e-Government - Evaluate Website Usability
How Ipsos MORI Can Help You Conduct e-Government Research
Evaluate: Website Usability
Ipsos MORI has been involved in public sector website usability since 2000, when it carried out an audit of 30 public sector websites for the COI Digital Media Team and the Office of the e-Envoy. Since then Ipsos MORI has conducted numerous public sector website usability studies, many of them confidential. Our approach, which we have used both in the public and private sectors, is to conduct a "usability lab" with a series of depth interviews. This involves setting up the technology, and then allowing the respondent to explore and use what is offered to assess the usability of the resource and its functions. For example:
- Reactions to navigation, information architecture, overall look and feel
- Barriers to completing various common transactions on the site
- Users' understanding of the limitations on the site and why they might have to use other channels to get the information they need
- Ability to find specific information and services
Ipsos MORI has carried out usability tests for info4local, the West London Alliance and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
We have also adapted this technique into a number of unique and creative projects, including studies where website usability has been used to collect quantitative data from 100 users, to taking the usability lab on the road to visit users in their own workplace.
Our understanding of the issues citizens face when interacting with public sector organisations, drawn from our social research experience, has meant that Ipsos MORI has a deep understanding of how they react to public sector websites. It is not just about assessing whether a design is attractive or usable, but whether users can access key services and complete a transaction. Ipsos MORI also advises on communications to help boost website usage, and has analysed quantitative data to target key customer groups for the London Borough of Brent and the e-Citizen National Project.