top user experience challenges in government
DESCRIPTION
Jonathan Rubin, First Fridays Usability Program. July 10, 2013TRANSCRIPT
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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 [email protected] 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
Twitter: @govnewmedia
www.Howto.gov/firstfridays
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