Intro
The Web Guide documents procedures, assigns responsibilities,
and provides guidelines for the implementation and operation of
the DE World Wide Web site. The Web Guide is derived from the
DE World Wide Web Information Services Management Guide (DE-MI
2200.2, Revision A) which applies to all DE organizational elements
and DE-sponsored contractors. This guide is also intended to provide
necessary guidance to implement additional web pages for the projects,
organizations and systems within the Engineering Development Directorate.
The purpose of the DE Web to provide information to assist employees
in duties in support of the NASA programs as well as to present
information to the external world for primarily educational/informational
purposes.
This is the file structure as it exists today on www-de.ksc.nasa.gov.
This structure is currently a hybrid of the original layout based
on a former organization layout. Notice both DE-EMO and DF are
no longer part of DE yet, they are still part of the file structure.
This is one area recommended to be restructured to a functional
layout.
It is DE policy that scientific, technical, educational and informational
publications, be disseminated through the DE World Wide Web. The
contents should not include personal, non-work related information
either in content or links.
There are many types of data that can be appropriately included
on the DE Web. In determining what type of data to present, remember
the primary two reasons for presenting is to promote better data
transfer/communication to fulfill the DE Mission and to inform/educate
those interested in the tasks that DE is responsible. The following
list are suggestions of the type of data that could be incorporated
in the web pages for the various DE areas:
- Organizational Structure
- Announcements & News
- Organization Mission & Capabilities
- Policies & Procedures
- Personnel Responsibilities
- Technical Documentation
- Lab Facilities & Capabilities
- Points of Contact
- Administrative Information
- Published Documents/Reports/Papers
- Schedules
- Status
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Sources of Related Information
As the use of the World Wide Web to disseminate information continued
to increase, the industry has found that some methods of presenting
the data are recommended and some are less desirable. This determination
is based on resource utilization, ease of use, security and maintainability.
This is very important to keep in mind when developing web pages
so that the customers, whether in-house or the public, will be
able to use the pages effectively. Standards are required
and are generally based on NASA, KSC, or DE policies. Guidelines
are highly recommended and most pages should conform to the guidelines
as well. The Standards and Guidelines are specified in the next
two sections.
- All logos must be approved according to memo from KSC
Center Director.
- No parts of the NASA Meatball can be used such as
the "swoosh"
- The NASA emblem (such as on our badges) is NEVER
to be used
- No modification of the meatball is to be used
such as embossing, etc.
- Icons, etc., should not be made smaller than
5/8".
- No sensitive data will be served from the NASA DE web
server without appropriate security measures implemented
and verified.
- No endorsement of vendors or products either official or
implied shall be on Web Pages.
- No personal, non-work related information will be
presented on the DE web site nor linked to from the DE
Web Site
- All curators who will be responsible for maintaining the
data of the DE web server, needs to have a Web Access
form on file with the DE Webmaster.
- Each home page must contain the following information:
- A meaningful <title>
- All pages must reference the page author, curator
and responsible NASA Official.
NOTE: There are template HTML files
available. signature.html
is used when the author and curator or different
people. signature2.html
is used when the author is also the curator.
- Date last modified
- Web page devlopers may not incorporate copyright material
in their pages unless first obtaining permission to use
that material from its owner and then displaying the
appropriate copyright credits next to the material.
- Use the ADDRESS tag for the author, curator, and similar footer information on each page
- For ease of navigation, each web page must contain a link
to its parent page.
- Keep data presented up-to-date and current. Do not use relative terms such as "yesterday", "today" "tomorrow", etc.
- Use internationally unambiguous formats for displaying dates.
- Highly recommended features for home pages
- A link to the top level page in your area, to DE
Home Page, KSC Home Page
- Include META information such as keywords,
descriptions, rev.
- Don't use heading tags (<H4>, <H2>) to force
formatting changes. Use them only as Headings and
Sub-Headings of sections
- Use the structure markup (<code>, <cite>,
<strong>,…) vs. Bold and Italic whenever
possible. The bold tag is used more for implying
"This is important".
- Use meaningful link names vs. "Click here"
- Always provide an ALT attribute for images for those who
access the page via a text browser and slow link. If the
image is a bullet, possibly ALT="-" or
ALT="" if the image isn't important.
- Use Height and Width tags on Images to load faster and
not repaint the screen.
- Scan at 72 dpi for inline graphics, reduce colors to get
the file size reduced.
- Use a background that does not force you to change
foreground text and link color defaults. Make it
readable.
- For readability, black text on light colored background
is preferred. Use color to denote something such as NEW
or similar.
- Be careful when linking to information outside of DE or
NASA. Include a disclaimer so that the user knows they
are leaving the DE Web Site.
- Keep to the HTML Standard (2.0 or 3.2), but do not use
any Netscape or Internet Explorer or other product
specific enhancements.
- Keep average document size less than 78K.
- The use of blinking text or animated graphics is discouraged because many users find it very distracting when they are trying to read other text on the page.
- Never force a large include media file such as graphic, audio, video (>100K) on a
user. Provide a thumbnail/hyperlink to the graphic with an indication how
large the file is to be downloaded.
- Always provide size and transfer time estimates for an
external media file.
- Give an options to view a low-bandwidth version of
high-media documents
- Use compression techniques wherever applicable to reduce
file sizes for transfer
- Keep inline images to no more than 256 colors..
- Never put icons liked "Enhanced for Netscape"
or "Works best with Internet Explorer"
- Don't require the user to resize their page to view the
document
- Do not require that the user must be able to support
frames, graphics, audio and so on. They can be useful,
but provide alternatives whenever possible.
