Enhancing public services through testing
The most effective method for determining whether a letter, webpage, or form is accessible and easy to read is to test it with the target audience. That’s why User Needs First (Gebruiker Centraal) is focusing on user testing in September.
Throughout Testember (Dutch), a range of articles, podcasts, videos, and workshops will provide inspiration to get started with testing. The month concludes with a workshop on testing election-related information.
Scope for improvement
Testing does more than just improve clarity. It helps prevent time-consuming corrections, reduces costs, and builds public trust. It also provides fresh insights and highlights areas for immediate improvement. Will you be testing this September?
The full programme and registration details can be found on the User Needs First website (Dutch).
User Needs First Language Toolkit
User Needs First is a Dutch government community for professionals focused on creating intelligible and accessible digital services. Their website includes the (Dutch) Language Toolkit ‘Toolkit Taal‘, a helpful resource for improving texts and other communications within government organisations.
Files on this theme
Digital Accessibility
Everybody has the same right to digital information and services, and that includes people with a disability. For this reason, semi-governmental and governmental organisations attach great importance to accessibility, and have made it a requirement for their digital services. Well-built and well-structured websites can be used by everybody, including those of us who are physically impaired. Only then can everyone truly participate.
Digital Inclusion
In the Netherlands, digital communication is increasingly becoming the norm, which significantly impacts everyone's lives. Technology has the potential to prepare our country for the future, presenting numerous opportunities. However, the pace of these developments can be overwhelming for many. It's essential to consider this in our approach. We are committed to ensuring that everyone can participate in the digital society, including those who require additional support.
Focus on the User
The government-wide knowledge community Focus on the User strives towards a service–oriented and user-friendly (digital) government. Activities deployed by Focus on the User include the organisation of events, where the attendees can share knowledge and experiences, and come away with new ideas. Also, the design principles devised by Focus on the User help you improve your digital service level and make it as user-friendly as possible. Focus on the User features a visual language knowledge bank, where you will find tried and tested visual language letters, that use far fewer words and instead feature clear pictures. You can also design your own visual language letter.
Interaction strategy
An interaction strategy is part and parcel of the policy to make the governmental information and services intelligible and accessible. The strategy defines the common principles and agreements, to ensure that the focus lies on that which people expect in their dealings with the government: usability, reliability and a personal approach.
Open Source Software
The use of Open Source Software (OSS) makes it easier for governmental organisations to collaborate, and reduces the dependence on suppliers. The choice for OSS is the choice for a policy, and it has to be made by operational managers, lawyers, purchasing departments, and IT managers.
Optimal Digital
The Massaal Digitaal (‘Everybody goes digital’) project has had research done to find out what makes citizens and businesses hesitate to handle their dealings with the government digitally. It turns out governmental organisations still have a lot of work to do. To take away the obstructions experienced by citizens and businesses, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has set up Optimal Digital, a website that features tried and tested methods, examples and instructions for implementation and use in the user’s organization.
User-friendliness
A digital infrastructure enables faster services, that help realise facilities. By improving user-friendliness and usability, we help to make the digital channel the first choice. The government-wide knowledge community Focus on the User and the test panel group Users eGovernment were set up to lift online services to a higher level of user-friendliness.
