Executive Summary Preliminary finding one:
Although survey respondents classified themselves as knowledgeable and
frequent users of the Internet, almost a third of them found it difficult or very
difficult to find information on the City site.
Fifty-nine percent of respondents self-classified themselves as “high-end” users and an overwhelming majority of them (95 percent) access the Internet everyday. More than 90 percent find it easy or very easy to find information on the Internet as a whole. It was therefore surprising to find that almost a third of these very respondents (about 30 percent) found it difficult or very difficult to find information on the site. Also surprising was the statistic that more than 60 percent of respondents could not find pages that they knew existed on the site. This indicates that visitors to the City Web site are experiencing problems related to poor information architecture. Information architecture refers to the concept of designing shared information environment and organizing and labeling information and pages in Web sites, intranets and online communities. To remedy problems related to the site’s current poor information architecture, the team must fully re-architecture the City’s Web site by identifying industry best practices and then developing an architecture that supports all programs, business units and services (including those that cross departmental lines). Portals or similar methods of navigation must be developed that focus on content and online services by specific user groups. Current departmental content must be aligned within the newly developed architecture. Finally, a broad use of audio, visual and interactive tools must be supported by the new information architecture. At a minimum, the team must develop an information architecture that ensures that all City Web site user groups are able to complete the specific tasks they are visiting the City Web site to accomplish. Preliminary recommendation one:
The Web Site Redesign Team must embrace sound information architecture
through standard navigation, user-defined groups and an outside-in approach to
provide access to City information and services for everyone.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 1 of 30
Preliminary finding two: While 80 percent of survey respondents favor search engines to locate online information, indicating a high degree of ease and familiarity with using these valuable tools, one of the most consistent complaints throughout the survey regarded the City Web site search engine. As stated earlier, survey respondents consider themselves Web savvy and have little problem finding information on the Web as a whole. But in addition to the one-third of respondents who had trouble finding information on the Web site, large numbers of respondents cited problems with the City’s search engine. Only about 20 percent of survey respondents used the City of Austin Web site search function. An equal number used outside search engines to search the City site. More than 40 percent navigated the site without the search engine or by following links. More than 250 respondents answered an open-ended question about problems they had experienced with the City’s Web site. Twenty-one percent of these respondents had problems with Web searches on the City site. One thousand respondents responded to an open-ended question about features that could improve the City’s Web site. Almost one hundred of these provided suggestions for improvements to the search feature on the City of Austin Web site. Early in the online survey it became apparent to the Web team that large numbers of respondents were referencing the City search engine as a problem. As part of an ongoing strategic enhancement, Google Mini, a search technology based on the same technology as the Google.com search engine, was implemented throughout the City Web site. The City’s search engine is now much more robust, easy to use and provides much improved search results. However, this success must be built on and improved as the Web Redesign Project progresses. Preliminary recommendation two:
Continue to build on the successful implementation of Google Mini Search
Technology and ensure that improved search capabilities remain a vital part of
the Web redesign project.
Preliminary finding three:
Survey respondents are comfortable with paying bills online, filling out online
forms, and many said they would utilize an online City account to personalize
information and services.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 2 of 30
While there was some division about respondents’ willingness to register online, fill out online forms or conduct online credit card transactions, there appears to be significant interest in these features. In the open-ended question about Web site improvements, almost 30 suggested payment services be added to the Web site. More than 30 suggested online registration and reservation be added to the site. Only 16 percent of respondents expressed any discomfort with filling out online forms, with the remainder being moderately or very comfortable filling out forms. Forty-four percent said they would utilize an online City account to personalize information and services. At the same time, useful information was gathered indicating the issues that would keep people from filling out an online registration form. Thirty-three percent said that accessing the City site was not worth revealing the requested information, 17 percent said that filling out the form would take too much time and 14 percent said they did not trust entities requesting their information. Preliminary recommendation three:
City departments should be given the ability to conduct standard credit card
transactions and, where appropriate, allow for online registration of City Web site
users to improve usability and access to services.
Preliminary finding four:
Most respondents who self-identified as disabled found the City Web site easy to
use, but a significant number did have issues with using the site.
