April 12, 2000 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Carol Gibson, Senior Internet Strategist; Carta, Inc.

• Know which pages are to be designed. Each box in the User Path diagram represents an ASP screen. The chart may be confusing to developers because it does not show servers.

• Show screen by screen the user’s path to purchase a permit.

• Include all screens, including error messages.

Washington State Parks’ Site Map was displayed showing user path by arrows. This path was shown in the form of a User Path, generally a circle with beginning and end points for the user’s action(s). Both diagrams indicated that the user would be required to click several times in order to buy a Boat Moorage e-Permit. Both diagrams are very useful in identifying (a) the number of "clicks" and complexity a user will face when applying for a permit.

Site maps are usually accompanied by a road map (narrative) that describes the general contents of a page and its links and relationships. Site maps generally do not show every link even though sign-off for the site map is requested. Inferences are made from the site map. These are generally discussed in the road map. Time simply does not permit the inclusion on the site map of every possible link.

A second User Path, with fewer required user clicks was displayed for the Boat Moorage e-Permit. It includes seven pages, two of which will never been seen under normal circumstances where the user completes the purchase of the permit. These are the "Cancel Application" page and the "Transaction Failed Error Handling" pages.

Take inventory and list the different elements on each page. Identify which are common to all pages and which are exclusive to a single page, which elements are graphic and which are HTML, which are shared with Access Washington and which are exclusive to the permit.

Examples of page elements included the following:

• Access Washington logo

• Department logo/identity

• Left navigation bar

• Background color

• Page header/title

• Copy: welcome, instructions, field labels

• Navigation triggers and links

• Error messages

The difference between navigational bar and navigational triggers and links was explained. The navigational bar is always the left hand side bar of the page. The navigational triggers and links appear as a bar at the top of the page (for Parks’ permit these include Reservations, Parks Information, Rental Places, Activities) and other buttons or icons such as a "Cancel" button, a "Submit Application" button, and a button linking to the "Privacy Policy".

Establish expectations, particularly if the application includes more than one page. For example, enter text beside a button such as "Click here to continue" or "Click here to cancel and return to the home page."

Never make the reader guess. Provide as complete a set of information as possible. For example, if a user cancels a permit transaction and is returned to the home page, display a message that tells the user it’s been cancelled.

Use global navigation tools. Identify the navigational elements that are to be common across all Websites within Access Washington. Then place and have those tools appear and act the same on every Website.

Provide a dynamic information panel on the right side of the page, particularly on the home page, that changes as new information is available. This helps to establish an identity for the site and a place the user knows he/she can return to for finding current or seasonal information.

Adhere to the 7 plus or minus Rule when designing each page. Because a user generally only sees between 5 and 9 unique elements on a page, include only 5-7 unique elements, generally blocks, on a page.

Design the page with the user’s focus in mind. Users generally focus first in the center to upper center of a page, then to the left and upper left, across the top, and down the right.

Eliminate the user’s need to scroll down the page. Place all needed information within the screen area the user will see without scrolling.

Make error messages friendly, not condescending.

Allow for the smallest learning curve possible, particularly if a user is expected to visit the site infrequently.

Provide a feedback area with pulldown topics. Each message for a given topic can be routed to an appropriate person or position without making the routing information available to the public.

Conduct usability testing of each page using paper. Users will give usable feedback about the page(s) without having it appear on a screen. This makes such testing easy and inexpensive to conduct, easy and inexpensive to make changes and re-conduct, and it can be conducted almost anywhere.

• Phone number of a person or position. Consideration should be given to (1) providing access to state government and (2) whether publication of the number is expected to generate significant added workload.

• Required hardware/software. For example, when a user completes the e-Permit application for a Boat Moorage Permit, the screen will display a temporary permit that the user may print and use. The user needs to know what hardware and/or software needed to print the temporary permit.

• Options for obtaining a permit. Perhaps the user doesn’t want to use a credit/debit card to acquire a permit. Consider including information about how to request a permit by mail, or for Parks’ Boat Moorage Permit, information that they may obtain the permit from a Park Ranger.

Benefits of providing global navigation and a global (Access Washington) look and feel include:

• The user is content and happy.

• The agency uses existing standards and does not have to perform as much development or hire graphics staff.

Based upon the information provided in this and previous classes, the class participants made the following suggestions for improving Parks’ e-Permit page(s):

• Field lengths should vary to give the user a clue about how many characters are expected.

• The user should be able to TAB through the fields.

• There was too much blank space beneath the heading "Marine Parks" in the right-hand panel.

The participants complimented Parks on its development of a page that appears clean and crisp.

Parks’ reported that the WA State Parks and Recreation Commission had recently received approval from the Office of Financial Management for their Boat Moorage e-Permit and for similar permits.

Whether a page may contain many links depends on many factors. (1) Consider the maintenance issues. (2) Are there so many links that it confuses the user and turns them away? (3) Are they are relevant and do they add value? (4) Consider the purpose of the site. Is it to keep the user on the page? If so, use fewer links. If the purpose is to move the user along to another site, then many links may be appropriate.

A summary of ADA Guidelines was distributed. More information and a fuller description of each guideline is available at:

Recommended statistical resources

Agencies may find the following resources useful in providing statistical information needed when preparing cost benefit analysis or other materials:

Internet World

Interactive Week

PC Week

Industry Week