Page 189 - Kaleidoscope Academic Conference Proceedings 2024

DESIGN AND BRANDING GUIDELINES FOR HARMONIZATION OF DIGITAL
FOOTPRINTS: INDIAN GOVERNMENT WEBSITES

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Alka Misra , Durga Prasad Misra , Lokesh Joshi , Ashutosh Prasad Maurya , Swati Kadel 1
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1 National Informatics Centre, India
logo, iconography, typography, color, and
ABSTRACT positioning of common elements [1]. For citizens
accessing government websites, the visual experience
The Design of a website is an integral part of website is the first thing they experience. For establishing the
accessibility and has a major impact on the usability credibility of a website, good-looking visuals provide
of a website and the branding of the organization. The a major opportunity [2]. Subject to ease and
website design comprises various elements such as uniformity across government websites, users
color, fonts, images, object placement, languages, perceive websites as being trustworthy or
technology, etc. This paper presents a study and untrustworthy [3]. A semiotic analysis of the six most
summary of guidelines for the branding and design of trusted and six least trusted websites was carried out
government websites of India in terms of a Digital and identified various elements that contribute to the
Brand Identity Manual. These guidelines were trustworthiness or untrustworthiness of a website [4].
developed with a focused approach to harmonize the There is a need for a set of guidelines for the
digital footprints of government in terms of websites, development of branding and the uniformity of
ensuring design uniformity. These guidelines are government websites.
developed through the study of government websites
of multiple countries and the websites of big-brand This paper is a presentation of work conducted for the
companies. The design and branding guidelines development of a set of guidelines with the intent of
mainly cover areas such as color, typography, logo, creating a visual identity on government websites.
icons and styles, images, content, accessibility, This project is executed by the National Informatics
performance, mobile apps, and social media. Centre, an e-governance implementation body under
Applying the components of these guidelines may the Ministry of Electronics and Information
have a major impact on the usability, harmonization, Technology (MeitY), Government of India. This
and branding of government websites. These project is executed under the guidance and funding of
guidelines will also be helpful for the management MeitY. The output document is named the Digital
and operations of government websites. Brand Identity Manual (DBIM), which has identified
a minimal set of guidelines for government websites
Keywords – Government website, Design, related to design and branding. These guidelines are
Branding, Guidelines, Harmonization, website, India in addition to the existing Guidelines for Indian
Government Websites (GIGW) guidelines [5].
1. INTRODUCTION
2. NEED – DIGITAL BRANDING
The website serves as an online medium to publicize GUIDELINES
government information and services to citizens,
transcending the boundaries of location and time. In The government website helps to integrate
a country like India, with its diverse demography and government information resources, make government
languages, content, design, and accessibility are given information public, and promote the capability of the
high priority for government websites. Design is a government to serve enterprises and citizens [6]. The
crucial factor impacting the usability and accessibility adoption of digital technologies in the government
of a website. Website design is developed with has grown multi-fold with the advancement of
various elements, e.g., aspect ratios, color patterns, technologies and the impetus provided by the Digital
layout, selection of font design, size, content, India program, which promotes the use of technology
language, images, technology support, etc. For in delivering services and benefits to citizens. The
government websites, the interest area is "design for digital footprint of the Government of India,
all," integration of users into the information society, consisting of websites, mobile apps, and applications,
branding, and uniformity of websites. The branding has expanded and often serves as the first point of
of a website depends on elements, such as the unique contact or a preferred medium for citizens seeking

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