Study of IndianGovernment Online – 2009

ContentsContents

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................4

Indians Are Increasingly Accessing The Government Online...................6

Government Has A Large Web Presence.................................................8

Government Web Initiatives: Impact ....................................................10

Long Way To Go ...................................................................................14

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................................15

Heuristic Analysis Of Government Portals.............................................16

ONLINE GOVERNMENT – THE BUILDING BLOCKS..................................19

Navigation ...........................................................................................20

Search ..................................................................................................24

Information Hierarchy ..........................................................................28

Design Aesthetics .................................................................................32

Support Services ..................................................................................36

User Experience....................................................................................40

IMPLICATIONS OF A SUB-PAR E-PRESENCE ...........................................43

GUIDELINES FOR A WORLD CLASS E-PRESENCE....................................44

CENTRE FOR WEB EXCELLENCE ............................................................46

METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................47

Appendix A: Parameters Used In The Study..........................................50

Appendix B: Government Websites' Ranking ........................................53

ABOUT THE AUTHORS ..........................................................................55

ABOUT WEBCHUTNEY'S dotGOV DIVISION

Information isthe currency of Democracy

Introduction

Over the past several years, the amount of government information on the internet has grown exponentially. At last count, there were over 7,000 major government portals providing information and services to

1approximately 50 million Indian internet users every month.

The Indian government has adopted a proactive approach towards adopting the web in communicating and interacting with citizens. Under the aegis of the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, several agencies including the NIC have spearheaded the rapid rollout of e-governance projects. Some of the marquee projects such as eSeva, MCA21 and Passport project have drawn widespread acclaim for the tremendous impact that they have had on improving efficiency and transparency. From details on tax regulations to advice on civil rights and responsibilities, government web sites serve millions of people each day. In a world where dozens of web sites spring up on every possible topic, the public views government sites as important, authoritative sources.

Additionally, the government is increasingly becoming the single largest creator and disseminator of online content in India. The medium is being leveraged by citizens to research, procure services and interact with the government on a multitude of issues. Given the proliferation of government websites, it is becoming increasingly important for the government to ensure that its presence on the internet conforms to global standards of usability and efficiency.

Webchutney decided to study the government presence online by undertaking a structured analysis of central and state government portals and a primary survey on the requirements of Indian citizens from the government web portals. The secondary research was undertaken to understand how the government's online presence fared against globally accepted best practices of website design, content, aesthetics, usability and user-experience. The findings from the study are presented in this report.

With India ranking 113th on the United Nations global e-Governance 2index , it is time for the government to act and improve the effectiveness

and efficiency of its web presence.

1 2Source: JuxtConsult India Online Report 2008 United Nations e-Government Survey 2008

4

India has the 8th

largest internet population in theworld

Indians Are Increasingly AccessingThe Government Online

India is undergoing a period of meteoric growth in internet usage, with a total user base of approximately 50 million users. The key drivers behind the boom in internet usage have been proactive government policies, increasing penetration of internet access devices including mobile phones and demand from an increasingly young population for information and entertainment. With over 50% of India’s population under 25 years of age, this period is witnessing the emergence of a new class of net-savvy citizens who are keen to proactively interact with the government and are seeking information and action from the government on the internet.

31.7

34.9

40.849.410%

17%

21%

2005 2006 2007 2008

Regular Internet Users (Millions)

% Growth YoY

1Indian Internet Users Population

Internet usage has grown at a

rapid 16% CAGR over past

four years.

Over 71% of Indian internet users are from non-metro

towns and villages - Internet is no longer an elitist phenomenon in

India.

The internet is poised to play a

significant role in enabling the

government to reach out to the

citizens with information, tools

& services.

1Source: JuxtConsult

6

7

With a plethora of websites across central, state, local and corporate bodies, the government has emerged as the single largest producer, consumer, and disseminator of information in India, with websites that serve millions of people each day.

Unique Users Per Month (In Lakhs)Data for the month of July 2009

Indianrailways.gov UPSCwebsite

Ministry ofCorp Affairs

Ministry ofFinance

Ministry ofPersonnel

5.0

2.9

2.6 1.41.0

1Indian Internet Users Visiting Government Websites

The government has aggressively rolled out its internet presence, with the Ministry of IT & C spearheading the initiative.

Large number of Indians have increasingly taken to the internet to meet their information, transaction, record, grievance needs with the government.

Nearly five million Indians accessed the top 20 Indian government websites in July 2009.

1Source: Vizisense July 2009

Government Has A Large Web Presence

The Indian government was among the early adopters of e-governance in the 1980’s and initiated several projects to expand its e-presence, with the NIC (National Informatics Centre) spearheading the initiative. The Indian government has undertaken several e-Governance projects to improve delivery of services to citizens and employees’ alike, created more transparency and empowered citizens through access to knowledge and information.

Notable e-Governance initiatives include BHOOMI, CARD (registration), e-Seva, SETU, Drishtee, nLogue, Gyandoot and Teachers’ Transfer in Karnataka.

There are approximately 6,678 government websites 1in India across central, state, PSU and local bodies

Ministry of Commerce has kicked off the 10 year e-governance project to enable businesses to easily access government Information (July 2009).

Ministry of External Affairs awarded Rs.1 Billion to the ‘Passport Seva project’ to reduce passport issuance period to 3 days (Oct 2008).

HighMediumLow

e-Governance Map of India

1Source: Goidirectory.nic.in

8

MCA21 dramaticallyreduced compliancecosts for Indian Corporates

The projects that Central & State governments have rolled out have had tremendous impact on the end user – the Indian citizen. Here, we analyze two examples of Central & State driven e-governance projects.

Case Study: MCA21 Project for Ministry of Corporate Affairs

The implementation of the MCA21 project for taking the corporate record filing and access process online has had a tremendous impact on the time and costs involved for citizens, corporates and the government alike. A

1snapshot of the time saved for corporates is illustrated below.