About 7 percent of respondents had some sort of physical disability. Among these respondents, 73 percent found the City Web site “easy” or “very easy” to use. Seventeen percent found it “difficult” or “very difficult” to use. Although the 17 percent number is low, it is unacceptable that users still encounter issues with the City Web site. The official policy of the City of Austin is that its Web site be accessible to everyone according to the federal standards of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1998. This essentially requires that there be no barriers to the use of a Web site to any disabled user, and that sites be designed so that the screen reader of visually impaired users be able to operate and translate the site in as efficient a way as possible. Preliminary recommendation four:
The Web Redesign Team should incorporate accessibility standards into all
aspects of the project from the ground up.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 3 of 30
Preliminary finding five:
Respondents to an open ended question about improvements to the City Web
site commonly suggested ideas or improvements that involved the design, style
or standards of the site.
More than 1,000 respondents responded to an open-ended question about features that could improve the City’s Web site. Many respondents suggested improvements including an overarching navbar, a “breadcrumb” type system to provide easy return and short cuts to frequently used features. Others made suggestions involving the overall design and look of the site, including the need for a “cool new interface” or “a more modern look.” A significant number of respondents focused on the need for improvements pertaining to compatibility issues and features, including covered were RSS Feeds, Browser issues, and a potential “My City Account” that allows registration and customization of options. Many noted the some type of need for “up to date information,” ranging from official documents to flight arrivals and departures. The Web Site Redesign team must create and sustain content and design standards across all portions of Web site. This will include, but not be limited to, a standardized header and footer used consistently throughout the site, a consistent look and feel throughout the COA web site and the development of custom color palettes for use throughout the web site. Eventually, composites of templates for first, second, third, fourth and fifth level pages will be developed, using cascading style sheets. It is important to note that the various templates for sub-level pages will allow for some departmental and service area individual personality while still fitting within the top level look and feel. Preliminary recommendation five:
The use of a consistent style and some sort of consistent header, footer or other
frame for every page on the City Web site would fulfill many of these suggestions.
The simplest way to achieve this would be through the use of consistent content
standards across every departmental or program site.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 4 of 30
Survey results Question 1
What kind of Internet user would you say you are?
Survey respondents’ self-classification of themselves as “high end” users (59 percent) or “medium” users (40.5 percent) reflects Austin’s reputation as a techsavvy community that embraces online communication. (See Table 1.) Question 1: What kind of Internet user would you say you are?
High-end: Medium: Low-level:
59.0 percent 40.5 percent 0.5 percent
Table 1
Question 2
How frequently do you access the Internet?
An overwhelming number of respondents (more than 95 percent) access the Internet every day. (See Graph 1.) 2. How frequently do you access the Internet?
Daily
95.1%
A few times a week
Weekly
3.7%
0.8%
Monthly
0.2%
Never
0.2%
Less than monthly
0.1%
0.0%
Graph 1
10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0 %
Question 3
How do you most commonly find information on the Internet?
Survey respondents favor search engines to locate information online (81.5 percent). (See Graph 2.)
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 5 of 30
3. How do you most commonly find information on the Internet?
Search engine (Google, Yahoo, etc.)
81.5%
Using bookmarked or saved sites
9.1%
Navigating around or following links
5.0%
Typing in specific Web pages or URLs
2.8%
E-mail links
0.9%
Links from other sites
0.6%
0.0%
10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0%
Graph 2
Question 4
How easy is it for you to find information on the Internet?
Respondents have little difficulty in finding information on the Internet as a whole. (See Table 2.) Question 4: How easy is it for you to find information on the Internet?
“Easy” and “Very Easy”: “Neutral”: “Difficult” and “Very Difficult:
92.3 percent 6.6 percent 1.0 percent
Table 2
Question 5
How frequently do you access the City of Austin Web site?
About a third of survey respondents access the City site a few times a week, with significant percentages (about 20 percent each) visiting the site weekly or monthly. Less than one percent was visiting the City site for the first time by taking the Web use survey. (See Graph 3.) Question 6
How do you most commonly find things on the City of Austin Web site?
Only about 20 percent of survey respondents used the City of Austin Web site search function. An equal number used outside search engines to search the City site. More than 40 percent navigated the site without the search engine or by following links. (See Graph 4.)
