Trent Mankelow How to create government websites that don’t suck

Trent Mankelow How to create government websites that don’t suck rock!

"Despite promises of dramatic change and continuous innovation early on, ...the public sector today looks much as it did when the Internet began its ascendancy" - United Nations e-Government Survey 2008

64% of public sector organisations expected to spend money on a new/upgraded website in 2008/09. 53% expected to spend money on new/upgraded online services in 2008/09. - Government Use of ICT 2008

We are falling behind We slipped from 19th place in 2007 to 31st in 2008 according to the Global E-Government Report We were 13th in the UN list, now we’re 18th

We slipped from 19th place in 2007 to 31st in 2008 according to the Global E-Government Report

We were 13th in the UN list, now we’re 18th

The Internet should TRANSFORM government

The Internet should be the number one channel for government agencies Improve public sector efficiency Convenience and 24 x 7 availability Advance democracy

Improve public sector efficiency

Convenience and 24 x 7 availability

Advance democracy

But instead of transforming government, innovation has tended to be small-scale and gradual

How to create government websites that rock 01: Create a citizen-centred culture 02: Create an actionable, citizen-centric 03: Improve findability 04: Follow a user-centred design process online strategy

01: Create a citizen-centred culture

Currently many government departments have a shared accountability model When something is owned by everybody, it is owned by nobody This model can't help but trend toward mediocrity

When something is owned by everybody, it is owned by nobody

This model can't help but trend toward mediocrity

‘ Competing priorities’ was the most commonly cited factor restricting the implementation of new ICT in government

So don't make it compete

Hire a Chief Citizen Officer

Reboot culture

Values for successful web teams Networking and broad contacts externally and internally Respect for individuals Trust Sharing of ideas and information Sound underlying systems and procedures Continuous learning and development Creativity and innovation

Networking and broad contacts externally and internally

Respect for individuals

Trust

Sharing of ideas and information

Sound underlying systems and procedures

Continuous learning and development

Creativity and innovation

02: Create an actionable, citizen-centric online strategy

Know who your users are and what their goals are

Stop designing for "all New Zealanders"

The trouble is that when you design for everyone, you design for no-one

Better websites start with better understanding

Conduct basic research to segment and understand your audience

One great way to stop designing for “all New Zealanders” this is to use personas

Create a coherent, lightweight online strategy

Use a simple process Interview stakeholders Understand your users (user survey, web analytics) In a workshop: Agree your key users and their tasks (based on research) Brainstorm website goals and vision individually and then collate common themes and patterns Brainstorm future initiatives individually and then collate common themes and patterns Firm up goals, provide definitions and ways to measure the goals. Research themes and get other example websites In a workshop: Finalise goals and vision Talk through the initiatives Map the effectiveness of each initiative to achieve each goal Prioritise initiatives based on their effectiveness across all goals Finalise strategy

Interview stakeholders

Understand your users (user survey, web analytics)

In a workshop:

Agree your key users and their tasks (based on research)

Brainstorm website goals and vision individually and then collate common themes and patterns

Brainstorm future initiatives individually and then collate common themes and patterns

Firm up goals, provide definitions and ways to measure the goals. Research themes and get other example websites

In a workshop:

Finalise goals and vision

Talk through the initiatives

Map the effectiveness of each initiative to achieve each goal

Prioritise initiatives based on their effectiveness across all goals

Finalise strategy

Don't develop the strategy in isolation – create a cross-channel strategy

03: Improve findability

Finding stuff …and get bigger

…and get bigger

In 2020, the amount of info on the web will double every 72 hours

In some government departments, new websites spring up like mushrooms Governments are broken up into competing agencies and jurisdictions Too many sites

In some government departments, new websites spring up like mushrooms

Governments are broken up into competing agencies and jurisdictions

Citizens shouldn't have to know about the mechanics of government in order to be able to interact with it

Remove redundant content, and consolidate sites to make stuff easier to find

Fix iGovt

Make iGovt seamless

04: Follow a user-centred design process

There are real costs when government websites are unusable

Website use typically doubles when the site is made easier to use

Use ISO13407

Use ISO 13407 Project planning shall allocate time and resources for the human-centred activities. This shall include time for iteration and the incorporation of user feedback, and for evaluating whether the design solution satisfies the user requirements. Relevant user and stakeholder groups shall be identified and their relationship with the proposed development described in terms of key goals and constraints. There are four linked human-centred design activities that shall take place during the design of any interactive system Understand and specify the context of use; Specify the user requirements; Produce design solutions; Evaluate.

Project planning shall allocate time and resources for the human-centred activities. This shall include time for iteration and the incorporation of user feedback, and for evaluating whether the design solution satisfies the user requirements.

Relevant user and stakeholder groups shall be identified and their relationship with the proposed development described in terms of key goals and constraints.

There are four linked human-centred design activities that shall take place during the design of any interactive system

Understand and specify the context of use;

Specify the user requirements;

Produce design solutions;

Evaluate.

"Usability standards are likely to have the most influence when cited in commercial contracts....Require a design and development project to carry out activities that conform with ISO 13407” - International Standards for Usability Should Be More Widely Used, Nigel Bevan, Journal of Usability Studies, Volume 4, Issue 3, May 2009, pp. 106-113

Conclusion

Success stories

The results Original success rate Final success rate Increase Client 38% 74% 36% Provider 44% 69% 25% Business 29% 77% 48% Target increase Actual increase Page views (users) 10% 25% Page views (staff) 10% 32%

How to create government websites that rock 01: Create a citizen-centred culture 02: Create an actionable, citizen-centric 03: Improve findability 04: Follow a user-centred design process online strategy

It shouldn't be “e-Government”. It should just be government

Thanks Trent Mankelow Optimal Usability [email_address]