Efficiency in Service Delivery: MCA 21

Registration of Other Documents

Nature of Service Prior to MCA 21 After MCA 21 (Days) (Days)

Name Approval 7 1-2

Company Incorporation 15 1-3

Change of Name 15 3

Charge Registration/ Modification 10-15 2

Annual Return 60 Instantaneous

Balance –Sheet 60 Instantaneous

Change in Directors 60 1-3

Change in Registered Office Address 60 1-3

Increase in Authorised Capital 60 1-3

Inspection of Public Documents Physical Appearance Online Public View

GovernmentWeb Initiatives: Impact

1Source: mca.gov.in, Performance Review

10

eSeva successfullybrought 66 disparate government servicesonline

Objective

Solution

Impact

The eSeva project (Andhra Pradesh, 2001) was a novel concept which sought to centralise and bring online 66 disparate government services which were handled out of multiple government offices.

The solution was a joint effort by NIC and private companies which rolled out 46 eSeva centres which served as single point of contact for payment of taxes, delivery of certificates, bill payments, document clearance, granting of licences and permits, asset licensing, forms submission and all other relevant government services.

eSeva was an excellent example of PPP (Private Public Partnership), well before the term entered the common lexicon with the government providing the data, premises, management and the private players contributing the software, hardware and payment infrastructure.

This project was also an early example of an optimal revenue sharing arrangement between the government and private players which successfully ensured that the project was sustainable for all players while also providing the services at the lowest possible cost to the citizens.

The scheme has been a tremendous success and has drastically reduced the time and cost involved for citizens in interacting with the government.

State Government e-governance Case Study:e-Seva Project in Andhra Pradesh

12

India ranks 113th on the United Nations global e-Governance index

In India, one clearly discernible trend in the government’s efforts to expand its presence on the web has been the lack of a focused and holistic approach. The overwhelming majority of government web properties have been conceptualised and launched by individual government entities without subscribing to any overall theme on either design or delivery (of information/ services). The other drawback relates to the approach – which has been towards migrating the existing offline information/ delivery process online without a holistic approach in terms of identifying the needs, potential methods of delivery and the optimal use of web resources to ensure citizen’s satisfaction.

India ranks 113th on the United Nations e-governance readiness Index, which is lower than most economically comparable countries including the BRIC grouping.

Out of the 27 projects under the NEGP (National e-Governance Plan), only one has been completed till date.

United Nations e-Governance Readiness Index - 2008

India China Russia Brazil USA World

India

China

Russia

Brazil

USA

World

86%

45%

57%51%50%

38%

Long Way To Go

14

15

Executive Summary

Citizens are increasingly using online media to interact with the Government. With the widespread success witnessed in adoption of services, information and tools provided by the government in areas like railway bookings, passport processing, tax information etc, citizens are increasingly favouring the quick and hassle free channel of the web as a primary medium of interaction with the government.

According to proprietary primary research conducted by Webchutney, Indian citizens use government websites for the following purposes.

Causes for India's e-Government?

While Indians are increasingly interacting with the government online, the web experience leaves much to be desired.

Our study conducted in August 2009 of 70 Central and State government websites indicates a majority of Government Websites lack in fundamental ‘experience’ parameters.

Most of the web properties have issues around navigation, content presentation, user-experience, design etc. These factors directly impact how a citizen interacts with the website and how ‘useful’ the website is to him to meet his / her objectives.

Total

100% 3%

11%

8%10%

32%

36%

Queries

Greivances

Research-Tax/Finance

Research-Tourism

Research-Policies/Regulations

Research-Records/Utilities

Base: 772

Heuristic Analysis of Government PortalsWebchutney performed a heuristic analysis on 35 state government and 35 central government websites using a proprietary framework that

1incorporated over a hundred parameters to assess the compliance of government websites with globally accepted best practices and standards in website design and functionality.

Non Compliant

50%

50%

Compliant

Design Aesthetics

Non Compliant

69%

31%

Compliant

Support Services

Non Compliant

Compliant

User Experience

44%56%

Compliant

Navigation

37%

63%

Search Information Hierarchy

Non Compliant

Compliant

Non Compliant

1Refer Appendix A

43%57%

Compliant

Non Compliant

67%

33%

16

Central Government

Ministry of Power: Informative sections for Children, Consumers, Teachers and Students and investment opportunities for private companies. Important links for users like FAQs, Contact Us, Feedback, and Sitemap.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: Information is clear, organized and user-friendly. From traffic data to road safety, information hierarchy has been given ample attention to make the website user friendly.

Election Commission: Well-designed layout to navigate through vast amount of information. Clear headers for quick access.

Tamil Nadu: E-services for citizens and businesses include grievance redressal, transport, land record and welfare schemes. Local language version of the site equally citizen-friendly

Delhi User-oriented website with services categorised for citizens, employees and businesses separately. Features like 'Application Status Finder', payment of bills, vehicle, marriage, ration card, passport registration etc. are easily used.

Gujarat: Offers newsletter subscription to keep abreast with latest developments in Gujarat. Information hierarchy, and site navigation offer easy access to information.

State Government

Best Performing Websites in Webchutney 2009 Government Web Presence Survey

Gujarat

Tamil Nadu

Delhi

31 2

Election Commission

Ministry of Power

Ministry of RoadTransport & Highways

31 2

17

Central Government

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation: Inconsistent fonts, colours, and flashing distracting design make navigation a cumbersome experience. Linked and non linked text are difficult to distinguish.

Ministry of Rural Development: No search feature on the website for quick access to government initiatives in rural affairs. PDF documents uploaded with volumes of data for simple contact support.

Ministry of Steel: Visual noise distracting for the user. Page design and information layout are different on each web page, with no links to Home page or global navigation bars.

Sikkim: Information overload on the home page with blinking graphics. Page headings and website branding are inconsistent on different pages.

Uttrakhand: Website is full of PDF documents which take time to load and make navigation difficult. No support service or interactive features for users

Chhattisgarh: The website has been organized as per content available with the government, not as per the user's requirement. Current session has to be terminated to browse through different pages, due to absence of links to Homepage or global navigation scheme.

State Government

Under Performing Websites in Webchutney 2009Government Web Presence Survey

31

2

Ministry of Steel

Ministry of Statistics& Programme Implementation

Ministry of RuralDevelopment

31

2

Sikkim

Chattisgarh Uttarakhand

18

19

Our study of select Indian government websites indicated that while the government has made a credible effort in developing websites, most of them lack in fundamental 'experience' parameters with issues around navigation, content presentation, user experience and design. These factors directly impact how a citizen interacts with the website and how ‘useful’ the website is to him to meet his / her objectives.