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 6 of 30
5. How frequently do you access the City of Austin Web site?
17.2% 28.2% 0.9% 1.5%
A few times a week Daily Less than monthly Monthly Never
17.6%
This is my first time Weekly
21.6% 13.0%
Graph 3
6. How do you most commonly find things on the City of Austin Web site? Navigating around or following links
43.5%
Search function on the City of Austin Web site
19.3%
Search engine (Google, Yahoo, etc.)
19.1%
Using bookmarked or saved sites
13.4%
5.0%
Links from other sites Calling someone at the City
1.6%
Typing in specific Web pages or URLs
1.6%
E-mail links
0.9%
0.0%
5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0% 50.0%
Graph 4
Question 7
How easy is it for you to find information on the City of Austin Web site?
More than 30 percent found it difficult or very difficult to find information on the site. About 30 percent found it easy or very easy to find information on the site. (See Table 3.)
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 7 of 30
Question 7: How easy is it for you to find information on the City of Austin Web site?
“Easy” and “Very Easy”: “Neutral”: “Difficult” and “Very Difficult:
27.7 percent 39.0 percent 33.4 percent
Table 3
Question 8
Have you visited the City of Austin Web site for any of these reasons?
Most survey respondents visited the City site to locate City facilities, access City services, get City government information or find events and recreation online. Other common uses were a visit as part of job search or to get information about a City meeting. (See Graph 5.) 8. Have you visited the City of Austin Web site for any of these reasons?
100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0%
No Yes
40.0% 30.0% 20.0%
fin d
ge tC ity g. To
e. To
d. To
c. To
lo ca te
ac ce ss
Ci ty
fa cil itie
0.0%
s C ity go se v rv er ev ice nm en s en ts ti an n d fo re rm cr at ea io tio n a. n To in h f ge .F or m ti or at nf jo io or b n m op at po io n r tu ab i. n Lo ou itie ok ta s in C g ity fo f. rb m To ee us tin in co es g nd s uc i n tb fo r us m at in es io j. n To s b. wi fin To th d th w in e at fo C k. ch rm ity To a at Ci io le ty n ar ab n m ab ou ee ou tin tm tA g ov us in g tin t o in A or us de tin rt o pl an a tri p
10.0%
Graph 5
Part L of Question 8 gave participants the opportunity to write-in comments about any additional reason for why they may have visited the City of Austin Web site. 378 comments were collected and placed in the categories in Table 4, below. Full comments can be accessed via the Web site.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 8 of 30
Question 8, Part L
To get City government information To access City services To locate City facilities Other To find events and recreation information To conduct business with the City To get information about a City meeting Looking for business information For job opportunities To watch a City meeting To learn about Austin in order to plan a trip
206
79
24
24
13
12
8
7
3
1
1
Table 4
Question 9
Have you ever encountered a problem while using the City of Austin Web site? The most common problem facing users of the City Web site was an inability to find sought after information, followed by problems with out of date information. More than 60 percent of respondents could not find pages that they knew existed on the site. Another common complaint was the belief that information is not posted quickly enough to the City site. (See Graph 6.) 9. Have you ever encountered the following problems while using the City of Austin Web site?
100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% No Yes
50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0%
b. Ca n' t
a. Ca n't fin d
in fo rm at io n
Ia m i. lo O ok ut in of g fo d fin at r h. e d in N ap fo ew ag rm in eI a t io fo kn rm n ow at io is n ou no tt tp he os re te d c. fa U f. s te na Li n bl nk ou et st gh o ha re td tu o rn n to ot a wo pa rk ge Io nc j. e In v ac isi d. cu te U d ra na te bl in e fo to rm de ati te e. rm on It in tak ew es h er to eI o lo am ng g. to Pr lo ob a lem d pa k. sw ge Pa s ith ge l. st m Pa y ha br ge t ow re sw qu se it h i re r to m o e m to an r eg y or ist er us el es sg ra ph ic s
0.0%
Graph 6
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 9 of 30
Part M of Question 9 allowed participants to report any problems they’ve encountered with the City of Austin Web site in an open-ended format. 266 participants listed issues listed in Table 5, below. As with previous open-ended questions, full comments can be accessed via the Web site. Question 9, Part M Search
57
Navigation
36
Design
33
Out of date info
20
Cannot find on site
19
Back end
15
GIS maps
14
Verbage
12
Library
12
AustinGO survey
11
Internal
9
Police crime data
7
eCareer
6
Connection speed
5
Pay site
5
Animal issues
1
Registration
1
Inconsistent info
1
Permits
1
More green Table 5
1
Question 10 Please rank the following City of Austin Web site issues in importance to you. The most important issue to respondents was accuracy of information, followed by ease of Web site navigation, search capabilities, security of personal information, privacy for users and consistent look of the site. (See Graph 7.)
