Some Advice beyond Forrester...

The usability of eGovernment websites has a ways to go, according to Forrester Research  (Making eGovernment Web Sites Usable, Dec. 20, 2005). They used their proprietary website review process on a total of 7 major government websites. In conclusion they suggest using Scenario Design to improve their sites, which asks: Who are your users?; what are their goals?; and how can you help them achieve those goals?

Coincidentally, I had the chance to use the survey's top-rated site recently, as I filled out FAFSA applications twice - one for each of my freshmen twins. It was easy, but it was also easy to see how it could have been improved. Wish I had taken notes, although I'll have the pleasure of doing it all over again soon enough. Hmm, maybe I will take notes!

Just about any website can be improved. I doubt, however, that anyone needs to rely on Forrester's proprietary review process to improve these sites. For example, try wikipedia's entry for "usability testing", or even this "classic" (i.e., really old) tutorial on Information Architecture.

Finally, I can't buy in to Forrester's final advice: "Stick To The Basics To Make Government Sites Usable." Rather, implement projects that yield the highest value to our nation as a whole. My advice: save your money on this report; instead, try Forrester's IT portfolio management techniques to help balance competing priorities.

Looking forward, we should start seeing more government websites integrate collaboration capabilities, connecting the human user to a human guide who can help them through the tough spots where general automation strategies just won't work. Simple user observations can yield all sorts of insights into how well these innovations work.

6:39:02 PM    
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