Our recommendations to improve usability in government websites suggest immediate attention towards citizen-centric efforts which include implementation of best practices and mandatory measurement metrics. Existing requirements should include: privacy, security protocols, accessibility, information quality, multi-lingual support, digital rights, copyright, and performance results, scheduling content to be posted; and categorizing information. An independent, third party entity must measure customer satisfaction and usability of these websites using expert views, heuristic studies and citizen feedback.

Ensuring ‘Citizen Delight’ with OnlineGovernment – The Building Blocks

InformationHierarchy

UserExperience

SupportServices

DesignAesthetics

Searchability

Navigation

Successfule-Presence for

the Government

NavigationOne of the key considerations in website design is the presentation of the information and tools on the property. Of these, information is the primary driver for most users to access a government site. The presentation of this information has to be in an intuitive and user friendly manner with due regard to ease of access and layout. Some of the factors that are to be kept in mind while designing the navigation elements are:

1. Are there hints to help users navigate through the length and breadth of the website?

2. Can they go to related pages easily?

3. Does a site map exist?

4. Can they figure out where they are at any time, with the help of Breadcrumbs (navigation path)?

Best Government Websites (Navigation)

Report Card

Compliance with Navigation Standards

44%56%

Compliant

Non Compliant

Only 33% of all surveyed sites have a sitemap, which is a bare essential in navigational tools – The amount of time lost in identifying relevant sources of information due to lack of a site map can negate the very intent of having a website.

An overwhelming 80% of websites do not indicate to a user current position on the site – lack of navigation path/ 'breadcrumbs' is a serious navigational lacuna.

Only 1% of government websites have fully functional links – A shocking 99% have broken links, which can result in a frustrating experience for the user.

Rank Website of

1 Government of Tamil Nadu

2 Ministry of Power

3 Government of Gujarat

4 Government of Kerala

5 Government of West Bengal

20

21

%Yes %No

Barriers to Navigation

Our study also indicated several essential elements related to

navigation consistency and context missing in most government

sites included in the study.

Is there more than one way to navigate the site?

Is the sitemap consistent with high-level navigation?

Is the site free from extraordinarily long pages?

Is the site free from broken links?

Is the local/global navigation scheme consistently applied across the site?

Is the linked text different from the non-linked text?

Is the home page link inactive on the home page?

Does the structure of the site match the way users think?

Does the site provide top link at the bottomof the long pages?

Does the site have a site map?

Does the site contain a ‘related links’ page?

100

7426

53 47

1 99

53 47

37 63

56 44

21 79

33 67

50 50

Does the navigation help identify position on the site?

Are the navigation options clear?

Navigation bars at the top and at the bottom of the page for easy access?

Are the links to non-web files identified as such?

Are the links that go off site clearly identified?

Are the links clearly marked?

20 80

57 43

31 69

24 76

100

27 73

6436

Navigation should be Consistent

Inconsistency in navigation implies that users must re-learn the navigation scheme for each section or page. Inconsistent navigation also makes it difficult for users to identify their position on the site and makes it difficult to navigate back to previous pages.

The illustration of the Ministry of Defence website given below highlights some of the issues related to poor navigation on a portal.

Different left and right navigation schemes

confuse the user.

Navigation scheme changes completely on a different page. No labels or global navigation

exists. The user has to click through each page to know its

contents.

No navigation path (breadcrumbs) specified to identify the current

position on the site with inconsistent

navigation schemes.

There should be navigation bars available at the top and bottom of the page for easy access to information.

22

23

The website of Chandigarh is an excellent example of a site

designed with adherence to all navigational guidelines. The website

is illustrated below with key features highlighted.

Local and Global

navigation remains clear

and consistent throughout

the site

Clear navigation

options facilitate easy identification

of desired tasks

Global navigation links at the bottom of the page for easy access

Like items are grouped together with user centered

labels for easy access

Links are distinguished from

non-linked text

Owner of the site is clearly visible and remains

consistent with sub sites

SearchThe extent of information made available by the central, state, local governments on the internet has been increasing exponentially over the years. The number of portals on which this information is distributed has also been growing at a rapid pace. According to the National Informatics Centre, there are approximately 6,363 documents on the National Portal of India and about 5,999 state government document on the various portals*. This surfeit of information can often hinder the ability of a citizen to quickly access the most relevant information that he/she wishes to access.

Search as a feature is critical to enable citizens to cut through the clutter and increase efficiency of the government websites in providing relevant/ useful information and services.

Our study indicates that only 37% of all government websites comply with Search functionalities.

Best Government Websites(Search)

Report Card

Compliance withSearch Standards

37%

63%

Compliant

Non Compliant

Provision of a search facility has to be coupled with equal access from all parts of a website – A majority (two-thirds) of all websites surveyed did not offer the feature.

Cutting edge search standards mandate the necessity of providing relevancy rankings for search results – This emerged as the largest gap with not even 1 of all surveyed websites offering the feature.

Validity of search results is a key parameter for enhancing access to information – A significant 74% of the sites had invalid/ irrelevant search results.

Rank Website of

1 Ministry of Women & Child Development

2 Central Information Commission

3 Government of Daman & Diu

*Source: Access to Government Information in the digital Environment by Dr. Paramjeet K. Walia

24

25

Results of search usability in government websites

%Yes %No

Is the search facility clearly marked?

Is the search facility accessible from every page?

Does the site provide facility to sort search results by parameters such as date of relevancy?

Does the site have advanced search facility?

Does the site have a search facility?

Does the search provide relevant results?

Does the search field accept Boolean operators such as ‘and’?

Are there relevancy ratings on the search results?

Are the search outcomes free from similar results?

54

6634

100

17 83

54 46

74

40 60

100

44 56

46

26

0

0

Our study also indicated that several key aspects related to searchability were missing in most government sites included in the study.

Search is Critical with relevant Search ResultsSearch results should have clear titles and summaries so users can identify information most relevant to them. Users often cannot determine the relevance of the search result unless they click on the link, and this can lead to wastage of time.