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 10 of 30
Vi ew ed an d. in te Jo ra b ct se iv a e rc i. m h/ Se ap e ar m ch pl oy ed m cr en g. im t f. Li e O br st nl at ar l. in i y Vi s e tic ca ew fli s ta gh ed lo td g tra se ep ffi ar ar c/ ch tu co re ns s/ h. tru a In rri ct te va io e. ra b. n ls ct Vi O in iv fo ew nl e rm in ed D e a ev ut tio lo el i st lit n op y /fo pa m un en ym d/ m tP ad .W en er op ts at m ta ch itt bl in ed e g pe liv an n. e ts d Ve vid In nd sp eo or ec of t io re a gi n C st it y ra c. m t io O ee a. n nl t o 3 in in rp 11 g e ur pa se ch ym rv as ic en e in to g re qu k. ft ra es Su f fi tf bs c/ o pa cr rm ib rk ed in g to t ic a k C et ity s R SS fe ed
j.
c. Ac cu j. ra Se cy cu of rit in y fo of rm pe at rs io o n na a. li Ea n fo sy rm W at eb io n si te h. N Ti av m el ig in at es io d. n s Im of pr in ov fo ed rm at se io ar n ch ca pa b. bi g. lit Sp ie Pr ee s iva d cy -m fo ak r e us pa er s ge s e. lo En ad su fa re st er co ns ist en tl f. oo AD k A ac ce i. ss D iff ib er ilit en y tl oo k an d fe el
10. Please rank the following City of Austin Web site issues in importance to you:
100.0%
90.0%
80.0% Not Important
Important
70.0% Very Important
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Graph 7
Question 11
Have you ever used the following online services?
A majority of survey respondents had viewed interactive maps and searched for employment, crime statistics, library catalogs and online flight information. About 40 percent of respondents paid utility bills online. (See Graph 8.) 11. Have you ever used the following online services?
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0% No Yes
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Graph 8
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 11 of 30
Question 12 Please tell us what features(s) could be added to improve the City of Austin Web site. Be specific about the features you’d like to see rather than comparing it to other Web sites. Question 12 asked participants to provide a list of features that would help improve the City of Austin Web site. More than 1,000 participants provided a response and these are categorized below according to main topic. Since this question was directly related to the overall redesign task, each category in Table 6 is explained with relevant examples. Full comments to this and all questions can be accessed via the Web site. Question 12: Please tell us what features(s) could be added to improve the City of Austin Web site. Be specific about the features you’d like to see rather than comparing it to other Web sites. 311 Service 5 ADA
5
Business Concerns
6
Charter/Ordinance Information
7
City Council Information
18
City Information
25
Communication Feature
22
Contact Information
43
Crime Statistics
19
Design Suggestion
79
Development
19
Employment Page
21
Event Information
28
GIS Suggestion
24
Intranet
11
Jargon
6
Library
56
Look and Feel
84
Maps
11
Marketing Services
12
Meeting/Hearing Information
18
Navigation
150
Neighborhood Information
23
Online Registration & Reservation
34
Payment Services
27
Permitting
22
Spanish Translation
3
Traffic Information
11
Up to Date Information
54
Utilities
3
Vendor Services
8
Video Service
8
Visitor Information Weather Service Web site Address Web site Search
35 5 6 154
Table 6
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 12 of 30
311 Service – These comments concern the addition of the 311 service. For example, one participant hopes to put in 311 requests online with the ability to track their status. ADA – Comments in this group represented requests for Web site enhancements that would appear to make it more accessible. Things include things such as, more audio components for hearing impaired and larger fonts and buttons for the visually impaired. Business Concerns - Instances where the City is used in reference to the participant’s business or potential business needs. Charter/Ordinance Information – These comments are focused on the City Charters and Ordinances and their availability on the Web site. Comments mainly include those in reference to the trouble accessing this resource. City Council Information – Comments in this category concerned issues or interests with gathering more information about City Council proceedings. A frequent theme included requests for a quicker turnaround in regards to minutes and votes. City Information – Includes most general comments or inquiries about City business such as business hours, operations of the City, and clear explanations of what each Department does. Communication Feature – Comments here focus on interacting in real-time with City Council, boards, commissions or other City of Austin Web site users in a forum/online community setting. Contact Information – Participants expressed a strong interest in quickly and simply accessing phone numbers and e-mail addresses of City employees and officials. Crime Statistics – Comments in this section focused on a desire to find more crime statistics, up to date numbers, and in a better, efficient format than currently offered. Design Suggestion – These are comments that focused specifically on contributing something helpful in regards to compatibility issues and features the new Web site might have. Such areas covered were RSS Feeds, Browser issues, and a potential “My City Account” that allows registration and customization of options. Development – This referenced those participants who had major concerns with being able to retrieve Development information from the Web site.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 13 of 30
