Presented May 7, 2008
Communicate with Citizens
Utilizing the City of Reno Website

www.cityofreno.com
Topics
Overview
Data Since New Website Launch
Top Requested Pages
Know Your Audience
Focus on Tasks
How to Determine Citizen Tasks
Help User Complete the Task
Organizing Content
Writing for the Web

www.cityofreno.com
Overview
• Data since new website launch
Website Hits, July 2007-April 2008

www.cityofreno.com
Overview
• Data since new website launch
Website Sessions, July 2007-April 2008

www.cityofreno.com
Overview
• Data since new website launch
Website Pageviews, July 2007-April 2008

www.cityofreno.com
Overview
• Top Requested Pages (July 2007-April 2008)
– Jobs & Recruitment
– Job Listings
– Special Events Calendar
– City Calendar
– Virtual Permit Place
– PRCS

www.cityofreno.com
Know Your Audience
• 2006 Reno City Services Survey
– 70% of respondents use the internet
– 49% of those who use the internet had
accessed the City of Reno website
Note: 2006 Survey was conducted prior to launch of new website

www.cityofreno.com
Know Your Audience
• Reasons for visiting City website
– 21% Obtain info about local events
– 18% Obtain info from a specific office
– 14% View job postings
Note: 2006 Survey was conducted prior to launch of new website

www.cityofreno.com
Focus on Tasks
• Citizens visit the City of Reno website with
a specific task in mind.
• If our site does not help them complete
that task, they will leave.

www.cityofreno.com
Focus on Tasks
• Learn what tasks are important to citizens
– Listen to customer questions
Where can I find information about …?
Do I qualify for…?
How do I…?

www.cityofreno.com
Focus on Tasks
• Learn what tasks are important to citizens
– Review Reno Direct reports

www.cityofreno.com
Focus on Tasks
• Learn what tasks are important to citizens
– Talk to customers
• Ask what is most important to them
• If your dept. sponsors an info booth at a public
event, ask citizens what they’d like to see online.
• Take every opportunity to talk to people about your
department’s services & info on our website.

www.cityofreno.com
Focus on Tasks
• Help your user complete the task
– Ask yourself…
• Does each piece of info help people get from point
A
A to point B? B
• After reading a page, can the user figure out what
to do next?
• Does certain info make task easier, or is it clutter?
• If the visitor stumbles into the “middle” of a task,
can they find their way back to the beginning?

www.cityofreno.com
Focus on Tasks
• Help your user complete the task
– Walk in their shoes
• Pretend you don't know anything about your dept.,
City structure, or the rules associated with the task.
Then document each step your visitor needs to go
through to get from start to finish.
• If someone called and asked the same question,
what would you tell them? How would
you explain the process?

www.cityofreno.com
Organizing Content
• Organize content based on audience
needs, not organizational structure
• Use common elements
• Don't duplicate existing content
• Manage links
• Apply metadata

www.cityofreno.com
Writing for the Web
• Websites are based on words. If our
website is poorly written, we will not
communicate effectively.
• We do not want to waste the reader's time
and provide poor customer service.

www.cityofreno.com
Writing for the Web
• Follow these guidelines
– Write for a 6th grade level on main webpages
and an 8th grade level on subpages.
– Limit paragraphs to 4-6 lines & double-space
in between. The more “white space”, the
easier to read.
– Use headings to separate
groups of information
– Pages should be scanable

www.cityofreno.com
Writing for the Web
• Follow these guidelines
– Start with the conclusion.
– Do not use “Click Here.” Instead, use
descriptive words.
– Websites don’t read like a book. Don’t
assume user has read the preceding pages.
– Always keep your pages in check with our
Website Standards Handbook.

www.cityofreno.com
Sources
• WebContent.gov
• City of Reno 2006 Citizen Satisfaction Survey
• City of Reno Website Standards Handbook