In the anticipation of “The Indian Budget 2009-10” and its aftermath, the average monthly page views of the Finance Ministry Portal

1(http://finmin.nic.in/) hovered around 458,000. The website carries significant amount of critical information for users, but ironically, does not employ a search facility to access and utilise this information efficiently.

Similarly, the Indian Railways portal is an important source of information for millions of people in their daily lives. Although a Search option is available, the link is not live and is a disappointing feature for the user.

Most of the government portals fare poorly on search parameters. A couple of examples are illustrated below.

1Vizisense July, 2009

Search Facility missing throughout the Ministry of Finance portal, which is an

important source of information for citizens

Indian Railways' website has a Search function but leads to an inactive page with

no results. This is frustrating for citizens and a poor example of being user-friendly.26

27

'Search tips' facility makes this feature user friendly

with adequate help in tracking information.

Below is the example of Central Information Commission's website which provides well-rounded, robust and user-friendly search options.

Advanced search facility helps expand search

options within the website as well as the web.

Search results are relevant to keywords ‘Right to

Information’ and include tags with metadata to

glance and sort relevant links according to users’

convenience.

Search option provided in Global navigation ensures users stay on

the site and find information from any page on the website.

Information HierarchyContent is the lifeline of any good website. The presentation of content on a web page should reveal a clear information hierarchy—an indication of the level of importance of the content. This helps users find high priority content and important navigation paths easily. Without clear information hierarchy, content may appear cluttered on the web site and users have difficulty deciding where they will get the most value.

Our study indicates that only 57% of all government websites comply with information hierarchy best practices.

Best Government Websites(Information Hierarchy)

Report Card

Compliance with InformationHierarchy Best Practices

57%43%

Compliant

Non Compliant

The evaluated sites scored well on many measures of content usability. Content was appropriate for government sites, time-sensitive information included a ‘date stamp’, page headings existed and were appropriate, and contextual content was frequently provided. However, the sites in general scored poorly on two content usability criteria that are critical to providing a good experience for users: user centered site structure and clear information hierarchy.

Rank Website of

1 Government of Tamil Nadu

2 Ministry of Urban Development

3 Ministry of Power

28

29

Our study also indicated that content was treated poorly in many government sites.

%Yes %No

Is the content organised based on user needs?

Is the alternate language format as comprehensivein content and features?

Is it easy to understand how information is organised on the site?

Does the site provide facilities to download necessary fonts?

Does the site offer e-newsletters for updates?

Does the site have language options?

Does the site have clear information hierarchy?

Does the content appear to flow from the upper left corner to the lower right corner?

31 69

49 51

6 94

13 87

43 57

46 54

Do the font size, type and color facilitate easy reading of the content?

Are the higher-level pages free fromlarge uninterrupted text block?

31 69

1000

1000

Is there plenty of white space?

Is the site free from obsolete data?

Is the presentation organised to facilitatescanning the page?

Is the language and tone of the content suitable to the target user?

6337

46 54

1 99

7129

47 53

Errors such as typographic and grammatical errors could be found in over 30% of all surveyed websites.

However, of all the website design guidelines, government websites performed best on the information hierarchy aspect.

Ease of readability of text lines was found to be lacking in nearly 16% of the websites.

The Uttarakhand state portal has NIC as the dominating

brand.

The Home page is

cluttered with links and

information.

Very little thought has been given to content layout and

information architecture while site design has been

completely ignored.

The website of the government of Uttarakhand does not comply with most of the widely accepted information hierarchy and content guidelines.

30

31

The Election Commission of India serves as a good example of clear information hierarchy and content layout presented in site design.

User centered labels help save

time in completing

tasks

Information is presented in a manner that

facilitates easy scanning.

Plenty of white space

The Election Commission of

India offers useful information to

citizens through a well laid out

content structure and clear

information heirarchy

Design AestheticsThe ability of a website to appeal and engage a user is the key to attracting the attention of a visitor. This is usually a function of the design aesthetics of the website. Half of the surveyed government websites fail to meet the best-in-class standards of website design.

There is no consistency in site design, use of color, font and other important aesthetics across all Indian State and Ministry portals. The use of distracting and irrelevant graphics and inconsistent typography is prominent in a majority of the websites tested. It is imperative for the Government to consider a complete make-over for such websites and incorporate Web 2.0 standards of minimalistic, simple and clean design to ensure website recall and usability.

Best Government Websites(Design Aesthetics)

Report Card

Compliance with DesignAesthetics Standards

50%

50%Compliant

Non Compliant

Rank Website of

1

2 Government of Gujarat

3 Government of Kerala

4 Government of Orissa

5 Government of Tamil Nadu

Ministry of Power

A subjective survey of appeal of the website design exposed very low levels of 'appeal' from a citizen's point of view.

The vast majority of the government websites have tremendously underutilised the ability of the internet to deliver an interactive experience for the user.

Inconsistent and sub-par use of content display formats prevent the user from clicking through and exploring the website.

32

33

%Yes %No

Is the use of colour, buttons and sliders helpful?

Is the site interesting and appealing?

Is the site free from intrusive and annoying graphics or other media?

Is the objective of the site clear?

Is the look and feel of the site consistent?

Is the branding of the site memorable?

Does the site make appropriate use ofthe interactive medium?

Does the site have different options for high speed and low speed users?

Does the site always succeed in avoiding the need for the user to look at the URL to see if he has left the site?

Does the branding match with the look and feel of the site?

Does it make the user want to come back?

Does it encourage the user to click through?

56

100

44

40 60

56 44

53 47

80

14 86

1 99

0 100

49 51

100

0 100

0

20

0

Government Websites need to convey a sense of professionalism and integrity in order to create user confidence. Users, ranging from citizens to employees to foreign visitors should be able to understand the sense of purpose and public service that the respective government body wishes to convey.

Results of effective use of aesthetics and branding in site design

The Ministry of Labour website fails to meet several of the design guidelines that are necessary for any portal to be effective in appealing to users.

Extensive/ over-use of

colour in the website

Visual noise in the website

with flashing multicolored ‘NEW’ and ‘UPDATED’ shout-outs

Inconsiderate site design leads to eye-strain for the user due to excessive text

and unappealing aesthetics

34

35

An analysis of the Ministry of Power website, which exudes simplicity of design, makes it a good example for most government websites to follow.

