Summary Of Findings: Call Centers/Online Work Order/City Service Requests/Website Design and Layout

Summary Of Findings Call Centers Online Work Order/City Service Requests Web Site Design/Layout

Summary of Findings

Contents Purpose & Scope ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Methodology.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Summary of Findings: Call Centers ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 Phoenix, AZ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Coral Springs, FL ................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Olathe, KS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Rockville, MD..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Charlotte, NC ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Eastover, NC ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Fayetteville, NC ................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Havelock, NC ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Jacksonville, NC ................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Raleigh, NC ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Winston-Salem, NC ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Knoxville, TN ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Nashville, TN...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 San Antonio, TX ................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Charlottesville, VA ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Bellevue, WA ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Summary of Findings: Online Work Order/City Service Requests ............................................................................................................ 5 Phoenix, AZ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Coral Springs, FL ................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Olathe, KS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Rockville, MD..................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Charlotte-Mecklenberg County, NC .................................................................................................................................................. 7 Eastover, NC ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Fayetteville, NC ................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Havelock, NC ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Jacksonville, NC ................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Raleigh, NC ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Winston-Salem, NC ......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Knoxville, TN .................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Nashville, TN.................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 San Antonio, TX ............................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Charlottesville, VA ........................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Bellevue, WA ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Summary of Findings: Web Site Design/Layout ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Summary of Findings

Phoenix, AZ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Coral Springs, FL .............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Olathe, KS ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 Rockville, MD................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Charlotte-Mecklenberg, NC ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 Eastover, NC .................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Fayetteville, NC ............................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Havelock, NC ................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Jacksonville, NC ............................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Raleigh, NC ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Winston-Salem, NC ......................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Knoxville, TN .................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Nashville, TN.................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 San Antonio, TX ............................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Charlottesville, VA ........................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Bellevue, WA ................................................................................................................................................................................... 27

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Summary of Findings

Purpose & Scope The purpose of this effort was to analyze the methods in use by various municipalities to interact with and support their citizens, as well as respond to citizen issues. The municipalities examined as part of this effort were:                

Phoenix, AZ Coral Springs, FL Olathe, KS Rockville, MD Charlotte, NC Eastover, NC Fayetteville, NC Havelock, NC Jacksonville, NC Raleigh, NC Winston-Salem, NC Knoxville, TN Nashville, TN San Antonio, TX Charlottesville, VA Bellevue, WA

This effort examined several key factors for each municipality: 1.

Does the city have a 311 call center? a. If so, is there an ad for the call center on the City homepage? b. If so, how visible is the ad? c. What form does the ad take? Is it separated from the page content to be easily seen?

2.

Does the city’s homepage have a link to submit a work order and/or request a service? a. If so, is the link clearly visible? b. Does the link go to a form? Does it go to a department listing? c. Absent a direct work-order submission method, does the site make it easy to contact the municipal government?

3.

Do the city websites make it easy for citizens to get in touch with their city government? a. Is contact information visible on the homepage? b. If so, where? c. What contact information is included? d. Are there links to the city’s social media presence on the homepage? If so, where? e. Does the City use a mobile app? Are there links or advertisements about the app on the city’s homepage?

Methodology Each city’s website was visited, mapped, and analyzed (notes pertaining to each city’s site are appended to this summary). Followup calls were then made to each city’s published contact number to inquire as to their methodologies for providing support to their citizens and responding to citizen issues.

For purposes of this summary, Fayetteville, NC is treated identically to other subject cities, and analysis is presented based solely on the citizen-facing site as it presently exists.

Summary of Findings: Call Centers Call centers are a municipality’s clearinghouse for citizens to call in needing support. In most cases, these call centers can be accessed by dialing 3-1-1 and/or a published phone number. These call centers function like their commercial counterparts, with customer service responders able to assist with and resolve common issues.

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Summary of Findings

Of the seventeen municipalities surveyed, six* reported that they use call centers: Charlotte, NC; Fayetteville, NC; Winston-Salem, NC; Knoxville, TN; Nashville, TN; and San Antonio, TX. *Olathe, KS reported that although they do operate a “customer service center,” its purpose is primarily to serve as a billing center for the city. Calls not related to utility billing are transferred to the appropriate city department.

The remaining municipalities surveyed reported that they do not use call centers. In most cases, the primary justification was budget constraints, a small population, or a perceived lack of demand on the part of the various city councils.

