ‘Department of’ line can be deleted. The positioning of the agency title should not be altered as to align with the Maryland crown logo.


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  5. Where do I add a picture of my agency secretary/director?

    Previous branding standards had the picture in the banner. The new standards have removed it from there and allow it to be placed elsewhere on the page. For example in the content area of the page or the left/right sidebar.


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  6. How can my agency site display the statewide navigation in black font instead of white?

    Locate the following line in the Branding code: showStatewideNavigation("white") Update “white” parameter to “black” and save your code.


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  7. When is the deadline to complete the 2008 Branding?

    Executive-level agencies are required to implement the header, footer and Governor’s image by January 1, 2009. We welcome any additional agencies to complete by January 1 as well.


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  8. Can the content template be implemented now, along with the header and footer?

    The content template assets and instructions are available by clicking Web Template from the left side menu; as you evaluate how to approach the statewide redesign effort, please carefully review the template to see if this may be the best option for you to achieve the redesign of your site(s). Please email the team at webcom@doit.maryland.gov when you have completed a test page for our review. We would like to maintain a list of agencies using the content template so we may inform those of future updates to the design.


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Statewide Directory

  1. How can I correct my agency’s main address and/or telephone number on the State Directory?

    You can use the Telephone Directory Coordinators by Agency list to find the coordinator for your agency and contact them to make the update.

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  2. My agency does not have a coordinator listed on the Request an Update page, how do we designate a coordinator?

    Please submit a ticket to the DoIT Service Desk at servicedesk@doit.state.md.us, and we will assign your coordinator a login to the Directory Update application.


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  3. How do I link my Contact Us page to my agency’s listing in the State Directory?

    Locate and click on your agency link from the directory page - http://www.doit.state.md.us/phonebook/orglisting.asp. Copy and paste the URL in the address bar to your Contact Us page.


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Search

  1. How do the statewide search services differ from the free Google search?

    The statewide search services are hosted by a state-owned Google appliance. All agency web sites are crawled and users will view results by state agency, as well as from all state agencies. Agencies may request an administrator account to view reports detailing search queries initiated from their web site.


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  2. Can my agency collection contain more than one web site?

    Yes, an agency collection can contain additional web site URLs.


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Maryland.gov URLs

  1. How does my agency request a Maryland.gov URL?

    Contact our team at webcom@doit.state.md.us and we will assign a Maryland.gov URL to your agency. Your web server administrator will need to configure your web server to host multiple URLs. Please contact us for further details concerning web server configuration.


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Accessibility

  1. Do agency sites have to meet Section 508 accessibility standards?

    Agency sites must comply with the Maryland Nonvisual Access (NVA) standards. Please review the guidelines on the DoIT site at http://doit.maryland.gov/policies/Pages/nva.aspx


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  2. How can I ensure PDF documents are accessible?

    Adobe Acrobat Professional has a built-in accessibility checker in the Advanced menu. Adobe maintains accessibility guidelines for their software at http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/index.html


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  3. How can I learn about creating accessible Flash content?

    Adobe maintains guidelines at http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/index.html


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