Employment Page – Comments focus on the experience of using the City of Austin job page. Recommendations include being able to e-mail jobs to friends and navigating freely around the site without specific issues. Event Information – Participants discussed a need for more easy to find information in regards to citywide events and programs and an interactive calendar. GIS Suggestion – These comments focus specifically on improving the speed and accessibility of the GIS mapping feature. Intranet - Includes comments about the City’s Intranet Web sites. Jargon – Many participants asked for a simplification of language and reducing the use of acronyms when designing the new site. Library – Comments in this section concern the various aspects of using the Library services. Such as online library catalog and database search with many asking for notifications of overdue books and the ability to pay fines online. Look and Feel – Participants used this category to express a need for the redesign to “have a cool new interface”, “a more modern look”, and other comments that would contribute to the overall design and look of the Web site. Maps – This issue came up because participants expressed a need for more up to date and extensive maps that detailed City facilities, parks, golf courses and their location. Marketing Services – This category grouped together the comments by participants that involved surprise or newfound knowledge of services listed on the survey that they weren’t previously aware. Meeting/Hearing Information – There was a large amount of participants who wanted minutes, transcripts, locations and other valuable information related to meetings and hearings conducted by the City. Navigation – A large number of comments fell into this category calling for more ease of movement from Web sites with ideas like an overarching navbar, breadcrumb type system to provide easy return, short cuts to frequently used features. Neighborhood Information – This category reflected a need participants had for finding out more about their neighborhoods from crime statistics to zoning and future development. Online Registration and Reservation – Participants expressed their need for online registration and payment of PARD activities. Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 14 of 30
Payment Services – In this category, some participants expressed surprise at the ability to pay for certain utilities or fines online while others wanted fees removed and the process simplified. Permitting – Some participants expressed a need for more permitting and payment services online. Spanish Translation – Participants who took the Spanish version of the survey expressed the opinion that the redesign site should be proofread by a professional translator due to some errors they discovered in the survey. Traffic Information – The ability to watch traffic cameras or receive more up to date and vivid traffic information was commented on by many. Up To Date Information – From official documents to flight arrivals and departures, participants stressed the importance of having all Web site materials up to date. Utilities – A handful of participants mentioned they had an interest in seeing their energy use. Vendor Services – Participants expressed dissatisfaction with the current registration system. Video Service – Many participants discussed on-demand meeting replays, downloads of Channel 6 meeting broadcasts, and short videos of animals up for adoption. Visitor Information – City transportation information, event info, and more information for people who may be considering a move to Austin, all primarily composed this category. Weather Service – Some participants asked for a weather forecast on the City of Austin Web site homepage. Web Site Address – Many believed the address should change to something more compact and easier to remember like Austin.gov or cityofaustin.gov. Web Site Search – A large number of participants wrote about their dissatisfaction with the current search on the City of Austin Web site.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 15 of 30
Question 13
If the City of Austin offered it, would you be interested in creating an account that
required you to register and provided customization to such options as news,
information, account services, etc.?
Survey respondents were split on whether they would be interested in setting up a customized account on the City Web site that would require registration, with 44 percent saying they would utilize such a feature. (See Table 7.) Question 13: If the City of Austin offered it, would you be interested in creating an account that required you to register and provided customization to such options as news, information, account services, etc.?
