The VA.gov header and footer are key navigational elements for VA.gov.
The header and footer are not used exclusively on the modernized VA.gov, and are also 'injected' into many non-modernized TeamSites via a javascript application (proxy-rewrite). Example sites using the injected header/footer include:
Note: Be aware that there are also "copycat" injected headers such as https://www.research.va.gov/ (as of 4/17/2023) that exist because the injection script cannot work on that site.
| VA.gov header & footer | Injected header/footer | |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Sitewide Content Team | Sitewide Content Team |
| Design & Research | Sitewide Product Team in partnership with Design System Team | Sitewide Product Team in partnership with Design System Team |
| Build & compiled presentation (including analytics) | Design System Team | Design System Team |
| Delivery | Design System Team - incl. anything visual, errors due to style or markup changes / introduction of components | Sitewide Product Team (via proxy-rewrite app) - incl. CORS errors, problems with injection, Drupal data structure errors in injection, or addition of new sites for injection |
Sitewide Content
- OCTO Lead: Danielle Thierry
- OCTO Slack channel: #sitewide-content-accessibility-ia
Sitewide Product Team
- OCTO Sitewide Lead: Michelle Middaugh
- VA Design lead: Amanda Klausmeier
- OCTO Slack channel: #sitewide-public-websites
VA Design System Team
- OCTO Design System Team lead: Matt Dingee
- OCTO Slack channel: #platform-design-system
The Header and Footer contain elements that are managed separately as standalone products and have their own product development cycles. Those include:
- On-site search: Sitewide Product Team
- Veterans Crisis Line modal: Design System Team
- Authenticated menu and Login modal: Identity Team
- How might we create and maintain a header that supports Veteran "browse" behaviors that accurately reflect flows and information architecture?
- How might this header support the identity of VA?
- How might we create and maintain a header that increases the usage and throughput of VA services - especially that of self-service?
- As a site visitor, I want to know that I am on a Federal website so that I have confidence in any information I learn from the site or provide to applications on the site.
- As a site visitor, I want to know that the content I am viewing is part of the official Veterans Affairs website so that I have confidence in the information I learn from the site or provide to applications on the site.
- As a site visitor, I want an intuitive menu so that I can easily navigate the site via my preferred "browse" site behavior.
- As a site visitor using a mobile device, I want an intuitive experience so that I can easily interact with the site without a header getting in the way of the content.
- As a site visitor, I expect content and actions in a header and footer to be consistent with best-in-class commercial websites to meet my expectations of interacting with VA.gov.
- High cognitive load
- Long page load times
- Facilitates the IA of VA.gov
- Easily maintained content that leverages the Drupal content management system and content publishing releases for most maintenance activities (rather than hard coded behavior that requires code release and deployment).
- Contains mandated information (e.g. FOIA, Privacy, No FEAR, etc) and supports Federal and VA policy (e.g. 21st century IDEA act, etc)
- Supports VA.gov design system needs
- Supports USWDS design system needs
- Long turn-around times for content updates
- Link farm/dumping ground
- Creates site bloat that slows down the loading of the site
- Funnel of "learn" tasks -> high time on page/interaction on page (aggregate)
- Completion rate of "learn" -> apply paths (aggregate)
- Completion rate of "manage" task funnels (aggregate)
- Maintain high CSAT scores
What are the measurable targets you're aiming for that delivers value for Veterans?
- Objective:
- Key result:
- Key result:
- Part of launch for VA.gov modernization in 2018
- Actual Launch Date
- November 11, 2018
- 2021 New Mobile Header
- 2024 Federal Standardized Header and Footer - discontinued, did not ship