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Imagine you hurt your foot and need information about getting it treated.
But the doctor’s website says things like:
- Tendon Injuries
- Ligament Injuries
- MRIs
- CT Scans
You don’t even know the difference between a ligament and a tendon, much less which one you’ve injured!
So you go to a different doctor’s website. It says things like:
- Schedule an Appointment
- What to Expect at Your Visit
- How Much Will I Owe?
You breathe a sigh of relief, confident that this doctor will understand your needs.
The person who designed the first website was thinking like a doctor.
The person who designed the second website was thinking like a patient.
Is the same thing happening on your government website?
According to Deloitte’s Michele Causey, “[Governments] often design our websites and services with our organizations in mind” instead of understanding citizens’ needs.
When you understand “the system” as well as you do, it can be hard to see it from an outsider’s perspective—just like doctors sometimes have trouble communicating in “plain English.”
That means some of your citizens may think your navigation is littered with confusing jargon and unintuitive paths. In fact, 38% of residents report that confusing navigation is their greatest barrier in accessing digital government services.
Why does this matter to your agency? And how can you tell if you have a problem? Read on to find out.
The Impact of Poor Website Navigation on Your Agency
You’ll encounter several problems if your website navigation is difficult for citizens. Some of them are obvious… But others—the most severe ones—are more insidious.
Communications Take Too Much Staff Time: Those phone calls from citizens who can’t figure out how to pay their water bill online or reserve a park for their family reunion? They’re taking up your staff’s valuable time that they could use on other things.
Difficulty Keeping Information Current: Convoluted navigation makes updating information on the website harder. This can lead to outdated information on your site, which complicates interactions with the public and increases the risk of providing poor service.
Distrust in Government Agencies: Residents dissatisfied with their digital experiences are less likely to trust government agencies. Distrustful residents are more difficult to govern, making life more difficult at every level of your organization.
Compounding Digital Inequities: Racial/ethnic minorities and lower-income Americans report higher difficulties with government website navigation. While narrowing the digital divide is a complex challenge, making information easier to access on your site can only be a step in the right direction.
How Do You Know if Your Government Website’s Navigation is Working?
Is your agency’s website working for your citizens? Here’s how you can tell:
Phone Calls: You get repeated phone calls asking for the same information. Ask different departments’ receptionists about questions they get frequently. You might discover that reserving a park for an event is not as easy as you thought!
Complaints: Your social media accounts get tagged with people complaining about your website. Yes, we know. Some people will complain about anything! But smart organizations take note if they’re repeatedly getting the same feedback.
Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a goldmine of data about how people interact with your website. Download our e-book for examples of how to use Google Analytics for government websites.
So, What Now?
Now that you understand the issues your website navigation may be causing you, what should you do?
Download “User-Friendly Government Website Navigation: The Ultimate Guide” for practical tips on:
- The fundamentals of user-centric design
- Using data to understand your user
- Types of government website navigation menus
- Demographic considerations in setting up your navigation