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Guideline: Page Last Updated

Whole of Victorian Government ICT Guideline: Page Last Updated

Website Management Framework

Short Description

This guideline provides advice on implementing a ‘Page Last Updated’ reference as required by the Minimum Information Provision standard.

Identifier: WEB/GUIDE/04
Version No.: 2.0
Status: Approved
Date of effect: 21 August 2009
Next review date: 23 August 2010

Owner: Government Services Group, Department of Treasury and Finance, Victorian Government

Issuing authority: Government Services Group, Department of Treasury and Finance, Victorian Government

Guideline: Page Last Updated - WEB/GUIDE/04

Overview

The Minimum Information Provision standard (WEB/STD/09) requires all websites to include a ‘Page Last Updated’ reference on each page of their site.  This guideline provides advice on implementing the ‘Page Last Updated’ reference in web pages.

Rationale

A ‘Page Last Updated’ reference reassures users that the content they are viewing is correct and current according to the department or agency that authorised the content.

Audience

  • Website Management Taskforce (WMT) Coordinators;
  • Website administrators; and
  • Content managers.

Steps

The ‘Page Last Updated’ reference should appear in the standard footer at the bottom of every page - including home and directory pages - as described in the Consistent User Elements standard (WEB/STD/06).

The following format is recommended for clarity:

Page last updated: DD Month YYYY

E.g. Page last updated: 29 June 2009, Page last updated: 01 March 2010 (1)

This guideline acknowledges that:

  1. the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and metadata format for dates is YYYY/MM/DD; and
  2. some content management systems (CMSs) may impose limitations on manipulating date strings and/or the location of the reference.

Context

The Content Ownership, Approval and Review standard (WEB/STD/02) requires website owners to identify and implement appropriate approval processes for publishing content on websites.  In addition, users have a reasonable expectation that the content they are viewing is current and accurate according to the department or agency that authorised the content.  The requirement to provide a ‘Page Last Updated’ reference draws together and addresses both of these expectations.

Different types of content are more or less volatile and subject to different review cycles on that basis.  Placing a ‘Page Last Updated’ reference keeps these internal processes transparent to the user while still informing them of the validity of the content.

References

Governing standard

Governing requirement

  • Websites must provide a ‘Page Last Updated’ reference on each page

Related requirements

  • None

Related guidelines

  • None

Related policies and standards

Related resources

  • None

Further Information

For further information please contact web.standards@dtf.vic.gov.au

Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

CMS - Content Management System – a computer application that manages the content and media of a website.

ISO - International Organisation for Standardisation.

Metadata - Data which describes the content or information displayed on a website page.

WMF - Website Management Framework.

WMT - Website Management Taskforce.  Each department and inner-budget agency (Environmental Protection Agency, State Revenue Office, VicRoads, and Victoria Police) maintains a WMT to manage their internal web activity and administer the WMF.

Footnotes:

(1) Single digit dates (1-9) may be expressed with or without a leading zero e.g. 01 March or 1 March.

Alternative Formats:

The guideline is available from the Government Services Group in pdf format (108kb). (This document requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader). .

 

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Added: 3 November 2006 Page views: 7,738 Rating: 0.0 Votes: 0
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Last updated: 24 August 2010
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