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BetaGov The Marron Institute of Urban Management New York University 60 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10011 betagov.org We are fast. We are free. And we focus on research that matters to . BetaGov focuses on practitionerled research that tests locally generated advances in education, criminal justice, health, and human services. We support more than 200 randomized controlled trials across a dozen states. One trial at a time, we are changing the way knowledge is created in the public sector. Why BetaGov? *BetaGov trains agency personnel to become researchsavvy “Pracademics” who lead trials. Testing methods for increasing responsivity and customer satisfaction via website design Agency: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Trial Duration: 03/13/17–04/09/17 Pracademics*: Gregory Moore, Robin Hess, Melinda Vealey Context A userfriendly website can assist clients in accessing necessary information, which may increase trust in the agency's services. Furthermore, the website can help inform service delivery and reduce misunderstandings, thereby reducing staff burden. Key Finding The redesigned website is more userfriendly. Clients access the website and FAQ pages for answers, instead of calling the service center, reducing staff burden. Background Public agencies use online platforms to offer important resources and services. Website information should be easy to locate, access, and understand. A welldesigned website reduces burden on staff by providing answers to frequently asked questions, increases public trust in the agency’s performance, and increases user participation and satisfaction. To improve access to Reemployment Assistance (RA), the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) redesigned their external RA website. Trial Design Initially planned as a randomized controlled trial whereby users would be randomly provided with the existing or redesigned website, the DEO opted to test two websites — the original for two weeks followed by the redesigned website for two weeks. Outcomes included identification of features clients most wanted to use, optimal navigation elements, and effective presentation of information. Changes are shown in the table. Data were collected during two consecutive twoweek time periods, including dropoff rate by page depth (time spent on page), website comments, FAQpage viewership, clients’ willingness to recommend the site, and calls received by the service center. Results Page dropoff rate remained similar, although users spent slightly longer on some pages of the new website. Compared to the original, the redesigned website had fewer comments, higher FAQpage viewership (by 11%), and received almost 5,500 fewer weekly calls to the service center. Findings also indicate that users are more willing to recommend the redesigned page to others. The DEO’s redesigned website successfully addressed important customerservice concerns. Although not a randomized controlled trial, this suggests that an easily navigated website improves service efficiency and client satisfaction. Website Redesign for a Government Program Changes from Original to Redesigned Website Landing page FAQ page Servicecenter banner Logon portal Tax information Contact Us widget

Website Redesign for a Government Programbetagov.org/completed-trials/FLDEO-Snapshot.pdf · To improve access to Reemployment Assistance (RA), ... willingness to recommend the site,

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Page 1: Website Redesign for a Government Programbetagov.org/completed-trials/FLDEO-Snapshot.pdf · To improve access to Reemployment Assistance (RA), ... willingness to recommend the site,

BetaGovThe Marron Institute of Urban Management

New York University60 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Fl.

New York, NY 10011betagov.org

We are fast. We are free. And we focus on research that matters to . BetaGov focuses on practitioner­ledresearch that tests locally generated advances in education, criminal justice, health, and human services.We support more than 200 randomized controlled trials across a dozen states. One trial at a time, we arechanging the way knowledge is created in the public sector.

Why BetaGov?

*BetaGov trains agency personnel tobecome research­savvy “Pracademics”who lead trials.

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

Contact Us widget