The author writes the information to be presented on the DE Web
which may or may not be in the HTML format. Once that is completed,
the author will then forward the file(s) to the web team member
designated for their group/organization along with the name of
the Responsible NASA Official (Division Chief/Lead). The web team
representative will convert it to HTML format if necessary. Ensure
the RNO concurs that the page is ready to be uploaded, then upload
it to the DE Web Area. If additional support is required, that
will be handled on an individual basis.
The Director of Engineering Development(DE) is responsible for
assigning a person to be the Responsible Point of Contact (RPOC)
to manage the WWW DE Home Page and to ensure proper coordination
of publication activities within all organizational elements.
Each Responsible NASA Official (Division/Office Chief) is responsible
for:
- Ensuring that the information and data referenced by a particular
DE web page is correct when posted.
- Ensuring that the information displayed on DE web pages adheres
to the applicable standards, guidelines, and policies established
in this Web Guide.
- Ensuring that the coordination, production, and distribution
of information products, via DE web pages, are performed in accordance
with the provisions of all appropriate NASA/KSC CIO directives
and policies.
- Determining the level and applicability of scientific and
technical information that is submitted for publication on the
DE Web.
- Ensuring that review and control are exercised over the publication
of scientific and technical information required for, or resulting
from, the activities of their respective organizations.
- Ensuring that the web pages do not include either formal or
informal employee resumes.
- Auditing the Web pages periodically to certify that the data
complies with provisions of the Web Guide.
The DE Webmaster is responsible for:
- Determining the highest level of reference to a new home page,
from the DE Home Page, the KSC Home Page, or the NASA Home Page.
- Ensuring establishment of the proper links to a new home page.
Most home pages for DE projects will link from the DE Home Page,
but some projects may also be referenced under subject matter
references on the KSC Home Page.
- Maintain the DE Home Page and the associated top level pages.
Each Curator is responsible for:
- Ensuring that the web page is developed, published, and maintained
in accordance with the standards, guidelines, and policies established
in this Web Guide.
- Ensuring that the web page clearly identifies the names of
its Author, Curator, Responsible NASA Official.
- Ensuring that the web page includes the date of its last revision.
- Maintaining the web page so that the information stays current
and links still work properly.
- Working with the Author to develop and maintain the web page.
Each DE Author is responsible for:
- Ensuring that the web page is developed, published, and maintained
in accordance with the standards, guidelines, and policies established
in this Web Guide.
- Providing the information for the web page.
- Ensuring that written consent is obtained from the appropriate
authorities to use material with copyright or other restrictions
and that the proper guidelines for publication are followed.
- Working with the Curator to develop and maintain the web page.
- A Responsible NASA Official (RNO) will be assigned for each
level and/or branch of the hierarchy.
- Changes to a page must be approved by the RNO for that page.
- Changes to the access levels for any part of the DE Web must
be coordinated with the Webmaster and system administrator.
- Assuring that a particular page meets the requirements of
its clients is the responsibility of the appropriate author/curator.
GLOSSARY
- Author - Person who wrote the document and the person to be
contacted regarding the content
- Client - computer or computer program that is one side of
the client-server communication
- Common Gateway Interface (CGI) - script extension recognized
by web browsers
- Curator - Person responsible for appearance and links of the
page and will be maintaining the web page
- Excel Internet Assistant - application that changes Microsoft
Excel documents to HTML format
- Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) - pronounced "jif"
as in the peanut butter; commonly used graphics format marketed
by CompuServe
- Home Page - the online multimedia overview, context, or index
page prepared using the Hypertext-Transfer-Protocol (HTTP)-compatible
HyperText Markup Language (HTML), and contains built-in cross
references (or hyperlinks) to other online information.
- Hypertext - describes the functionality that allows documents
to be cross-linked in such a way that the reader can explore related
documents by clicking on a highlighted word or symbol
- Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) - programming language which
allows hypertext transfer
- Hyperlink - On-line cross references that jump the reader
from one location to another. Links are often depicted in the
Web by highlighted words, phrases, or symbols.
- Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) - protocol used to transfer
documents on the World Wide Web
- Internet - "network of networks" connected together
using TCP/IP that extends to universities, government, industries,
and individuals
- Intranet - network of computers and resources that can be
accessed only within an organization
- Joint Photographic Export Group (JPEG/JPG) - image format,
useful for making high-quality photographic-style images of relatively
small file size
- PowerPoint Internet Assistant - application that changes Microsoft
PowerPoint documents to HTML format
- Responsible NASA Official (RNO) - person responsible and accountable
for the content of a given web page; provides approval for publishing
web page
- Server - computer or computer program that manages and delivers
information for client computers
- Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -
network protocol that allows communication between two or more
computers; default protocol of the Internet
- Uniform Resource Locator (URL) - addressing system used in
the World Wide Web and other Internet resources
- Web Browser - type of software that allows you to navigate
the World Wide Web
- Webmaster (DE) - the responsible point of contact who
manages the World Wide Web DE Web to ensure proper coordination
of publication activities within all organizational elements involved.
- Web Server - software which handles HTTP connections and serves
web pages to clients
- Word Internet Assistant - application that changes Microsoft
Word documents to HTML format
- World Wide Web (WWW) - method by which information is moved
around the Internet providing text, files, graphics, sounds, and
moving pictures; hypertext-based Internet service used for browsing
Internet resources
DE Home
Author/Curator: DE Webmaster
/ NASA
Last Revised: July 28, 1997
A service of NASA/Kennedy Space Center Engineering
Development Directorate, Sterling Walker, Director
(sterling.walker-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov)