top user experience challenges in government

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Top User Experience Challenges in Government

Jonathan RubinFirst Fridays Usability ProgramJuly 10, 2013

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1. Survey Results: Gov UX Challenges

Our Survey of UX Activities

1. Survey Monkey with 65 respondents

2. 100% Cabinet agencies

3. Co-created with Jean Fox (+ thanks Axle Brown)

4. Not scientific or representative

5. Goal: • Audience research• Develop web-based and in-person training• Share aggregate in presentations, etc.

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What we asked

1. Agency (but anonymous)

2. About you – title, UX education, team size

3. How widespread is UX

4. Challenges to implementing UX

5. Resources

6. Types of UCD methods

7. What would help?

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Good newsAverage team: 2 PT and 2 FT

Wide range of UX methods being used• #1 surveys, #2 style guide, #3 tests

Thirst for training, many self-taught

91% doing UX on websites, ⅓ mobile

Using respected tools (20% eyetracking!)

Future: More testing, services

Some agencies have UX institutionalized

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Challenges / Lack of…Awareness:

• “[People] refuse to believe the results of usability tests because they are painful.”

• “We are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars without one usability test. Web staff understand the need, but no one is listening.”

Facilities• “No facilities” / “Our lab is about 15 years

young”

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Challenges / Lack of…

Resources• “Very old models are used for interaction”• “Army of one”

Training • “Figure it out as we go along”

Standards / Best Practices• “Applying standard best practices can be

challenging… many offices and components have different processes and standards.”

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34%

17%15%

15%

6%

6%5%

2%

What best describes what you do?

Website Mngr

Other

Project Mngr

UX Specialist

Web Designer

IA

Researcher

Web Metrics Mngr

# UX staff

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Part Time Full Time

Had at least 1 person

86% 59%

Median # of people

2 2

Average # of people

2 3

Range of people

0-10 0-30

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College / Grad school

Certification Workshops, webinars

On-the-job mentorship

Other0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Where did your staff get UX training?

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Top to Bottom UX

Used frequently

Occasional UX

Know but don't practice

No one knows UX

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

3%

19%

46%

25%

8%

How widespread is UX at your organization?

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Web

sites

Applic

ation

s

Web

For

ms

Mob

ile A

pps

Mob

ile S

ites

APIs

Print m

ater

ials

Oth

er0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

What types of UX products do you work on?

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% Who “Often” or “Always” use

Tests: Mobile

Contextual inquiries

Focus groups

Tests: Remote

Personas

Tests: High Fidelity

User Analysis

Expert Reviews

Task Analysis

Tests: In-person

Surveys

Style guides

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

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% Who “Never” use these methods

Personas

Tests: Remote

Context. Inquiries

Tests: High Fidelity

Test: Mobile

Card sorts

Tests: Low Fidelity

Affinity diagrams

Tests:: First-Click

Tests: Eyetracking

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

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How often do you perform usability tests?

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Don't Know0

5

10

15

20

25

In person Remote

Asked about UX methods• Top 3: Surveys, Style guide, Tests • Bottom 3: Affinity diagrams

Eyetracking, First Click• 10% never a usability test – bad?• 16% never a survey• Task analysis - 8.5% always, 55%

sometimes

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Training Needs• “UX Training classes - webinars aren't

enough”• “Software” - Morae, Surveys, CrazyEgg• “Any and all”• “Be more aware of findings”• “How to get buy-in from higher ups “• Methods: First-Click Testing, Style Guides,

Card Sorts, Surveys, Task analysis

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Plans for the future

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Asked about future plans:

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Biggest obstacle to using UX?

Tried UX, failed

Other

No UX awareness

Don't get UX ROI

UX not built in

Lack of time

No resources

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

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One-way mirror

Observation room

Testing room

Other

Multi-purpose rooms

No space for testing

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Which do you have? (check all)

Challenges / Lack of…Resources - staff and metrics software

Awareness – Managers not sold on UX

Training - Staff and Manager

Standards / Best Practices

Testing facilities

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2. Top Gov UX Problems on Sites

Two types of gov challenges:1. Gov UX Strategic and Resource

challenges(Survey)

2. Persistency UX problems on fed websites (FF test data)

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FF Test Data1. 29 products reviewed in 2012

2. 130+ significant problems

3. 32 different usability categories - problems big and small

Thanks to Cynthia, Molly, Josh, and Ruth!

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Top 6 Usability Challenges1. Navigation difficult, confusing or hidden

2. Search feature hidden or doesn’t work

3. Forms difficult to use

4. Purpose of site unclear

5. Difficulty with Top Tasks

6. Lack of Plain Language

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1. Navigation difficult to use

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Before After

• Average daily visits up 50%• Mobile Home visits up 32%• Help Page visits up 1200%• Desktop site visits up 3.3%

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2. Poor search functionality

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Before: 7 text items to scan

After: 3 text items to scan

3. Forms require too much effort

3. Forms difficult to use1. Too much effort

2. Poor terminology

3. Malfunction / deleted answers

4. Too many questions

5. Unclear what’s required

3. Forms difficult to use1. Too much effort

2. Poor terminology

3. Malfunction / deleted answers

4. Too many questions

5. Unclear what’s required

4. Purpose of Site Unclear

5. Difficulty with top tasks

5. Difficulty with top tasks1. Can’t find info via any means or know

where to begin

5. Difficulty with top tasks1. Can’t find info via any means or know

where to begin

6. Lack of Plain Language

6. Lack of Plain Language1. Insider Speak

2. Technical / scientific terms

3. Jargon

4. Alphabet soup

Top 6 Usability Challenges1. Navigation difficult, confusing or hidden

2. Search feature hidden or doesn’t work

3. Forms difficult to use

4. Purpose of site unclear

5. Can't find what they are looking for

6. Lack of Plain Language

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Wrap up: Opportunities

• Howto.gov • Us – howto.gov/firstfridays• Blog.howto.gov – 3,000+ subscribers• DigitalGov University - howto.gov/training • User Experience Community of Practice• Usability Testing Community of Practice

Share your greatness

• Email us at firstfridays@gsa.gov or let people know about:• Labs or conference space to share?• Great tools or resources (e.g. Expert Eval tool or

Persona template)• Best Practices• Testimonials• ROI stats• Speakers available

First Fridays Usability Program

Jonathan Rubin

Jonathan.rubin@gsa.gov

Twitter: @govnewmedia

www.Howto.gov/firstfridays

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