Simple yet memorable site

branding

Not too many variations in

font style and color make text easily

legible

There is no use of flashing

colorful blinking graphics which

hurt the eye and make the design

un-appealing.

Consistent look and feel of site design

is more engaging, ensuring

repeat visits

Support ServicesFeedback, FAQs and contact through e-mail are the only few interactive elements on a website which give citizens real time information on website usability and its success. The FAQ pages are full of keywords, which is an essential feature for search engine optimization while being one of the most vital pages in any website design.

As 60% of Indian government sites overlook to provide appropriate contact details, and only 21% provide FAQs, it is imperative for government agencies to take appropriate measures to enhance interactivity in these websites to enable better governance.

Best Government Websites(Support)

Report Card

Compliance withSupport Standards

31%69%

Compliant

Non Compliant

Rank Website of

1

2 Election Commission of India

3 TRAI

4 Government of Tamil Nadu

5 Ministry of Labor & Employment

Ministry of Corporate Affairs

A shocking 79% of all websites do not offer an FAQ section – which seriously hinders the efficiency of information search on the portal.

Only 30% of the surveyed websites had any means of feedback available – which is a sad commentary on the utilisation of the most interactive medium available to the government.

Not a single one of the surveyed sites provided the safety and security policy which is an absolute essential as part of the website design.

36

37

Our study indicated that most of the government websites lack in security related functions. Some areas for immediate attention are highlighted below:

%Yes %No

Is the security policy easily found?

Is the security policy clear?

Is the privacy policy easily found?

Is the privacy policy clear?

Is the ‘contact us’ link displayed in a consistent location on every page?

Is confirmation page returned when feedback is submitted?

Does the site offer troubleshooting information?

Does the site offer FAQs?

Does the site mention hours-of-operation for each physical location?

Does the site list regional offices phone and fax numbers?

Does the site have an online feedback/request form?

Does the site also indicate primary contact name?

Does the request form validate effectively?

Does the feedback/request form have only a few required fields?

Does the feedback confirmation include a timeframe for response?

Do the multiple customer service media (phone, fax, email) work?

Did the query was responded satisfactorily within 2 days?

Did the company respond within a hour with acknowledgement?

Are the FAQs useful?

Are the FAQs thorough, concise and well organised?

Are form fields arranged in a logical order?

6139

6040

21 79

29 71

30 70

40 60

100

100

100

100

44 56

16 84

16 84

33 67

30 70

946

946

1000

1000

1000

1000

Service, Support and Security

The FAQs section in the Ministry of Road transport & Highways' website has information on international driving permit, but offers no information to citizens on national (Indian)

driving permit/license.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has only ONE question and answer in its FAQ section, which offers little help

to citizens seeking relevant information.

Several government websites have low levels of service support

The Jammu and Kashmir Website offers a physical address and e-mail ID in the 'Contact Us' section, but there are no ‘HelpLine’ telephone or fax

numbers listed for citizens to contact and obtain information directly.

38

39

A good example of a website that provides a good support service on the site is the Delhi government website.

‘Government Telephone Directory’ is a very useful

additional feature for citizens

Delhi Government is the only state portal to provide

FAQs on their website

Appropriate use of interactive services such as ‘Contact us’ and

’Feedback’ are displayed consistently throughout all pages.

User ExperienceUser experience encompasses all aspects of the end-user's interaction with the agency, its services, and its products. A key requirement for an exemplary user-experience is to meet the exact needs of the user and provide accurate, relevant information and reliable service delivery.

Considering the nature of elements evaluated, described and discussed in the report so far, it can be inferred that there is a lot to be desired regarding their 'Usability'.

Best Government Websites(User Experience)

Report Card

Compliance withUser Experience Standards

33%67%

Compliant

Non Compliant

Rank Website of

1

2 Government of Gujarat

5 Ministry of Law & Justice

Ministry of Corporate Affairs

An overwhelming 97% of all websites relied on text-only information which reduces a user's ability to quickly reach relevant information.

Most of the websites lack cross-browser compatibility which is a bare essential for a website.

Almost 86% of the websites lack explanatory portions for the interactive features which reduces their usefulness to the general public.

40

41

Most websites tested launch successfully in multiple browsers, but are only fully functional in Microsoft Internet Explorer. While it is possible to view and these websites in Google Chrome, Firefox etc. website functionality gets impaired with certain features turning un-responsive. Also, most of them provide text-only version of their website, and have not experimented/ innovated with flash or other software options to enhance their presentation and appeal.

Our study inidcated that user experience across government websites leaves a lot to be desired.

%Yes %No

It is easy to go back, after encountering an error?

Does the site restrict itself from launchingmore than 1 additional browser?

Does the site restrict itself from generating more than1 pop up per page?

Does the site provide option to opt out from the flash intro?

Does the site provide link to relevant softwaredownload sites if required?

Does the site have only text version option?

Does the site allow users to easily close the pop ups?

Are interactive features clearly explained?

9 91

14 86

2476

397

991

7921

991

7921

User Experience in Government Websites

42

Horizontal scrolling text overlaps

vertical navigation links making all intersecting text

illegible

Global navigation links disappear and become

inaccessible when the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation website is accessed from Firefox or Chrome web browsers.

An example of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation website-malfunction in Firefox.

Several interactive

features such as subscription to

newsletter create good user experience.

One of the few government websites

which launches successfully with all

features functional in multiple browsers.

The website of the government of Gujarat is an excellent example of a user experience - positive website.

43

Multiplicity of standards prevent integrated information sharing for G2G, G2B and G2C services/ websites

Lack of interactivity of government internet channel bound to increase load on government offices – time/ cost impact

Perception of government’s efficiency and citizen friendliness impacted – especially among youth

GOVERNMENT

Higher costs and time spent on government related tasks/ records

Sub-optimal decision related to government schemes and policies

Compliance costs with regulatory requirements increases

Increased vulnerability to corruption due to information asymmetry

Empowerment of citizens directly impacted

CITIZENS

Implications of a Sub-par e-PresenceA poor web presence costs both the government and the citizens heavily in terms of time and financial costs. In the long term, the entire country is severely impacted due to lost productivity and lack of transparency. One of the biggest beneficiaries of an excellent government web presence has paradoxically not been the elite, but the vulnerable sections of the society who are increasingly leveraging the transparency and interactivity afforded by an easily accessible online government to make impactful, meaningful changes to their daily lives.

