2010 upa presentation final version
TRANSCRIPT
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Usability of e-government web forms around the world
Miriam GerverU.S. Census Bureau
Disclaimer: This report is released to inform interested parties of (ongoing) research and to encourage discussion (of work in progress). Any views expressed on (statistical, methodological, technical, or operational) issues are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Presentation Goal
Highlight best practices of web forms that have been implemented in government sites
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Multi-Disciplinary Research
• Website usability in general (including eye tracking)
• Online forms design• Paper forms design• Survey methodology research• Government studies
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Resources• Guidelines (United States, Australian and
Norwegian Government Agencies) • Books• Articles
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Topics
1. Initial impression2. Web content3. Page & Question design (layout, appearance)4. Help and instructions5. Data entry and manipulation6. Navigation7. Saving for records8. Feedback and additional information
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1. Initial Impression
_______________________________Image from: http://classroomclipart.com
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• Common browsers and operating systems• Connection speed• Credibility
– Headers, footers, logos• Images to facilitate learning• Background color• Limit prose on homepage (logon page)• Material needed before start• Time commitment
1. Initial Impression
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____________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
1. Initial Impression
Establish credibility
Useful image
Limited prose
Time commitment
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From Potaka, L. (2008). Comparability and Usability: Key issues in the design of internet forms for New Zealand’s 2006 Census of Populations and Dwellings. Survey Research Methods, 2(1), p. 4, fig. 1
1. Initial Impression
Useful image
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2. Web Content
• Ask only what you need to know• Define words• Use easy to understand words
– for the respondent population• Use abbreviations sparingly, but not always
possible to do so• Limit number of words and sentences
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3. Page & Question Design
• General “look and feel”• Field label alignment• Non-prominent, but relevant, information:
footer
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3. Page Design: General “Look and Feel”
• Minimum amount of visual information• Space between questions• Descriptive column headings in tables• Mixed or sentence case• Avoid underlining words
___________________From: http://forms.gov.il
3. Page Design: General “Look and Feel”
Unnecessary borders
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________________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business R&D and Innovation Survey
3. Page Design: General “Look and Feel”
Dollars marked
Extra zeros
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_____________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Services Annual Survey
3. Page Design: General “Look and Feel”
Percentage signs marked
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3. Page Design: Field Label Alignment
______________________________________________________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Wholesale Trade Survey and Bureau’s Business R&D and Innovation Survey
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• Easy to find, visually associated with field• Novice vs. expert users• Symbols to indicate help• Easy to read
4. Help and Instructions
4. Help and Instructions
___________________________________________________From: http://www.elmer.no/retningslinjer/pdf/elmer2-english.pdf
Help and instructions
Symbols to indicate help
4. Help and Instructions
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From Potaka, L. (2008). Comparability and Usability: Key issues in the design of internet forms for New Zealand’s 2006 Census of Populations and Dwellings. Survey Research Methods, 2(1), p. 4, fig. 1
Hover over help (translation)
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5. Data Entry and Manipulation• Login• Flexibility of data input• Tabbing• Horizontal Scrolling
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From Potaka, L. (2008). Comparability and Usability: Key issues in the design of internet forms for New Zealand’s 2006 Census of Populations and Dwellings. Survey Research Methods, 2(1), p. 4, fig. 1
5. Data Entry and Manipulation: Login
5. Data Entry and Manipulation: Login
____________________________________________________________________________________________Cited by Caroline Jarrett: http://elearning.ina.pt/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=65&Itemid=31
Multi-step login
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____________________________________________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Capital Expenditure Survey and Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
5. Data Entry and Manipulation: Easier Data Input
Specific formatting, higher user burden
Lower user burden
_______________________________________________________________________________From: https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco/RenderEngine?eForms_timestamp=1265139882238
5. Data Entry and Manipulation: Flexible Data Input
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________________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business R&D and Innovation Survey
5. Data Entry and Manipulation: Tabbing
OR
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5. Data Entry and Manipulation: No Horizontal Scrolling
_______________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
5. Data Entry and Manipulation: No Horizontal Scrolling
___________________________________________________From: http://www.elmer.no/retningslinjer/pdf/elmer2-english.pdf
Section 1
Section 2
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6. Navigation
• Clear path to completion• Section to section• Links• Numbering and labeling of items• Back and next buttons• Skip patterns
– Scrolling vs. paging
6. Navigation: Clear Path
______________________________________________________From the U.S. Department of Education’s application for student aid
6. Navigation: Section to Section
Left-hand navigation panel
______________________________________________________From the U.S. Department of Education’s application for student aid
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6. Navigation: Section to Section
______________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
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6. Navigation: Section to Section
________________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business R&D and Innovation Survey
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6. Navigation: Back and Next Buttons
• Next on the left side:– Path to completion– Primary & secondary buttons
• Next on the right side:– Expectations– Reading patterns
Back Next
BackNext
6. Navigation: Back and Next Buttons
___________________________________________From: http://www.uie.com/articles/previous_next_luke
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6. Navigation: Skip Patterns
• Also called “conditional branching”• Two options for irrelevant questions:
– Gray out– Hide
6. Navigation: Skip Patterns
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From Potaka, L. (2008). Comparability and Usability: Key issues in the design of internet forms for New Zealand’s 2006 Census of Populations and Dwellings. Survey Research Methods, 2(1), p. 4, fig. 1
6. Navigation: Skip Patterns
___________________________________________________From: http://www.elmer.no/retningslinjer/pdf/elmer2-english.pdf
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7. Saving for Records• Conveyed to the user that information is
saved from screen to screen• Information should be able to be saved for
review, printing, and record keeping purposes
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7. Saving for Records
____________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
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8. Feedback and Additional Information
• Error or warning messages• Inline validation and calculation• Review screen• Submission confirmation & thank you
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8. Feedback and Additional Information: Error Messages
• What, where, how (to fix)• Double visual language• Symbols• Color
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8. Feedback and Additional Information
____________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
•Well-displayed
•Double visual language
•How to fix or ignore problem
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8. Feedback and Additional Information: Inline Validation & Calculation
• Imposing parameters (limits) on data entered
– But allow users to override• Automatic calculation
1. Calculate button2. Automatically calculate when go to next cell
Show calculation formula in either case
8. Feedback and Additional Information: Inline Validation & Calculation
_______________________________________________________________________________From: https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco/RenderEngine?eForms_timestamp=1265139882238
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8. Feedback and Additional Information: Review Screen
• Should always be included, even if permitted to submit with errors
• Navigate back to errors• Review screen update• Provide a way for quick review
– PDF view of data– Summary of all/key information
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8. Feedback and Additional Information: Review Screen
____________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
Navigate back to errors
Submit with errors
Updates when errors fixed
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8. Feedback and Additional Information: Submission Confirmation & thank you
• Able to print or save• Any payment transaction noted• Should include, at minimum:
– Agency name– Form title (and subtitle, if applicable)– User name– Date and time stamp– Confirmation number, if applicable
• Thank you
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8. Feedback and Additional Information: Submission Confirmation & thank you
____________________________________________________From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
Print confirmation screen
Agency nameForm title
User nameDate and time stamp
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Summary
• Make a good first impression • Data entry should be easy to enter correctly• Getting from question to question and
section to section should be intuitive• Method of saving information for records
should be clear• Feedback given to the user, such as error
messages, review info, and submission confirmation, should be clear
