COVID-19 - Using alerts

Developing web content as one government

Updated alert guidance

Latest guidance on alerts for crisis comms:

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https://design.canada.ca/crisis/alerts.html

Alerts = content about content

• Meant to draw attention to changes in regular content
• Examples: service disruptions, upcoming policy or service changes

Where are alerts useful?

A doormat on a topic page to point to new content

• Alerts are well suited for “service level” pages to highlight things like:
• Service disruptions
• Upcoming important changes
• Recent important changes
• Might have use on nav pages - but in many cases a new doormat would serve the same purpose
• Limit use of alerts so that they continue to have impact

Alerts = short and simple

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• Describe the impact on the user
• If including a link, use only one

Minimize the number of alerts on each page

This competes�with the alerts

When and for how long

• Use for temporary situations and significant changes
• Avoid using alert styles just for emphasis

This is a note that is being emphasized - not an alert

Alerts that repeat on several pages

• Better to keep alert on each page very short, with a link to a new “Passport services are suspended” page

If the alert is long, it’s no longer an alert

Different types of alerts for different situations

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• Red and yellow - makes sense for warnings and danger
• Blue and green - might make more sense for policy and service changes as part of the government response