Checklist to Create a Website

woman typing on a keyboard

1. Do You Need a Website?

Websites take time, effort and ongoing care. Before you create one, first check if a similar site already existsstart with a simple Google search for your topic areas and look at the UCSF A-Z Website list.

If there's already a similar UCSF website, consider partnering with that group to reach your audience. Also consider that there are a variety of ways to reach your intended audience, and some might be more effective than a website (i.e., listservs).

Take a quick quiz to help assess your needs.

2. Choose a CMS

CMS stands for content management systemthe underlying framework of your website. There are a variety of platforms available, but UCSF is heavily invested in Drupal for its security, flexibility, and active development community for sites. To request a Drupal-based UCSF Site Builder website with the domain name "ucsf.edu", just complete a Website Request form (via IT) and once in the form, choose Option 1 for a Site Builder site.

You are welcome to choose another CMS, but it will need to meet all standards for accessibility, security, and branding outlined in our Policies & Standards section.

3. Read our Web Policies & Standards

UCSF has a comprehensive set of policies and standards that cover key components you must to consider when creating a website. This includes overarching brand guidelines that determine which fonts, images, colors, and logos should be used; all of which help UCSF unify its message.

Please thoroughly review these policies & standards before proceeding.

4. Review Accessibility Guidelines

UCSF has an obligationboth legally and ethicallyto make sure our websites are accessible to all. Digital accessibility is the ability of a website, mobile application, or electronic document to be easily navigated and understood by a wide range of usersincluding those users who have visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities. Read over our accessibility guidelines, which cover how images, infographics, and PDFs (and more) should be formatted and added to your website.

5. Secure a Domain

Your site will need an address. Official UCSF websites will receive a subdomain of ucsf.edu  (i.e. websites.ucsf.edu). Choose an address that is short, memorable, and comprehensible to people outside of your specific group.

6. Request a Logo

UCSF has created a system of sub-brand logo lockups to represent various departments and groups. Information about the different types of official UCSF logos and how they should be used can be found in the logo section of the Brand Identity site.

If eligible, you can request an official logo lockup to use on your site. If your group is not eligible for a UCSF logo lockup, please represent the name of your group, initiative, or site in live type (text)— as “UCSF Websites” appears on this website.

Note: UCSF does not allow the use of unofficial or custom-designed logos on UCSF websites or other materials. 

7. Plan Your Content

Great website content is not only well written, it's also well-organized so that users can easily find what they need. Start by identifying major topics in a spreadsheet, organize those topics for your main menu (hint: try card sorting), write your copy and find photographs to compliment it. Spend some time checking out the competition, including websites you like and websites you don't. Over time, you'll begin to see what makes a site inviting or off-putting.

8. Build Your Website

Create pages, build your menu and add images or videos. Remember to keep styling consistent across pages and make pages easy to read by including section headings, links and clear calls to action. Remember to follow accessibility guidelines when creating your content.

9. Launch Your Website

You've built your website, thoroughly reviewed it, and you're ready to share it with the world. To do so, create a DNS request ticket with ServiceNow, but keep in mind that your request may take up to three days to complete. Once it's live, look over your site one more time to ensure everything is working properly.

10. Register Your Website

If you created a website that isn't hosted by IT (i.e. you did not complete a Drupal Web Hosting Request), you should submit it for inclusion on the UCSF A-Z Website List by completing a Website Registration Request. Note: Only websites that qualify as official UCSF websites will be included in the A-Z list.