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Implementing Best Practices – Agency Examples

Looking for a quick way to adopt the best practices on Webcontent.gov? Don’t re-invent the wheel – see what other agencies have done.

Provide Dates and Ensure Content is Current

Organize Content Based on Audience Needs

Write and Organize Homepages from the Viewpoint of the Public

Avoid Publishing Information for Employees

Use Basic Common Content, Terminology, and Placement

Measure Customer Satisfaction

  • Department of Education’s customer survey -- in-house survey, which allows visitors to view analysis of the over 6,000 responses received to-date

  • EPA’s customer survey – in-house survey used to learn about site visitors, what they’re looking for, and how satisfied they are

  • Forest Service online survey -- uses the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey. They provide a notice on their site telling visitors about the survey and how the data will be collected and used.

Provide Common Access for a Broad Range of Visitors

  • Coming Soon

Write in Plain Language

  • Plainlanguage.gov – One-stop resource to improve communications from the federal government to the public. It includes writing examples, training courses, and tips on how to encourage plain language within your agency.

  • National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health provides clear navigation labels for use by the general public.

  • CDC provides a site for kids that has well-written and audience appropriate language.

  • National Institutes of Health offers a website appropriate for both the general public as well as for medical professionals. The information being presented is technical, but the navigation and descriptive information are appropriate for the general public.

  • National Institute of Standards and Technology provides a website for researchers that can also be understood by the general public.

Provide Access to Documents in Appropriate File Formats

  • Your web policy or guidance documents should include information on appropriate file formats, including information to help content providers decide which format is appropriate. The Indian Health Service of HHS offers policy standards and guidelines.

  • The Indian Health Service offers links to plug-ins or applications needed to read content in PDF, MSWord, or other alternate formats.

  • The Office of Personnel Management Standard Forms webpage has information about the type of file as well as the size of the file.

Provide Appropriate Access to Data

Use Consistent Navigation

  • Templates are an effective way to make sure that navigation is consistent. For example, the HUD website uses a standard template. This template puts the same navigation at the top of every page, and the same navigation on the left side of every major page.

  • Another way to help make navigation consistent is to separate it from the content and generate it separately from individual files or a database. This is the approach taken on the Department of Education Website. The content of the page is generated separately and then the web server applies the navigation.

Use Standard Metadata

  • Department of Education uses standard metadata elements that include a subject and audience. Because the metadata is used to generate pages on certain topics, it is necessary to use a standardized vocabulary. The vocabulary was developed through extensive discussions with Departmental staff. To help content providers assign the terms correctly, there is a searchable online reference listing of all of the terms with definitions and links to related terms.

  • The search engine on the Department of Education website has been configured to take the Department's metadata into account, helping to improve search results. In addition, the interaction can be used to create specialized searches.

Inform Audiences of Website Changes

  • GSA -- As part of its redesign in 2003, it posted an article explaining its new features. It also alerted visitors before the new website was launched, telling them what they could expect with the new website.

  • Department of Education -- Its 2003 redesign included a complete revision of the site's information architecture, changing most of the existing URLs. They provided a bookmark search to identify the location of most of the moved pages.

Ensure Continuity of Operations During Emergencies

  • HUD's web policies describe, in detail, the process for posting to the website during emergencies. It is especially important to develop these kinds of procedures when the responsibility for the website is spread across several different parts of the organization; otherwise, everyone may assume that someone else will be responsible for the site in an emergency.

  • The Department of Commerce's system security policies require contingency planning for all systems. While content managers might not be responsible for contingency planning, they should be involved in the process and know what their role is in any plans that have been out into place for their websites.

Avoid Duplication

  • The Sustainable Development Partnerships Web Site coordinates existing or comparable information across agencies.

  • The employment page at the Department of State focuses not only on employment within the agency but also includes related employment opportunities, such as the portal to promote employment at all U.S. Intelligence Community agencies.

Collaborate in Developing Cross-Agency Portals

Link to Appropriate Cross-Agency Portals

Link to the Homepage

 

Page Updated or Reviewed: January 12, 2007

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