10 steps towards a user-friendly local government website

As the central government keeps moving more responsiblities towards local governments, the usability of their website becomes increasingly important. As a citizen, you want to be able to arrange your affairs online as easily and effectively as possible. In this article I will describe ten steps a local government can apply in order to increase the usability of their website.

Many local governments in the Netherlands are hard at work to meet the ‘web guidelines’ as set by the Dutch government for all governmental websites. These guidelines are based on open standards that ensure a certain level of accesibility and usability of websites. But there is more to the story. Meeting these guidelines does not automatically mean the website is truly easy to use; it merely states some minimum requirements have been met. On many of the local government websites with this governmental hallmark, it can still be quite the challange to apply for a new passport or drivers licence.

A better indication of website usability is obtainable through a so-called toptask-analysis. In order to uncover the current state of the local government website in the Netherlands, we have examined the websites of the 100 largest Dutch municipalities by testing four top tasks. During this research, we repeatedly encountered the following ten usability issues. We have summarised them here and bundled them with some hands-on advise, so every local government will be able to work towards a user-friendly website in ten simple steps.

1. Re-use & recycle: don’t reinvent the wheel.

Much of the information on your municipal website is similar to that of surrounding municipalities. Visitor of a municipal websites do not expect originality in presentation or content. They will also only visit the website of their own local government and will therefore not be comparing it with others. So learn from other municipalites that score well in the online department, or make arrangements for the reuse of text and structure.

2. Deeper pages are the core of the website

While the homepage and index pages often get a lot of editorial attention, visitors usually come for information or products on deeper pages. Also, an increasing amount of visitors no longer enter through the homepage: search engines like Google send them directly to the deeper pages. The deeper pages are therefor the core of the website and should receive the most attention in terms of content and layout.

Ensure that the published text is consise and easy to scan. Don’t use long sentences, make clear paragraphs and lists and apply call-to-action buttons and links that stand out. The content of the text also deserves attention:

• Use an informal tone of voice: simple but informative
• Avoid jargon, ‘expensive’ words and long sentences
• Do not use the passive tense
• Minimilize auxiliary verbs such as ‘will’ and ‘can’
• Do not use metaphors

On top of this, ensure each page clearly and prominently states the source — the municipality. Because even if people don’t arrive on a deeper page through the website, it should be evident whose page it is.

3. Write in inverted pyramid: most important message first

Make sure the most important information at the top of the page and only then mention secondary information and exceptions. This secondary information is expected to be relevant only for a smaller group of readers. Make the pages action oriented by placing the primary action high on the page (e.g. make an appointment, reporting litter) and distinguishing them (visually) from the text.

4. Reach mobile users

A growing number of users frequently accesses the internet via smartphone or tablet. They'll expect a similar or better experience on their mobile device than their a desktop computer — also when visiting the website of their municipality. So make sure buttons and hyperlinks are sufficiently sized to operate with finger. A responsive website, of which the layout adapts to the size of the screen, is a must to achieve this.

Please note that some people do not have a smartphone on which they can download and install apps. Offering only an app for example reporting litter is not sufficient. Also provide a simple online form or telephone number.

5. Keep forms as simple as possible

For forms the KISS principle is still relevant: keep it short and simple. Keep forms short, so that users can accomplish with minimal input their tasks. Consider also the appearance of the form. Is the page instantly recognisable as a form? Is it clear what steps the user must go through and what information he or she is asked? Additionally, offer solution-focussed error messages in the input field when a user fills out information incorrectly or forgets to fill.

Presents forms in the same design as the main website. Users may be put off if they end up on another website when having to provide the municipality data. Making an appointment or reporting litter are tasks that are typically performed on mobile devices; so keep this in mind. Make sure forms are optimised for small screens and that they can be easily used with fingers.

6. The entire website is a digital counter

For visitors, the whole website is perceived as a digital counter. Regardless of the various systems that may be running in the background to provide all the necessary information. So it's important to bring all information on a specific topic together on a single page, which is easy to find and offers direct links to the necessary forms or (contact) information.

7. Provide an easily accessible contact page

Providing contact information in a block on the left, right or bottom of the page is good, but not enough. Also provide a specific contact page with opening hours, address and contact details on it. Make sure this page is easily accessible via the menu and ensure it is properly found by Google.

Is it possible to visit the municipal office on appointment? Then offer a clearly visible inline option in the article for making an appointment, not anywhere in a left or right column. Is it possible to ask questions via social media? Then ensure this is mentioned on the page and provide clear links to the specific Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

8. Don’t think you’re there with an accessibility hallmark

The websites rewarded with a 'Drempelvrij' accessibility hallmark did not always prove to be more user-friendly than those without. The label certainly contributes to the accessibility and searchability of the website, but it is by no means a guarantee for a user-friendly website. So always keep performing user research and apply your findings to provide the right top tasks.

9. Provide an efficient search functionality

Make sure that the search provides clear and relevant results. Distinguish results with task-focussed (product)information from those containing news and results of city council minutes. Remember users are spoiled with search engines like Google so ensure your search function mimics Googles effectiveness and presentation as much as possible.

A typo is easily made and not every user writes perfect Dutch. Therefore make sure that the search function is configured for common typos and synonyms and directly shows the results for the correct spelling. Also take into account subjects that the municipality does not offer, yet are often sought after. Users are uncertain when they do not find the information they seek. So even if your municipality does not require a permit for a terrace, still state this information on a page on ‘terrace permits'. Regularly check the search terms entered on the website to determine what information needs to be supplemented.

10. Ask users for input regularly

The best way to improve a website and to trace errors is by asking users for input frequently. This may be a little online tool or a simple comment field at the bottom, but often a usability test the most effective. Municipalities have the unique position that their end-users enter their building on a daily basis. Find people in the waiting lines and ask them for a few minutes of their time. Let users complete a task and watch how they use the website, where they search for information and especially where they run into issues.

What are your experiences?

What is your experience with the website of your own municipality? What were you looking for last time you visited their website and how easily did you accomplish this task? Do you have suggestions they can improve, or is the website of your municipality a great example for others? Let us know in the comments!