U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Usability.Gov
Content and Interactivity
The redesigned Usability.gov has been rewritten, revised, and retested with users to dramatically improve content and increase interactivity. Content was refocused to meet users’ needs, redrafted multiple times to follow Webcontent.gov and PlainLanguage.gov guidance, and tested to meet users’ goals. Usability.gov content now offers tools for multiple audiences, from a step-by-step approach for the usability novice (http://www.usability.gov/plan/index.html) to sophisticated methods for experienced users (http://www.usability.gov/methods/). Users benefit from interactivity, like a new search function, an improved “Contact Us” system for answering users’ questions, and a “Templates & Examples” section that allows users to customize tools to meet their audiences’ needs.
Design, Usability and Accessibility
Best practices, such as customer surveys, informal interviews, usability testing, and committee reviews helped ensure that Usability.gov’s site navigation and structure are highly consistent and intuitive. Usability testing validated users’ ability to quickly and successfully find information with high satisfaction. The search engine and sitemap, which follow Webcontent.gov’s guidance and usability test findings, significantly enhance users’ search strategies. We tested the site on multiple accessibility checkers, browsers, and operating systems to ensure compliance. Audiences identified unmet needs, which led to new features, e.g., a “Usability 101” section and visual process for showing usability.
Evaluation and Metrics
Usability.gov has an evaluation strategy for continually assessing/improving the site. Surveys, informal interviews, usability testing, committee review, and log analyses were used, and will be used continually, to improve the site. These best practices/techniques showed significant and measured improvement in users’ ability to locate, find, and use information and tools. Following launch in July 2006, we’ll be assessing site and search engine logs to determine user behavior and learn what terminology they use. User feedback is being captured and measured through informal presentations and Usability.gov’s feedback mechanism. Additional usability testing will be conducted to improve the site further.
Wildcard Category
Usability.gov’s innovation focuses its content and tools to help agencies achieve the promise of e-government, the President’s Management Agenda, and other initiatives. Usability.gov empowers agencies to employ usability to measure performance, achieve citizen-centric websites, and involve citizens in government decisions. Our revised site incorporates significant contributions from the many Federal agencies that have worked together to achieve citizen-centric websites. Of particular note are “Lessons Learned” by FEMA.gov and U.S.-CERT, which tested and redesigned their sites using Usability.gov. By sharing this valuable information, other government sites will benefit from usability data gathered from Federal website users.
