2010 upa presentation final version

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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

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Questions?

Miriam Gervermiriam.gerver@census.gov301-763-1836