“Yes”: “No”:
44.0 percent 56.0 percent
Table 7
Question 14 Which of the following statements most closely reflect your level of comfort when it comes to filling out online registration forms? Only 16 percent are uncomfortable filling out online forms, with 84 percent being moderately or very comfortable filling out forms. (See Table 8.) Question 14: Which of the following statements most closely reflect your level of comfort when it comes to filling out online registration forms?
Moderately comfortable: 64.0% Very comfortable: 20.0% Not comfortable: 16% Table 8
Question 15 What is the main thing that would keep you from filling out an online registration form at a Web site? Thirty-three percent said that accessing the City site was not worth revealing the requested information, 17 percent said that filling out the form would take too much time and 14 percent said they did not trust entities requesting their information. (See Graph 9.)
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 16 of 30
15. What is the main thing that would keep you from filling out an online
registration form at a Web site?
35.0%
33.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
17.0% 14.0%
15.0%
13.0% 10.0%
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
5.0%
3.0%
2.0%
0.0%
Accessing Takes too I do not trust Information The site has Requires me the entity is not no privacy to give an ethe site is not much time collecting the provided on policy mail address worth data how the data
revealing the is going to
requested be used
information
I always register
Other
Requires me
to give my
name
Graph 9
Question 16
Do you sometimes access the Internet using a mobile device (Cellphone, PDA)?
Thirty-three percent access the internet using a mobile device. (See Table 9.) Question 16: Do you sometimes access the Internet using a mobile device (Cellphone, PDA)?
No: Yes:
67.0% 33.0%
Table 9
Question 17 Choose one of the following options that best describe you as a City of Austin Web site user. Sixty percent of respondents described themselves as City of Austin residents; 28 percent described themselves as City of Austin employees. (See Graph 10.) Question 18
Please enter the five digit ZIP code where your primary residence is located.
Most survey respondents were from the 78704 and 78745 ZIP codes, with most respondents living in north central and south central parts of Austin. (See Image 1.)
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 17 of 30
Question 18: Please enter the five digit ZIP code where your primary residence is located.
Image 1
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 18 of 30
Question 19
What is your age?
Respondents to the survey reflected an older demographic, with 35 percent age 40 to 55, 28 percent age 31 to 40 and 20 percent age 19 to 30. Thirteen percent were older than age 55. (See Graph 11.) 17. Choose one of the following options that best describe you
as a City of Austin Web site user:
70.0%
60.0% 60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
28.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
4.0%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
1.0%
1.0%
State of Texas resident
I do not wish to provide this information
Other
Other Government Agency
Employee
Visitor to
Austin
0.0%
Austin Resident
City of Austin Employee
Business User
Graph 10
19. What is your age? 40.0%
35.0% 35.0%
30.0%
28.0% 25.0%
20.0% 20.0%
15.0%
13.0% 10.0%
5.0%
3.0%
1.0% 0.0%
Under 18
19-30
31-40
40-55
55+
I do not wish to
provide this
information
Graph 11
Question 20
What gender group do you identify with?
Fifty-two percent of survey respondents were female; 44 percent were male. Four percent did not answer the question. (See Table 10.) Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 19 of 30
Question 20: What gender group do you identify with?
Female: Male: Did not answer:
52 percent 44 percent 4 percent
Table 10
Question 21
Please indicate your ethnicity.
Caucasian/white respondents dominated with survey at 70 percent. Hispanics made up 11 percent, African-Americans 5 percent and Asian/Pacific Islanders making up 4 percent. Seven percent refused to provide ethnicity. (See Graph 12.) 21. Please indicate your ethnicity: 80.0% 70.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 11.0% 2.0%
1.0%
N at ive
Am er ic an
4.0%
O th er
in fo rm at th is
5.0%
Id o
no tw is h
to
pr ov id e
H isp an ic
C au ca si an /W hi te
0.0%
io n Af ric an -A m er ic an As ia n/ Pa ci fic Is la nd er
7.0%
10.0%
Graph 12
Question 22
Please indicate your current household income in U.S. dollars.
Thirty-four percent of respondents earned more than $75,000 in total household income; 13 percent made $55,001 to $75,000 and 13 percent made $39,001 to 55,000. Twenty-three percent did not provide income information. (See Graph 13.) Question 23
Please indicate the highest grade of education you have completed.