Despite their importance, not all municipalities that utilize call centers promote that fact effectively on their homepages. For purposes of this report, an “effective” advertisement for a 3-1-1 or equivalent call center is one which is visible on the municipality’s main page, at nominal magnification (the Web browser used was Mozilla FireFox 29.0.1) on a 1920x1080 display, and with either large text or an icon including “311” to draw attention.

Municipalities employing 311 call centers are ranked on a scale of 1-5, based on the effectiveness of the advertisement.

1: Not Effective

A text-only or icon-based advertisement appears on the page, but users must scroll to locate it.

2: Minimally Effective

A text-based advertisement appears on the page and is visible without scrolling, but the text is not separated from other page content.

3: Somewhat Effective

An icon-based advertisement appears on the page and is visible without scrolling, but the icon is either relatively small or is not separated from other page content.

4: Very Effective

A text-based advertisement appears on the page, is visible without scrolling, and is separated from other page content to draw attention.

5: Highly Effective

An icon-based advertisement appears on the page, is visible without scrolling, and is separated from other page content to draw attention.

Phoenix, AZ: 0 – No Call Center  Previously maintained a call center, however it was eliminated due to budget cutbacks.

Coral Springs, FL: 0 – No Call Center  Advised that their primary method of supporting citizens is via an online service tracking system, and that even if someone walks in off the street needing support, a ticket is opened in the online help desk Olathe, KS: 0 – No Call Center  Advised that customer service center serves primarily as the billing center for the city; calls to the main published number not relevant to utility billing are transferred to the appropriate department for disposition Rockville, MD: 0 – No Call Center  Each city department has its own method of addressing citizen requests; 95% of citizen calls go directly to the relevant city departments, the remainder are handled by a single employee at City Hall Charlotte, NC: 5 – Highly Effective  The site’s main page includes multiple advertisements of its 311 call center, nicknamed “CharMeck” (a blending of “Charlotte” and “Mecklenberg [County],” reflective of the government’s status as a joint entity). These can be found both in the header bar on the main page, as well as a large and stylized button emblazoned with “311” in the right-hand margin.

The button is dark in color and contrasts with the page’s white background, easily drawing the eye to it.

Eastover, NC: 0 – No Call Center  Town manager advised that population was too small to need one, and that “we’re not that far along yet” Fayetteville, NC: 2 – Minimally Effective  The site’s main page header includes the City Hall street address and phone number, which is given as (910) 433-1FAY (1329). Contact with City employees shows the listed phone number is actually that of the call center, however this is not clarified anywhere on the main page, including the second instance in the left margin

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Summary of Findings

Havelock, NC: 0 – No Call Center  Primary method of handling citizen issues is to take calls at City Hall, then route citizens to the appropriate city department; “don’t see the need” for a call center Jacksonville, NC: 0 – No Call Center  A call center is being implemented as part of a new welcome center now under construction; in the interim, City Hall serves as the center of information and helps callers resolve issues on an as-needed basis Raleigh, NC: 0 – No Call Center  Plans were being made to implement a call center when the recession hit, but as a result of the recession they lacked the funds, and now the initiative is “not on the front burner” Winston-Salem, NC: 1 – Not Effective  Although the City’s main page includes a “311” icon as part of its header, this icon actually links to a page that allows users to initiate a chat with a member of the City’s call center. To identify that an actual call center exists, users must scroll to the bottom of the page, whose footer includes complete contact information, including both 311 and a direct-dial number for the call center.

Knoxville, TN: 5 – Very Effective  The right margin of the front page includes a section titled “Dial 3-1-1 for City Services,” which includes a large icon with a telephone and a blue “3-1-1: Knoxville’s Phone Number.” The icon also includes a brief tagline: “Call 311 Monday thru Friday 7AM-5PM or submit request online here.” The icon’s white and blue color scheme, and the section header’s peach color, set them apart from the green background of the right margin.

Nashville, TN: 1 – Not Effective  The sole acknowledgment of the existence of a 311 call center appears at the base of the page, in a section of the footer titled “Contact.” A “Contact Us” link also appears at the very top of the page. Clicking either the link “Contact 311 Customer Service” in the footer or “Contact Us” at the top opens a page titled “Request Customer Service,” which includes a contact phone number.

