Staff style guide (sample)
The RFP asks for consistent colours, banners and branding, and a guide staff can follow. This is a sample of that guide. The full guide comes with the site and lives inside WordPress.
Colours
All colours come from your 2025 logo and your current site. Each one says where it may be used. The contrast numbers are checked against WCAG 2.2 AA.
- Dark blue
#1a5ea8
Links, buttons, headings
6.5:1 · passes AA for text (on white) - Deep blue
#123f73
Headings, footer, utility bar
10.6:1 · passes AA for text (on white) - Logo blue
#0870b8
The letters in your logo
5.2:1 · passes AA for text (on white) - Ink
#1f2933
Body text
14.8:1 · passes AA for text (on white) - Wave blue
#18b8e8
Lines and decoration only
2.3:1 · decoration only (on white) - Sun
#f8a800
Highlights, with dark text only
7.4:1 · passes AA for text (with ink text)
Type
Oxygen for headings and Lato for everything else: the fonts your site uses today. Body text is 18 pixels, never smaller than 16.
Plain-language rules
- Say what the page is for in the first sentence. One page, one purpose.
- Write to the reader: “you” and “we”, not “the consumer” and “the regional center”.
- Keep sentences short: about 10 to 15 words. One idea per sentence.
- Use everyday words. If you must use a special word, link it to Words we use.
- Spell out short names the first time on each page.
- Put steps in a numbered list, and choices in a bulleted list.
- Keep the law, but at the bottom, under “For the details”.
- Use numbers, not words: “3 areas”, “45 days”.
- Check the reading level before you publish. The editor shows it. Aim for grade 6 to 8.
- Describe every image in a short sentence. Leave decorative images undescribed.
Building blocks
Staff build pages from a small set of blocks. Each block already meets WCAG 2.2 AA, so a new page does too.
Steps
Numbered steps with a line, like on Apply.
Rule box
One condition or rule per box, like on Eligibility.
Contact box
The right phone number and email, beside the page that needs it.
ASL video
An ASL video with captions and a transcript, on any page.
For the details
A section that opens to show legal references.
Buttons
One main action and one second action, never more.
Before you publish: a checklist
- The first sentence says what the page is for.
- The reading level is grade 8 or lower.
- Every short name is spelled out or linked.
- Headings are in order, and there is only one main heading.
- Every image has a description, or is marked decorative.
- Every video has captions.
- Every PDF has the same information on a web page, or is accessible itself.