Fermilab

The public web site furthers the Fermilab mission by focusing on these objectives:

• Communicating the nature and value of Fermilab's scientific mission.
• Strengthening Fermilab's relationships with the scientific community and residents of neighboring communities.
• Communicating the role of the Department of Energy in basic science research.
• Supporting and strengthening communication within the Fermilab community of employees and users.
• Serving as a general resource for information about particle physics.
• Communicating Fermilab's role as a natural area open to the community.

• Providing prominently featured links to fresh news. The site audience must, at first glance, know that the site is being updated regularly. There are many areas within the site that change often. We need to steer the audience toward those areas with a minimal effort. The site is a library - complete with reference section and periodicals. It is important that we lead with the most recent "periodicals".

• Having a navigation scheme that allows all audience segments to get to the information they need in an efficient, effective way.

• Having a fresh, contemporary "look and feel".

• Operating within the technical boundaries of our core audience.

• Fermilab community (employees and users)
• The worldwide physics community
• The Department of Energy
• Other government officials and staffers
• Members of the media
• Students and teachers
• Residents of neighboring communities
• Environmentalists
• The science-literate (and would-be science literate) public

Navigation "hubs" serve as the basis for content navigation. Secondary level pages will serve as the main points of navigation within the site. View a graphic representation.

All information needed by any visitor must be available through one of the information hubs.

Information should be published one time only. In other words, if there is a page regarding a conference on B physics in the "events" area, and similar information is needed elsewhere in the site, link to the existing page, don't republish it.

The home page provides easy navigation to the main information hubs (and beyond) with a rollover based system that allows visitors to get directly to many of the sub sections with one click. All viewers regardless of browser level will still be able to navigate to respective hubs and drill down from there. All subpages will contain a standard navigation bar containing links to the home page and all other main navigation hubs.

Continuous updating to the "news" section of the home page is desirable. This prominent section will allow traffic to be steered in directions that are most beneficial. For example, when a new feature is added to the site or a major announcement needs to be made, it can become the most visible point on the home page. News items can be changed "on the fly" to address visitor feedback and needs. This philosophy can also be used within many of the navigational hubs. News items relating to a particular section can also be given visual prominence on their respective subpages.

Use of compelling, high quality images:
There is much to look at and admire at Fermilab. Furthermore, Fermilab has a great image selection. Additions should continue to make use of these factors while still respecting file size and viewing area.

Use of compelling colors and graphics:
The graphics on the site are consistent with respect to color and treatment. Additional pages should be clean, attractive and uncluttered.