San Antonio, TX: 4 – Very Effective  The main page includes a section in its right margin titled “Request a City Service” in large text, however the next line, “By phone: dial 311 or 210.207.6000,” appears as gray text only slightly darker than the background. The line below that, directing users to request City services online, appears in much easier to read black text.  Clicking “Contact Us” in the page footer opens an electronic support request form, below which appears contact information for the primary call center—however, below that, appears contact information for a TTY service (7-1-1), using the Texas Relay (1-800-RELAY TX / 1-800-210-735-2989) Charlottesville, VA: 0 – No Call Center  City Hall serves as primary point of contact for issues Bellevue, WA: 0 – No Call Center  ServiceFirst Desk is the primary published number, most issues are handled through MyBellevue mobile app

Summary of Findings: Online Work Order/City Service Requests A city which makes it easy to file work orders electronically will see a greater degree of interactivity with its citizens, and an overall greater degree of satisfaction with the city’s responsiveness.

Phoenix, AZ

The primary means of requesting support online via the Phoenix website appears under the “Contact Us” link in the footer, which opens a page listing contact information for City Hall. In addition to a physical address and phone number, the page includes both an e-mail address and a form. The form consists of only four fields: First and Last Name (open text), E-mail address (open text), “My 5|P a g e City of Fayetteville Corporate Communications

Summary of Findings

comments or questions are related to one of the following” (radial select with various City departments and issues), and Comments (open text). One radial-select option includes a link: “Street construction or neighborhood traffic” also includes hyperlinked text, “Submit a street light repair order,” which links to a form specific to requesting the repair or replacement of a nonfunctional street light.

The main page includes links to the various City departments, each with its own means and methods of submitting support or service requests. Clicking “Public Safety,” for instance, opens a subpage with information on the City’s public safety initiatives, and a link to the police and fire department Websites. Opting to visit the police site, for instance, opens a page with both emergency and non-emergency contact information for that department, two tips line phone numbers, an e-mail contact link, and an online form.

The page for the fire department, by contrast, lacks contact information of any kind other than links to the department’s social media presence.

Coral Springs, FL The Coral Springs homepage includes a “Contact Us” link at the very top, which opens a page with different options for contact: “Contact us with a complaint or comment,” “Contact a City Commissioner,” “Contact the Webmaster,” “Contact the Newsroom,” and a phone number to use to contact Citizen Services. The first hyperlink opens a page with a form for general contacts, which includes links to service requests such as canal maintenance or streetlight outages. The second hyperlink opens a page with photos and e-mail addresses for various City commissioners. The final two links are e-mail addresses for the Webmaster and the City Newsroom.

Below the header on the main page, a text bar includes an “I want to…” link, featuring options such as “Apply for a…”, “Pay for a…”, “Report a…”, and a general “Contact the City” link. Hovering the mouse over each of these options produces submenus with more specific options. Some of those more specific options open a third layer of submenus, some of which link to forms and others of which display phone numbers.

Along the left margin, the site offers an option to file a police report online, which opens a page outlining several common issues and shows links to report specific issues, including Criminal Mischief, Harassing Phone Calls, and Identity Theft.

In the right margin, below a large “Waste Pro” icon, appears a short list of hyperlinks, including “Report a Problem” and “Request Service.” These two each open a short form, with identical field layouts but different titles.

Olathe, KS

The homepage of Olathe, KS includes two primary means for citizens to contact the government: a “Services” button and an “I want to…” button in the header bar, each of which open a dropdown menu when the mouse hovers over them. Each word is also a clickable link, which opens a page with a list identical to the dropdown.

Mouse-hovering over “Services” opens a list of common services (“Animal Control,” “Housing & Transportation,” “Water, Sewer, & Trash,” etc.), each of which links to a page with specific information about that particular service, and contact information where applicable. Some service pages list phone numbers, others list e-mail addresses; some link to fillable electronic forms.

Mouse-hovering over “I want to” opens a similar list of common actions (“Apply for a City Job,” “Get a License or Permit,” “License or Adopt a Pet,” “Pay or View Utility Bill,” etc.), each of which opens a subpage dedicated to that action. These pages contain information about each type of request, contact information, and most include links to the City department which would fulfill the request. As with Services, the pages offer a blend of phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and fillable electronic forms.