Forty-three percent of respondents had a bachelor’s degree, 30 percent had a graduate degree and 16 percent had some college education. Five percent did not provide and answer, and 4 percent had a high school degree. (See Graph 14) Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 20 of 30
Question 24 Other than English, which language(s) do you speak regularly (i.e. 10 percent or more of the time at home or for work)? Languages spoken by the top number of respondents included Spanish, with small numbers of German, Chinese, Vietnamese and French speakers indicating they spoke these languages frequently at home or at work. Question 25
Do you have any physical disability or impairment?
About 7 percent of respondents had some sort of physical disability. (See Graph 15.) Question 26 If you have a disability or impairment, how easy is it for you to use the City of Austin site? Among disabled respondents, 73 percent found the City Web site “easy” or “very easy” to use. Seventeen percent found it “difficult” or “very difficult” to use. (Q26) 22. Please indicate your current household income in U.S.
dollars:
40.0% 34.0%
35.0% 30.0% 25.0%
23.0% 20.0% 15.0% 13.0%
13.0%
$39,001 to $55,000
$55,001 to $75,000
10.0% 10.0%
7.0%
5.0% 0.0%
Less than $25,000
$25,001 to $39,000
More than $75,000
I do not wish to
provide this
information
Graph 13
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 21 of 30
23. Please indicate the highest level of education you have completed: 50.0% 43.0%
45.0% 40.0% 35.0%
30.0%
30.0% 25.0% 20.0%
16.0%
15.0% 10.0%
5.0%
4.0%
5.0%
Sc ho io ol na l/T ec hn ic al Sc C ho ur re ol nt ly in G ra de s K12
th is pr ov id e
Vo ca t
to no tw is h Id o
M as te r's
1.0%
H ig h
io n in fo rm at
C ol le ge So m e
De gr ee
or Hi gh er (
D eg re e
Ba ch el or 's
Ph D ,M D, et c. )
2.0%
0.0%
Graph 14 Question 24: Other than English, which language(s) do you speak regularly (i.e. 10 percent or more of the time at home or for work)?
Spanish German Chinese Vietnamese French
149 8 7 2 6
Table 11
25. Do you have any physical disability or impairment? 100.0% 90.0%
86.0%
80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 8.0%
10.0%
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
0.5%
Hearing disability
Vision disability
Motor disability
Cognitive disability
0.0% No physical disability
I do not wish to provide this information
Graph 15
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 22 of 30
26. If you have a disability or impairment, how easy is it for you to use the City of Austin Web site? 50.0% 45.0%
44.0% 39.0%
40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0%
11.0% 10.0% 6.0% 5.0% 0.0% Easy
Very Easy
Difficult
Very Difficult
Graph 16
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 23 of 30
Requirements and Suggestions from Jan. 29, 2008,
Austin GO Town Hall Meeting at City Hall
Participant 1 • Show clear structure of government • A lot of info on how our local government works • Make environmental and resource information and design more available to public so it is easy to see how the City impacts the environment Participant 2 • Two-way communication vehicle to build bond between citizenry and City • Allow Neighborhood groups to communicate amongst themselves and with City to provide linkages and increased information to all (example: recent crime stats) • More and better information from the Austin History Center – especially pictures Participant 3 • Keep public informed and maintain emphasis on citizens • Post all Open Records requests online and keep a running list of them that is searchable (the State Attorney General does this, for example) • Archive Boards and Commissions meetings • Email Boards and Commissions meetings notices and agendas • Archive Council meetings • Have all City meetings on one online calendar • Post all City Council calendar meetings and events on the Council pages Participant 4 • • • •
Notices are sent out to look up information on permits, but info is not there Code, permits, and legislation is very hard to find Send out more email notifications about zoning and code changes Wrong URLs on printed materials (example: Boards and Commissions notices)
Participant 5 • If you are not the person developing a project, you can’t register to see all the information about a project • RSS Feeds for permits
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 24 of 30
Participant 6 • Post on Austingo web site whenever presenting to Council, Boards and Commissions, etc… • Post all backup information and materials for Planning Commission • Use more email for notifications and meeting announcements • Make site safe from spammers or harvesters that collect email addresses • Make sure all City ordinances drafts are posted well before • Improve GIS and make easier to use Participant 7 • More interchange between COA and APD and AE sites, for example, to help with coordination • Area Commanders contact info must be very easy to find on APD pages Participant 8 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Boards and Commissions meetings to use RSS feeds Documents need to be more consistent – large docs need abstracts Teach writing for the web for accessibility to all depts. Date all documents and include contact info Incorporate all UT shuttle and bus maps Separate City events from community events Keep Government site separate so it does not promote outside interests Make an easy to use local directory – like the White/Yellow pages Language translations on demand Site map that works and is easy to find Police monitor site more prominent Make available all SOPs for APD List all tickets that are given out Make the URL a “.gov” Have a section for “most popular searches” Make Advanced Search easier to use
