Its Not Rocket Surgery: First Fridays in the U.S.

Government
Improving the Customer Experience
Jonathan Rubin and Janelle Thalls Download this presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/govnewmedia
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One Morning a Month

Choose a site 3 customer participants perform tasks with a facilitator Observers watch and take notes Lunch debrief and identify three serious problems + fixes Followup call on quick improvements One-page report and copy of test recordings

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Two One Mornings a Month

Choose a site 3 customer participants perform tasks with a facilitator Observers watch and take notes Lunch debrief and identify three serious problems + fixes Followup call on quick improvements One-page report and copy of test recording

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First Fridays Final Report

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First Fridays Final Report

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Do-It-Yourself Testing
Better customer service for taxpayers & citizens More testing because Anyone can do it Expanded professional UX opportunities & facilities More inexperienced practitioners UX magic revealed More time spent coaching Fewer comprehensive tests & studies?

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Government Sites Tested

Travel.state.gov FCC.gov DOT.net Weather.gov Data.gov Apps.gov/NOW Pueblo.gsa.gov OnGuardOnline.gov HowTo.gov USA.gov NSF.gov DOL.gov m.gobiernoUSA.gov DOI.gov Advisory Council on Historic Preservation m.usa.gov

Upcoming Product Tests

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Building Capacity Across GSA - and Government

1. Fix problems 2. Train and mentor

3. Raise awareness

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Its Not Rocket Surgery forum.sensible.com

Talk Amongst Yourselves

Steve Krugs Method

Commit to monthly product testing, same time each month: more observers, more testing, more buy-in

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What Kinds of Improvements?

From post-test interviews with Passports and FCC.gov stakeholders, May 2011

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Passports Application
Before After

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NSF.gov SESTAT data tool page

Before After

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FFs Top Problems & Solutions

Top Tasks Hard to Find
Make top task starting points stand out Place top tasks at center or left and above the fold

Too Many Words

Cut content by 50% Remove outdated content

Confusing Jargon
Use common terms and customer language; avoid acronyms Put technical terms in parentheses

Irrelevant Search Results

Make top task content appear at top of search returns Move search filters to left or top of screen

Navigation Ineffective
List nav tabs or links from left to right, top to bottom, in order of use Re-write links
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Actual Improvements
Made Top Tasks list driven by analytics Added step-by-step instructions Reduced jargon Made Home Page news area smaller Updated top task content Added Home Page area for Browse Documents Added Doing Business links for industry users Move Search filter to top of search results Changed top nav tabs to drop down on mouse hover rather than on mouse click
From post-test interviews with Passports and FCC.gov stakeholders, May 2011

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Actual Benefits
Focusing on a limited number of practical problems and solutions. Our website has a lot of problems and it can be overwhelming Getting the whole team at the test watching together for the first time, seeing through the eyes of the customer At least four of the people who werent there watched the video and read the report We started testing with employees who use screen readers, making accessibility improvements

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Challenges*
Resistance: Internal and external pushback to small changes Governance: Five teams work on website Legal: Policy-related web content must be cleared Project Overlord: Postponements due to redesign and CMS Reorganization: New staff lack web writing skills Priorities: Public Affairs responsible for news, video, Congress IT: Team lacks admin rights over Home Page and templates Staff: Good people leave - Id just start pulling the thread
* Steve: Private industry also faces these challenges
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Carrots & Sticks

Free Product Test Chocolate croissants & lunch Attention Monthly schedule

Letter of Intent Follow up call Post report + B&A screenshots

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First Fridays Mobile Usability Set Up

Based on the ingenious rig by Cory Lebson of Lebsontech.com

First Fridays Mobile Testing Equipment

1. Stand

Banana stand

Desk lamp

Cost: $0 (office lamp - $30)

2. Webcam

Logitech 1080p Webcam Pro C910 with Skype HD Cost: $60

3. Binder clips / Duct tape

Find them in your office supply closet Cost: $0 - $5

1.

Binder clip / duct tape

2.

Web cam

3.

Desk lamp

4.

Smartphone

Recruitment

Three participants Recruit loosely Word of mouth Use Twitter, email, Craigslist, office, listservs Three back-ups, one for each time slot Site stakeholders help they know their audiences $5 gift card

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Facilitator-in-Training Program
Learn to conduct First Friday tests at your agency!

Participate in 4 tests over 3 months Get experience in facilitating Facilitator mentor for guidance Support for your own agency test team $100 through Web Manager University Email FirstFridays@gsa.gov
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What Works
Teaching non-UX professionals Mentoring process Alternating GSA and agency sites Low-tech method No honkin great findings report Making small changes

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Join Us!
Teach non UX staff to facilitate simple tests

Volunteer as a FF participant or observer

Start First Fridays @ your agency (or company) Offer your high-impact government website or app for First Fridays testing
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Contact Us
Jonathan Rubin, Co-Captain, First Fridays Rocket Team jonathan.rubin@gsa.gov

Janelle Thalls, First Fridays Program Coordinator janelle.thalls@gsa.gov

Nicole Burton, GSA User Experience Evangelist nicole.burton@gsa.gov To participate in GSA First Fridays, contact FirstFridays@gsa.gov First Fridays Product Testing Program: HowTo.gov/FirstFridays Download this presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/govnewmedia
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