The header bar on the main page also includes an “About” button and a “Hot Topics” button. Mouse-hovering over “About” opens a dropdown menu listing information about ongoing City affairs—“Agendas, Minutes, & Webcasts,” “City Directory,” “Community Resources,” etc. Clicking “City Directory” opens a list of departments and officials, each with physical addresses and phone numbers and, in the cases of several officials, links to pages with biographical summaries.

City of Fayetteville Corporate Communications

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Summary of Findings

Mouse-hovering over “Hot Topics” opens a list of common topics related to City affairs (“Accountable Government,” “Citizens Police Academy,” “Google Fiber,” “Yard Waste,” etc.). “Accountable Government” details the City’s commitment to accountability and transparency; it describes a Report Line, “for individuals who may not be comfortable with using traditional channels to provide important information to the City.” The page also includes a link to a Web form, along with a phone number.

The page footer lists the physical address and phone number for City Hall, along with a “Contact Us” button which opens a separate page. This page is divided into three sections: “Looking for Information?”, which offers a search box; “Most Requested,” which contains ten frequently-requested service issues (including “Tall Grass-Weeds,” “Animal Shelter,” “Pavement Repair,” etc.); and “Topics by Area,” which offers an extensive list of service issues, each of which leads to a dedicated subpage.

The right-hand margin of this page also includes a “Submit issues with OlatheConnect apps” ad, with links to the OlatheConnect mobile app on the App Store (Apple) and Google Play (Android). A graphic above the ad (which appears on every page of the Olathe Web site) exhorts citizens to “Connect with Us,” and describes the app as being for “Comments, Concerns, Questions.”

Clicking the Google Play link opens the app’s page, which offers the following description: “Report that pothole or street light that needs repair immediately with OlatheConnect for the Android. Open the app, select your issue, take a picture, add your comments and submit. OlatheConnect will find your location and transmit your issue to the City of Olathe for service. Visit OlatheConnect often to track issues and submit follow up information. Thank you for helping us make Olathe, Kansas a better place to live and work.”

Rockville, MD Just below the header bar on the main page is a “Contact Us” link, which opens a page with addresses and phone numbers for various elements of the City government. Where applicable, links to subpages dedicated to individual City departments also appear. Many of those subpages outline various services provided by the departments, however they appear information-only— no option to submit an online work order exists.

On the main page, the central section includes a button marked “Report a Concern.” This button opens a page with common service issues, including Abandoned Vehicle Report, Animal Control Request, Report Graffiti, etc. Each page opens a fillable electronic form, with the exception of “Other”—this page also includes an e-mail address for the City’s Service Request Coordinator.

Charlotte-Mecklenberg County, NC

The front page includes a multitude of means for citizens to submit requests for service.

One appears as part of the header bar, labeled “Citizen Service/311.” Hovering the mouse icon over this text presents three options: “I want to…”, “Find services by category,” and “311 FAQs.” Clicking the text opens a fourth page, providing an overall look at the various citizen services.

Clicking “I want to…” opens a page with an extensive list of available services, ranging from speed limit reduction requests to recycle cart purchases, to reporting drain blockages or graffiti. Different report types or support requests lead to different pages; some, such as the various types of crime reports, open subpages with progressively more specific types of crimes. Others, such as Bulky Item Pickup, link to forms to request service at a specific location.

Clicking “Services by Category” displays three primary headings: “Living Here,” “Doing Business,” and “Recreation and Culture,” with lists of services below each that correspond to those headings. The lists include broad descriptions for things such as “Garbage and Recycling,” many of which in turn link to subpages with lists of more specific services; those, in turn, lead to electronic forms.

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Summary of Findings

Lastly, “311 FAQs” opens a page with a list of common questions and their answers, pertaining to the process of submitting a service request or an incident report, and then tracking it.

The main page also includes an “I want to…” dropdown menu above the 311 call icon, which includes many of the same items as appear as can be found on the “I want to…” page linked to under the mouse-over menu in the header bar. In the section below the “I want to…” dropdown appear a short list of several popular citizen requests: Animals, Arrest Lookup, Code Enforcement, Garbage/Recycling, Inmate Lookup, Police, Report a Crime, Water Service and Billing.

Eastover, NC

Eastover maintains a simple Web site which does not allow for the submission of work orders or service requests electronically.

