Article Submitted by Tony Petros of Website Design Express
So, why does one visit a government website?
It’s very simple – citizens need to find information and the website that you need to design has to be created for that very purpose. In web design parlance, the way you go about it is defined as following a user-centered design process.
Any difficult that citizens might face in finding related information can cause controversy and you the web designer must be very wary of this so as to make their search as easy as possible.
So, here are 3 simple tips that you must keep in mind when designing government websites:
#1: Transparency
Unlike the White House website which doesn’t score very well in helping people to find the information they want, thanks to a lack of organization with the site. Alternatively, one example that does stand out in regard to transparency is the Santa Monica City Council’s website.
However, the White House site provides an easy search box for users to find information. As for the Santa Monica Council website, when the results are directed to Google, the information is difficult to sort out while the search results aren’t relevant.
#2: Issues
The importance of this aspect of a government website cannot be understated. Again, the ideal is providing simple and straight-forward information much like Sen. Rand Paul’s website does. However, if you look at Governor Rick Perry’s website, it isn’t so focused on the ‘issues’ but really all about the news. No matter what, make the information of issues easy to find on the website.
#3: Necessity for Mainstream Design
Sticking to a mainstream design is imperative for government websites as they will be taken seriously if they come across polished and professional in its design. In most cases, blue and green are the colors used and if you look at other government sites, you’ll know immediately what you should do in order to create an acceptable website. This will also ensure that you get repeat business in the long run.