Participant 9 • • • • • • •
Use microformats Video on demand of Council meetings Central calendar that can be filtered Make use of RSS feeds Make site customizable, like iGoogle Make place for users to comment on drafts of ordinances Have more places for users to interact with the Government
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 25 of 30
Requirements and Suggestions from Feb. 4, 2008, Austin
GO Town Hall Meeting at George Washington Carver
Museum and Cultural Center
Participant 1 • Place a 311 link on the homepage. Not everyone who’s low income will have access to computer, don’t lose 311 in redesign. • Maybe have a link to disabilities, some people don’t know it’s out there, highlight these features in coherent fashion beyond just a nice search engine. Participant 2 • Utilize flexible RSS format on the new site. • Offer ample Spanish language documents and pages on the new site. Participant 3 • On the Town Lake animal shelter, maybe just have a picture of cat and dog on homepage or a logo, instead of having to read a lot of text. • Maybe have a face recognition software since right now, when someone loses pets, incoming information isn’t always accurate, when reports are given, people working at the shelter can compare the animals are already there with what someone comes in to file. • Accept monetary or actual software from company that would help you on the Web site.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 26 of 30
Requirements and Suggestions from Feb. 7, 2008 Austin GO Town Hall Meeting J.J. Pickle Research Campus Participant • Integrate a more powerful, sophisticated content search tool that will allow users to conduct keyword searches within the framework of HTML and other types of documents. • Generate a way the user can create a personal profile to set preferences of specific City services, depts., etc. Example, the City to me is this neighborhood association, Solid Waste Services, and Permits. Automatically send e-mails to notify the user when his/her preset City or neighborhood activity or event will occur. • Have quick links to other local and state agencies such as Capital Metro and AISD, creating a “Citizen 360” view should there be citizens that believe the City handles those external services. • Incorporate 3-1-1 as a “Web front” making it more prominent. • Change and simplify the City’s current e-mail address suffix
“ci.austin.tx.us.”
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 27 of 30
Requirements and Suggestions from Feb. 12, 2008
Austin GO Town Hall Meeting
Ruiz Branch Library
Participants had no suggestions or comments at this meeting.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 28 of 30
Requirements and Suggestions from Feb. 21, 2008
Austin GO Town Hall Meeting
Austin Community College Pinnacle Campus
Participant 1 • Caption video for the deaf. • Make neighborhood association information available online. • Consider a live chat feature that would help people find information they are looking for. Participant 2 • • • • • •
Create an advanced notification system for new developments. Make contacts for boards and commissions available and easy to find. Post subcommittee agendas. Avoid jargon, use language that people understand. Display all codes and regulations by inputting a property address. Post backup material for planning commissions.
Participant 3 • Utilize digital signatures for online forms. • Utilize single sign on for different Web features. • Create a “New to Austin” page for people who have just moved here. Participant 4 • Every page on the Web site should be linkable.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 29 of 30
Requirements and Suggestions from Feb. 25, 2008
Austin GO Town Hall Meeting
Lower Colorado River Authority Headquarters
Participant 1 • There should be multilanguage support. • There should be the ability to chat with City representatives online. • There should be the ability to have Web conferences online, to provide feedback electronically. • There should be the ability to personalize user setup, to show pages based on people’s preferences. • Community capability, for example, for those who are new to the City. Participant 2 • • • • • •
Increase accessibility for the disabled from the bottom up. Integrate the site with outside governmental entities. Create resources for bike maps and sidewalk trails online. Update the GIS site. Improve the City’s online search function. Decrease the number of “clicks” needed to get to information.
Draft Web Redesign Survey Report, Feb. 26, 2008 Page 30 of 30