[OPLINLIST] FYI: Government Usability Standards
Frank Atkinson
franka@ohcapcon.com
Wed, 29 Oct 2003 15:25:53 -0500
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E-GOVERNMENT
GOVT WEBSITE GUIDELINES CREATED WITH DESIGNERS, USERS IN MIND After two
years of research, the US Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) has published 187 guidelines for effective Web design and
organization of material. Sanjay Koyani, senior usability engineer for
HHS, said the goal is to help government, academic, commercial and other
entities create websites that are based on user research and not
personal opinions. The guidelines cover such issues as accessibility,
home page design, site navigation, writing, graphics and content
organization. The HHS guidelines, Koyani said, should pay off for
agencies that need to post information quickly. "We've listed all the
guidelines in rank of importance," he explained. "You can look at those
and focus on what is important." The guidelines are timely, as
governments experience growing demands from the public for answers to
questions and increasing pressure to hold down overhead costs. Recent
estimates show that there are more than 22,000 governmental websites,
providing more than 35 million Web pages. More than 60 percent of
Internet users in the United States go to a federal Internet site each
year.
SOURCE: Washington Post; AUTHOR: Stephen Barr
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26915-2003Oct27.html
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(c) Benton Foundation 2003. Redistribution of this Internet publication
-- both internally and externally -- is encouraged if it includes this
message.
Frank Atkinson
franka@ohcapcon.com
Rotunda Inc / Ohio Capitol Connection
http://www.rotundacollection.com
21 W. Broad St #1000
Columbus, Ohio
614-227-5820
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<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier =
New"'>E-GOVERNMENT<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
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New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>GOVT
WEBSITE GUIDELINES CREATED WITH DESIGNERS, USERS IN MIND After two years =
of
research, the US Department of Health and Human =
Services<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>(HHS)
has published 187 guidelines for effective Web design and organization =
of
material. Sanjay <span class=3DSpellE>Koyani</span>, senior usability =
engineer
for HHS, said the goal is to help government, academic, commercial and =
other
entities create websites that are based on user research and not =
personal
opinions. The guidelines cover such issues as accessibility, home page =
design,
site navigation, writing, graphics and content organization. The HHS
guidelines, <span class=3DSpellE>Koyani</span> said, should pay off for =
agencies
that need to post information quickly. "We've listed all the =
guidelines in
rank of importance," he explained. "You can look at those and =
focus
on what is important." The guidelines are timely, as governments
experience growing demands from the public for answers to questions and
increasing pressure to hold down overhead costs. Recent estimates show =
that
there are more than 22,000 governmental websites, providing more than 35
million Web pages. More than 60 percent of Internet users in the =
</span></font><st1:country-region><st1:place><font
size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>United
States</span></font></st1:place></st1:country-region><font size=3D2
face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> go
to a federal Internet site each year.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>SOURCE:
</span></font><st1:State><st1:place><font size=3D2 face=3D"Courier =
New"><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier =
New"'>Washington</span></font></st1:place></st1:State><font
size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>
Post; AUTHOR: Stephen Barr <a
href=3D"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26915-2003Oct27.ht=
ml">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26915-2003Oct27.html</=
a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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New"'>-------------------------------------------------------------------=
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>(c)
</span></font><st1:City><st1:place><font size=3D2 face=3D"Courier =
New"><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier =
New"'>Benton</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font
size=3D2 face=3D"Courier New"><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>
Foundation 2003. Redistribution of this Internet publication -- both =
internally
and externally -- is encouraged if it includes this =
message.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;mso-no-proof:yes'>Frank Atkinson
&=
nbsp; &n=
bsp;
<a =
href=3D"mailto:franka@ohcapcon.com">franka@ohcapcon.com</a></span></font>=
<span
style=3D'mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;mso-no-proof:yes'>Rotunda Inc / Ohio Capitol
Connection &nb=
sp;
<a =
href=3D"http://www.rotundacollection.com">http://www.rotundacollection.co=
m</a></span></font><span
style=3D'mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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Broad St
#1000</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><span =
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an></font></st1:City><font
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yes'>, </span></font><st1:State><font size=3D1 face=3DArial><span
=
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/font></st1:State></st1:place><span
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D1 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Arial;mso-no-proof:yes'>614-227-5820</span></font><span
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