Using the Web: Performance results can be put on web sites for easy access by citizens and stakeholders.

Description	Tool
Example: The Department of Transportation (DOT) home page links to "WSDOT Accountability", a web page that includes links to quarterly performance measures (the "Gray Notebook"), benchmarks against other states, and efficiency results.	WSDOT Accountability
Department of Revenue summarizes performance results on a web page in their "About us" section.	Quality Improvements
Ecology reports on progress in regulatory improvements, and provides copies of all its reports, on a web page	"Working With You at Ecology"
The Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) puts links to its mission statement, strategic plan, and balanced scorecard on the "About the UTC" page in the first paragraph that users see.	About the UTC
Good web page design can help improve communication with customers. Jakob Nielsen, a leading proponent of web usability, critiques good and bad web design in a regular column, the Alertbox.	Link to Jakob Nielsen's the Alertbox column on the Web.

Principles of Good Web Design Adapted from Jakob Nielsen
by Jeffrey Showman, WUTC, 7/7/03

A. Prioritize the information space

Why:

• Users have limited time to spend on any individual site.
• Users don't want to scroll.
• A design that fits everything on a single page indicates the designers take care to do a good job.

How:

• Design page to fit on a single screen.
• Place higher priority information at the top and left corner, less important categories toward the bottom and right side.
• Take advantage of tables.

B. Give a unified, single feeling

Why:

• Users can enter from anyplace, to anyplace in the site, so should give clues on every page about where they are.
• Ensure design continuity.
• Users do not want to have too many options thrown at them.

How:

• Establish consistency rules.
• Give visual cues to let people know they're still at the same site (logos, color, navigation buttons, etc.)
• Set style guidelines with some contrast between sections. Maintain consistency throughout, yet provide enough contrast between various sections so visitors recognize them as separate units
• Commit to clean, uncluttered design.

C. Consider your audience

Why:

• Design the site for maximum usefulness to your customers
• Recognize that different users have different information needs

How:

• Provide text-only for users who are concerned with fast access (i.e. without graphics)
• Give easy access to “search” feature.
• Provide opportunities for feedback
• Give e-mail links to staff
• Obtain visitor demographics
• Provide a “printable view” button and version on appropriate pages.

D. Create navigation shortcuts

Why:

• So users can find information quickly
• To help organize information logically for them.

How:

• Have a toolbar on every page.
• Repeat the toolbar's functionality with text links.
• Have a site map.

E. Content

How:

• Date and sign pages so people can judge the “shelf life” of information.
• Keep pages short to minimize loading time.
• Post normal business process information that your customers, partners, stakeholders and citizens would find useful.