Study says federal Web sites need to be easier to use

Web sites in the federal government provide the public with high-quality information, but they aren't easy to use, according to a recent study.

The Experience Design Group of Andersen's Office of Government Services, a Washington based consulting firm, tested 25 federal Web sites during November and December 2001 for usability. Andersen chose federal Web sites that had been singled out as "best in class" in e-government studies and awards programs to demonstrate that usability is an area that is often ignored. The sites of most major agencies were surveyed, including those of the Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Justice, Labor, Transportation and Treasury departments. For the study, "A Usability Analysis of Selected Federal Government Web Sites," Andersen analyzed the Web sites in four categories: branding, navigation, content and feedback. Branding, which includes visual design and editorial voice, was judged on how well the site's purpose was communicated. A site's contextual cues and other means to access information were judged under the navigation category. Content was judged on how well it was organized for the user, and feedback scores were based on the speed of confirmation and the format of responses. Agencies did well at posting clearly visible logos and other branding insignia, but got low scores on consistent application of branding across their sites. In fact, 68 percent of the sites studied had branding inconsistencies, the report found. For example, Labor Department Web pages displayed at least three separate logos, which could confuse users about the source of the information they are viewing, the report said. Similarly, 80 percent of sites scored poorly on navigation consistency. Forty-four percent did not have consistent global navigation, meaning home page navigation often disappeared or changed on the sites' secondary pages. The report also said that Web page site maps weren't helpful, with the worst site maps simply displaying an alphabetical listing of topics covered by the site. In addition, 72 percent of the search engines produced search results that did not contain meaningful document titles or clear summaries, and 60 percent of the Web sites studied did not organize their content with the user in mind, "making it difficult for visitors to find information." The report noted that the federal sector has unique factors that contribute to usability problems, such as complicated government regulations and contracting practices and shifting priorities that are based on political mandates. "The focus of Web sites has revolved not around satisfying user needs--which is why sites are built in the first place--but satisfying organizational and political mandates," the report said. In addition, many Internet consultants don't have government contracts because they're so hard to get. "The contracting process often takes so long to muddle through that the time available for effective usability analysis and correction borders on ridiculous," the report said. Furthermore, "portal mania," as the report called it, has contributed to usability problems in the government. "A slick front-end portal that provides cover for underlying sub-sites with poor usability does little to provide users with a better experience," the report noted. "As soon as a user digs one or two levels deep, usability problems surface." The report says Web sites can improve if senior executives understand the impact of poor usability on citizens and employees and develop a consistent Web strategy, which includes standard design elements. The report also urged agencies to be wary of portals. "Avoid them, concentrating instead on solving the underlying problems," the report said. Web site usability was the focus of a forum held this week by the Federal Consulting Group, a fee-for-service consulting unit of the Treasury Department. On Thursday, representatives from across government learned ways to measure and improve customer satisfaction with Web sites from usability experts at the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Labor Department experts use several techniques to measure usability, including a usability lab that is open to other federal agencies. The lab features a one-way mirror and videotaping equipment that allows researchers to study a user's movements and actions as they perform predetermined Web site tasks. By watching users stumble or speed through tasks, researchers can learn what is and isn't easy to do on their Web sites. Those who attended also had a chance to see a demonstration of a new product from ForeSee Results that uses the methodology of the American Customer Satisfaction Index to measure Web site usability and customer satisfaction. Last year, the federal government got its highest score ever on the index, which grades business and agencies on customer expectations, perceived quality and perceived value. Katy Saldarini contributed to this report.