The central and state governments must act in a concerted manner to ensure appropriate guidelines in establishing an e-presence. Else, the multiplication of portals without conformity to internationally accepted best practices will dramatically increase the future costs of establishing an integrated e-presence.

Informed & Holistic Development Process

Best Practices and Standards

Measurement

Centre of Excellence

Government websites must be written, designed and organised from the audience point of view. Content must be organised in ways that are useful to citizens and intended audiences.

Organisations must continue to comply with existing government laws, regulations, and policies. Existing requirements should include: privacy; security protocols; accessibility, information quality; multi-lingual support, digital rights, copyright, and performance results; scheduling content to be posted; and categorizing information.

Government organisations must measure customer satisfaction and usability of these websites using expert views, heuristic studies and citizen feedback.

Developing web policies and requirements for government websites is an on-going process, requiring a structured dialogue between all stakeholders. The Ministry of IT and NIC should establish a Center of Web Excellence, to create processes to approve guidelines, best practices, set standards, monitor progress and to co-ordinate across multiple government agencies involved in the initiative.

Guidelines for a World Class e-PresenceAfter a thorough analysis of functional 'Usability' in State portals and Ministry websites, it is evident that with changing times, and continuous upgrade in technology, design and digital trends, it is time for government agencies to take their existing efforts towards e-presence a level higher.

We offer a few recommendations in our effort to help government agencies enable and implement the much-needed change in their digital endeavor.

44

Transaction

Integratede-presence

Interaction Information

Integrated e-Presence

The Indian government will need to have a coordinated strategy to ensure delivery of the three blocks of a successful e-presence - Information, Transaction and Interaction across G-G, G-B and G-C services.

The first phase of the government’s e-presence rollout has been very effective in making information available to the public at large. India.gov.in is a prime example, apart from the approximately 7,000 sites on the government directory.

In the second phase, IRCTC (Indian Railways) and MCA21 stand out as prime examples in highlighting the governments attempt at building 'Transaction' based services. However, barring a few projects, the government has yet to fully exploit the potential to deliver transaction oriented services online .

In the final phase, there is tremendous scope for the Indian Government to build a strong foundation to offer interactive services through the digital medium. While citizens are able to initiate critical tasks through government portals, there is a big gap in their ability to complete an entire task, end-to-end which by definition, would require a interactive format. It is a huge opportunity for the government to maximize paperless transactions which help save cost, increase efficiency and reach the highest level of citizen satisfaction possible.

45

The Centre shall establish and propagate best practices to ensure that Indian government portals are the most citizen friendly worldwide.

Monitoring

Centre forWeb

Excellence

Consulting

ResearchBest

Practices

Training

The Centre shall research global guidelines and standards with focus on customizing for the requirements of Indian government & citizens.

Regular monitoring of adherence to standards with an annual survey & awards for the best portals among government entities to be instituted.

Training and skill enhancement services for government talent involved in design and maintenance of web properties.

The centre shall provide consulting services to government on design, compliance and improvement for e-presence implementation.

Centre for Web Excellence

One of the key priorities for the government should be to establish an independent ‘centre of web excellence’, to succeed in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of its online interactions with citizens on a continuous basis.

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*Refer Appendix A for the parameters used in our analysis.

Methodology

Webchutney performed a heuristic analysis on 35 Central and 35 state government websites using a proprietary Webchutney measurement toolbox that included over a hundred parameters* to assess ease-of-use and functionality of these sites.

A heuristic analysis is a relatively low cost and rapid approach for evaluating website usability. This systematic approach consists of thoroughly examining a site based on a set of generally accepted criteria (heuristics) and judging the site's success in meeting these criteria. Usability criteria are based on best practices that describe common properties of usable interfaces; they have been developed over the last several decades in software development circles and adapted as needed for websites.

While there are a number of ways to evaluate usability, heuristic analysis can often uncover many of the significant usability problems that exist with a site. A heuristic analysis is often the first step in a comprehensive usability analysis and may be followed by user testing and other evaluations.

!?

Sample Selection

Central Government Website

Central Bureau of Investigation http://www.cbi.gov.in/ Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution http://www.fcamin.nic.in/Corporate Affairs http://www.mca.gov.in/Directorate of Public Grievances http://www.dpg.bharatsarkar.nic.in/Election Commission of India http://www.eci.nic.in/External Affairs http://www.meaindia.nic.in/Finance http://www.finmin.nic.in/Health and Family Welfare http://www.mohfw.nic.in/Home Affairs http://www.mha.gov.in/Human Resource Development http://www.education.nic.in/Information and Broadcasting http://www.mib.gov.in/Information Commission http://www.cic.gov.in/Labour and Employment http://www.labour.nic.in/Law and Justice http://www.lawmin.nic.in/Micro Small and Medium Enterprises http://www.msme.gov.in/Notional Human Rights Commission http://www.nhrc.nic.in/Panchayati Raj http://www.panchayat.gov.in/Parliamentary Affairs http://www.mpa.nic.in/Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions http://www.persmin.nic.in/Petroleum and Natural Gas http://www.petroleum.nic.in/Planning Commission http://www.planningcommission.gov.in/Power http://www.powermin.nic.in/Railways http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/Road Transport and Highways http://www.morth.nic.in/Rural Development http://www.rural.nic.in/Social Justice and Empowerment http://www.socialjustice.nic.in/Statistics and Programme Implementation http://www.mospi.gov.in/Steel http://www.steel.nic.in/Tourism http://www.tourism.gov.in/TRAI http://www.trai.gov.in/ Union Public Service Commission http://www.upsc.gov.in/Urban Development http://www.urbanindia.nic.in/Water Resources http://www.wrmin.nic.in/Women and Child Development http://www.wcd.nic.in/Youth Affairs and Sports http://www.yas.nic.in/

The list of websites was selected on a random basis, and did

not involve any statistical sampling, as our focus was on

exploratory, qualitative analysis.

