Website Redesign for a Government Programbetagov.org/completed-trials/FLDEO-Snapshot.pdf · To...

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Testing methods for increasing responsivityand customer satisfaction via website design

Agency: Florida Department ofEconomic Opportunity

Trial Duration:03/13/17–04/09/17

Pracademics*: Gregory Moore,Robin Hess, Melinda Vealey

ContextA user­friendly website can assistclients in accessing necessaryinformation, which may increasetrust in the agency's services.Furthermore, the website can helpinform service delivery and reducemisunderstandings, therebyreducing staff burden.

Key FindingThe redesigned website is moreuser­friendly. Clients access thewebsite and FAQ pages foranswers, instead of calling theservice center, reducing staffburden.

BackgroundPublic agencies use online platforms to offerimportant resources and services. Websiteinformation should be easy to locate,access, and understand. A well­designedwebsite reduces burden on staff byproviding answers to frequently askedquestions, increases public trust in theagency’s performance, and increases userparticipation and satisfaction. To improveaccess to Reemployment Assistance (RA),the Florida Department of EconomicOpportunity (DEO) redesigned their externalRA website.

Trial DesignInitially planned as a randomized controlledtrial whereby users would be randomlyprovided with the existing or redesignedwebsite, the DEO opted to test two websites— the original for two weeks followed by theredesigned website for two weeks.Outcomes included identification of featuresclients most wanted to use, optimalnavigation elements, and effectivepresentation of information. Changes areshown in the table. Data were collectedduring two consecutive two­week timeperiods, including drop­off rate by pagedepth (time spent on page), websitecomments, FAQ­page viewership, clients’

willingness to recommend the site, and callsreceived by the service center.

ResultsPage drop­off rate remained similar,although users spent slightly longer onsome pages of the new website. Comparedto the original, the redesigned website hadfewer comments, higher FAQ­pageviewership (by 11%), and received almost5,500 fewer weekly calls to the servicecenter. Findings also indicate that users aremore willing to recommend the redesignedpage to others. The DEO’s redesignedwebsite successfully addressed importantcustomer­service concerns. Although not arandomized controlled trial, this suggeststhat an easily navigated website improvesservice efficiency and client satisfaction.

Website Redesign fora Government Program

Changes from Original toRedesigned Website

Landing page

FAQ page

Service­center banner

Log­on portal

Tax information

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