A government website often feels like a firehose of information. It’s overwhelming to read long paragraphs of text, especially on your phone. Content editors struggle to keep things up to date, especially when the same information appears on multiple pages. Structured content is a way to organize and present information in a way that makes … Continued
Generative AI (gen AI) is a useful tool that can help you write draft content for your government website. At this point in time, you can’t completely trust it to write perfect and accurate content. But using it can save you time. There are several free gen AI tools available. The most common ones are … Continued
If you want a great government website, you need a strong vendor to support you. A good vendor: Understands the importance of content and make it easy for you to manage it Has a deep understanding and commitment to digital accessibility and security Always gets better Most local governments rely on a vendor to support … Continued
If your government website is like most, it has a lot of PDF documents. They outline steps to a process, answer frequently asked questions, provide checklists, list requirements. They are very common and they are a problem. Most PDFs are not accessible The best way to make a PDF accessible is to do so from … Continued
Plain language helps you convey complex information. Your readers understand and get what they need quickly, with fewer questions and less confusion. As a government, using plain language will help you improve your services, forms, and public information. Benefits of plain language: Helps people know what information means the first time they read it. Makes … Continued
Why digital accessibility matters 1 in 4 Americans are living with some type of disability. 4.6% are blind or have serious difficulty seeing. 5.9% are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing. 12.8% are living with a cognitive disability like dyslexia, attention deficit, or autism. About 1 in 12 men are colorblind. It’s the law. Section … Continued
When you make a new website, it’s important to get feedback on it to make sure it works for people. Getting feedback on your website should be part of your government customer service strategy. If you don’t have the time or budget to do extensive user research, here are 3 easy ways to get feedback … Continued
The book “The Open Organization” by Jim Whitehurst speaks to the idea of openness beyond the legal definition of transparency or simple collaboration, but as a tool for making government work better for people. Whitehurst talks about an “open everything culture” and that it’s not for everyone. To succeed in this culture, you must be … Continued