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49

State Government, Union Territory Website

Andhra Pradesh http://www.aponline.gov.in/Andaman and Nicobar http://www.and.nic.in/Arunachal Pradesh http://www.arunachalpradesh.nic.in/Bihar http://www.gov.bih.nic.in/Chandigarh http://www.chandigarh.gov.in/Chhattisgarh http://www.chhattisgarh.nic.in/Daman and Diu http://www.daman.nic.in/Delhi http://www.delhigovt.nic.in/Dadra and Nagra Haveli http://www.dnh.nic.in/Goa http://www.goagovt.nic.in/Gujarat http://www.gujaratindia.com/Haryana http://www.haryana.gov.in/Himachal Pradesh http://www.himachal.nic.in/Jammu and Kashmir http://www.jammukashmir.nic.in/Jharkhand http://www.jharkhand.nic.in/Karnataka http://www.karnataka.gov.in/Kerala http://www.kerala.gov.in/Lakshadweep http://www.lakshadweep.nic.in/Madhya Pradesh http://www.mp.gov.in/Maharashtra http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/Manipur http://www.manipur.nic.in/Meghalaya http://www.meghalaya.nic.in/Mizoram http://www.mizoram.nic.in/Nagaland http://www.nagaland.nic.in/Orissa http://www.orissagov.nic.in/Pondicherry http://www.pondicherry.nic.in/Punjab http://www.punjabgovt.nic.in/Rajasthan http://www.rajasthan.gov.in/Sikkim http://www.sikkim.gov.in/Tamil Nadu http://www.tn.gov.in/Tripura http://www.tripura.nic.in/Uttar Pradesh http://www.upgov.nic.in/Uttrakhand http://www.ua.nic.in/West Bengal http://www.wbgov.com/

Note: The website of Assam is the only state government portal which was non-functional at the time of this study, and thus not included. Also, it is possible that some sites may have changed between the time of our evaluation and the publishing of this report.

50

Navigation Yes No

Search Yes No

Is there more than one way to navigate the site? 0 100Does the navigation open new window? (External Link) 0 100Are the links that go off site clearly identified? 0 100Is the site free from broken links? 1 99Does the navigation help identify position in the site? 20 80Does the site provide top link at the bottom of the long pages? 21 79Are the links to non-web files identified as such? 24 76Is the site map consistent with high-level navigation? 26 74Are the links clearly marked? 27 73Are the navigation bars at the top and at the bottom of the page for easy access? 31 69Does the site have a site map? 33 67Is the linked text different from the non-linked text? 36 64Is the home page link inactive on the home page? 37 63Does the site contain a “related links” page? 50 50Is the local/global navigation scheme consistently applied across the site? 53 47Is the site free from extraordinarily long pages? 53 47Does the structure of the site match the way users think? 56 44Are the navigation options clear? 57 43Are the global navigation labels consistent across the site? 64 36Are like items grouped together in navigation? 73 27Is there a clearly identified link to the home page? 76 24Are the labels user centred? 80 20Does the user always know who the owner of the site is? 81 19Does the site have a local navigation scheme? 83 17Is the URL user centred? 84 16Are sub-site URLs consistent with primary URL? 84 16Are the page titles consistent with navigation? 86 14Are all parts of the site accessible from the home page? 90 10Does the site have a global navigation scheme? 91 9Does the site provide the user an option to move out of the site or close an application at any time? 96 4

Are there relevancy ratings on the search results? 0 100Do search results contain meaningful title tags and other metadata? 0 100Does the site provide facility to sort search results by parameters such as date or relevancy? 0 100Does the site have advanced search facility? 17 83Does the search provide relevant results? 26 74Is the search facility accessible from every page? 34 66

Appendix A: Parameters Used in the StudyList of Parameters with overall results (as a %) for 70 Indian Government websites:

51

Appendix A

Does the search field accept Boolean operators such as “and”? 40 60Are the search outcomes free from similar results? 44 56Is the search facility clearly marked? 46 54Does the site have a search facility? 54 46

Is the site interesting and appealing? 0 100Does it encourage the user to click through? 0 100Does it make the user want to come back? 0 100Does the site always succeed in avoiding the need for the user to look at the URL to see if he has left the site? 0 100Does the site have different options for high speed and low speed users? 1 99Does the site make appropriate use of the interactive medium? 14 86Is the branding of the site memorable? 20 80Is the site free from intrusive and annoying graphics or other media? 40 60Is the use of colour, buttons and sliders helpful? 44 56Does the branding match with the look and feel of the site? 49 51Is the look and feel of the site consistent? 53 47Is the objective of the site clear? 56 44Does the site always prevent sub-brands from over shadowing the master brand? 70 30Is the site free from horizontal scroll bar at 800x600? 71 29Is the site free from downloads that require high bandwidth? 93 7Does the site support more than one browser? 93 7

Is the content organised based on user needs? 0 100Are the higher-level pages free from large uninterrupted text blocks? 0 100Does contextual information exist on the site? 0 100Is the contextual information appropriate? 0 100Is the language and tone of the content suitable to the target user? 1 99Does the site provide facilities to download necessary fonts? 6 94Does the site offer e-newsletters for updates? 13 87Is there plenty of white space? 29 71Do the font size, type and colour facilitate easy reading of the content? 31 69Is the alternate language format as comprehensive in content and features? 31 69Is the site free from obsolete data? 37 63Does the site have language options? 43 57Is the presentation organised to facilitate scanning the page? 46 54Does the content appear to flow from the upper left corner to the lower right corner? 46 54Does the site have clear information hierarchy? 47 53Is it easy to understand how information is organised on the site? 49 51Is the content fresh and up-to-date? 64 36Is the content free from spelling, grammatical and typographical errors? 69 31Is the content constructed of simple, clear sentences? 70 30Does the time sensitive information include last update? 70 30Are the paragraphs short and to the point? 76 24Is the content relevant for the target audience? 77 23

Design Aesthetics Yes No

Content Yes No

52

Are text lines short to facilitate easy reading? 77 23Is the vocabulary used appropriate to the perceived target audience? 79 21Is the site’s organisation clearly marked? 84 16Are the headings and subheadings clear? 89 11Do page headings exist on the site? 93 7Are the page headings appropriate? 96 4

Does the site offer troubleshooting information? 0 100Does the request form validate effectively? 0 100Does the feedback confirmation include a time-frame for response? 0 100Did the company respond within an hour with acknowledgment? 0 100Did the query was responded satisfactorily within 2 days? 0 100Does the site mention hours-of-operation for each physical location? 0 100Are the FAQs thorough, concise and well organised? 16 84Are the FAQs useful? 16 84Does the site offer FAQs? 21 79Does the site list regional offices phone and fax numbers? 29 71Does the site have an online feedback/request form? 30 70Does the feedback/request form have only a few required fields? 30 70Do the multiple customer service media (phone, fax, email) work? 33 67Is confirmation page returned when feedback is submitted? 39 61Does the site also indicate primary contact name? 40 60Is the “contact us” link displayed in a consistent location on every page? 40 60Are form fields arranged in a logical order? 44 56Is the “contact us” feature prominently displayed? 57 43Does the site list physical location of the owner? 69 31Is there facility to send feedback/grievance via email to the proprietor of the site? 71 29Does the site provide multiple customer service media (phone, fax, email)? 71 29Does it point to phone or fax numbers where more detailed information is available? 77 23

Does the site provide option to opt out from the flash intro? 1 99Does the site restrict itself from launching more than 1 additional browser? 1 99Does the site provide link to relevant software download sites if required? 9 91Are interactive features clearly explained? 14 86Does the site restrict itself from generating more than 1 pop up per page? 21 79Does the site allow users to easily close the pop ups? 21 79Is it easy to go back, after encountering an error? 76 24Does the site have only text version option? 97 3

Is the security policy easily found? 0 100Is the security policy clear? 0 100Is the privacy policy easily found? 6 94Is the privacy policy clear? 6 94

Support Services Yes No

User Experience Yes No

Security Yes No

Appendix A

53

Central Government Total Score

TRAI 61Corporate Affairs 60Panchayati Raj 60Planning Commission 59Home Affairs 54Information and Broadcasting 54Information Commission 54Youth Affairs and Sports 53Micro Small and Medium Enterprises 52Urban Development 52Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution 49Women and Child Development 49Water Resources 48Directorate of Public Grievances 47External Affairs 45Labour and Employment 44Social Justice and Empowerment 44Central Bureau of Investigation 43Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions 39Union Public Service Commission 39Law and Justice 36National Human Rights Commission 36Tourism 35Petroleum and Natural Gas 34Human Resource Development 31Parliamentary Affairs 31Railways 31Health and Family Welfare 29Finance 26Rural Development 25

Power 76Road Transport and Highways 67Election Commission of India 64

Top 3 CentralGovernment

portals ranked on Usability

parameters

Appendix B: Government Websites’ RankingRating of Government websites evaluated on the basis of parameters mentioned in Appendix A.

54

Steel 25Statistics and Programme Implemetation 22

Kerala 73Bihar 66Andhra Pradesh 65West Bengal 64Karnataka 63Orissa 62Rajasthan 62Goa 58Madhya Pradesh 57Daman and Diu 56Chandigarh 54Nagaland 51Jammu and Kashmir 50Himachal Pradesh 49Meghalaya 47Jharkhand 47Arunachal Pradesh 44Mizoram 44Manipur 43Lakshawadeep 41Haryana 40Dadra and Nagar Haveli 39Uttar Pradesh 35Pondicherry 34Andaman and Nicobar 33Punjab 31Tripura 31Maharashtra 30Sikkim 30Uttrakhand 27Chhattisgarh 25

State Government, Union Territory

Tamil Nadu 78Delhi 78Gujrat 75

Top 3 State Government

portals ranked on Usability parameters

Appendix B

55

About the Authors

Madhu Sudhan is the Director leading dotGov,

Webchutney’s e-governance business.

With significant experience in evaluation and

execution of investments in the media and

technology space, he has a deep understanding of

the digital domain. His prior stints include Mergers &

Acquisitions advisory at Lazard and KPMG advisory services. He holds

a degree in business management from IIM Bangalore and an

undergraduate degree in electronics & communications engineering.

He can be reached at madhu.sudhan@webchutney.net

Madhu Sudhan

Sidharth Rao is the Chief Executive Officer and

Co-founder of Webchutney, India’s leading and

most awarded web services company

With over 12 years of industry experience,

Sidharth has made a significant contribution in

shaping the interactive marketing industry in

India. Sidharth leads the 125 people strong

organization assisted by an excellent management team across New

Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

He can be reached at sidharth.rao@webchutney.net

Sidharth Rao

56

Rajesh Arora is the Vice President of dotGov, Webchutney's e-governance business.

A sterling technology media professional with over 14 years of robust industry experience in Sales and Marketing, his past leadership in online as well as offline companies include IT Nation, Indian Express and CyberMedia.

Rajesh leads a dedicated team of digital specialists and seasoned sales-force with operations spanning across the country, to meet the increasing digital needs of emerging enterprises and mid-size outfits, as they become the next set of industry leaders in India.

He can be reached at rajesh.arora@webchutney.net

Rajesh Arora

Shweta Bhandari is a Research Analyst at Webchutney.

She carries a diverse business profile including blue-chip companies like American Express and GE. At Webchutney, she has contributed in writing several research publications such as The Digital Vote Bank, Viral Marketing and more recently the Digital Outlook Report 2009. Her passion for discovery and thirst to engage in new challenges lend immense scope and dimension to this field.

She can be reached at shweta.bhandari@webchutney.net

Shweta Bhandari

A special thanks to for conceptualisingand executing the report design.

Sushil Kumar

About Webchutney’sdotGov Division

Webchutney’s dotGov division is committed to partner with Central, state and local governments in India to provide convenient, citizen-oriented and cost effective public services through electronic media.

Our goal is to enable the Indian government and public bodies make optimal use of the digital medium to deliver information and services to the citizens.

Webchutney has been ranked the Number 1 Digital Services Company in India by Economic Times (Dec 2008). Our offices are in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. We work closely with Fortune 500 and Blue Chip Indian companies in implementing their digital strategies and solutions.

Services

We provide a wide array of consulting services ranging from strategic planning and change enablement to technology assessment and portal implementation.

For more information, log onto www.webchutney.com

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