Instead, the site provides a physical address, a phone number, and an e-mail address (that of the town clerk) for use by its citizens to communicate with the town government.

This information is not visible on the town’s homepage; instead, it can be accessed via the “Contact Us” links at the top and bottom of the page. Clicking either opens a page with those details.

Fayetteville, NC

The site’s front page displays the physical address and phone number for City Hall as part of its header graphic, and that information also appears in the left margin under “Contact Us.” Below that, the site offers additional options: “Ask a Question,” “Report a Problem,” and “General Comments.”

Clicking “Ask a Question” or “General Comments” opens an abbreviated form consisting of a single dropdown menu (offering choices of various City departments) and several open-text boxes, allowing a user to provide general feedback, directing it to a specific City department. (This page links to the companion Work Order submission form.)

Clicking “Report a Problem” links to a similar form, this one with space for additional contact information. All fields are open-text fields, with the exception of “Service Request,” which appears as a dropdown menu allowing visitors to select the type of work order to be submitted. A single form services all types of work orders.

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Summary of Findings

Havelock, NC

The main page header bar includes a “Documents” link, which when clicked opens a page with two dropdown menus (“Category” and “Class”) to access various City documents. Search results are presented as downloadable PDFs. Alternately, the left margin includes links for various City services, including: Water Dept. Forms, Pay Water Bill, Employment, Administrative Services, Finance, Fire/Rescue, etc. Each links to a page with information pertinent to that service or department; primary attention is devoted to the water department, whose page includes a disclosure compilation and an application for new water service; “Pay Water Bill” opens the City of Havelock e-Government Citizen Self-Service website, with infrastructure in place for bill payments.

The footer of the main page includes a “Contact Us” link, which opens a page laid out in similar fashion to the Documents page, with “Category” and “Topic” dropdown menus. Making selections with these two dropdowns brings up a contact form for the specified department, with open-text fields for Subject, Comment, name, e-mail address, phone, and address information, along with a check box for “Would Like Notification” and an open-text field for “Notification Method.”

Jacksonville, NC

The header bar of the main page includes icons for “Government” and “City Services,” each of which opens a dropdown menu when hovered over with the mouse. Mouse-hovering over the “Government” icon opens a list of various City departments, some of which link directly to said department’s subpage, others of which open submenus with more specific links. The City Clerk option, for instance, opens a single-item submenu titled “Records Request,” which opens a page outlining methods for submitting requests for information (by phone, e-mail, in person).

Hovering over “City Services” opens a dropdown menu with common service requests (i.e. “Building Inspections,” “Communications,” “Community Affairs,” etc.), each of which opens a submenu with more specific options. “Building Inspections,” for instance, opens a submenu with a single item, “Building Safety,” which links to a page with information on that subject, but nothing further.

The header bar of the main page also includes a “Help Center” icon, which when hovered over with the mouse presents a list of common service and support requests (“Apply for,” “Pay For,” “Report A,” “Dispose Of,” etc.), with examples of each below. “Apply For,” for instance, includes options for “Alcohol License,” “Boards & Committees,” “Building Permits, Planning, & Inspections,” “Business – Privilege License,” “Jobs,” “Parade & Demonstration Permit.” Several link to department pages, others to form repositories, and still others directly to forms downloadable as PDFs. The page footer includes a “Contact Us” link, which opens a page containing an in-depth list of contacts, as well as a search box allowing fast location of contacts by category, first name or last name. Directory contents include names of departments or officials, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers.

Raleigh, NC The page’s left margin includes several options for submitting service requests, under a section titled “Report.” Three options appear in this section: “Citizen Service Request (SeeClickFix),” “Missed Garbage/Recycling Collection,” and “Crimes Online.”

The first link opens a page including a MapQuest-style interface, allowing users to pinpoint the exact location of an issue, and then report it. The page also includes a link to an Important Contacts List, advertised as offering “additional resources to request service or address an issue.”

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Summary of Findings

The second link opens a page containing a form allowing citizens to report missed garbage pickups, recycling, or yard waste service.

The page also includes links to learn about preparing garbage, recycling, or yard waste, to ensure that any items left for pickup can in fact be collected. The form consists largely of open-text fields for contact information, but includes two dropdown menus: one for City (Raleigh, Garner, Durham, Wake Forest), and the other for Request Type (Missed Collection, Container Request).

The third and final link opens a page with information about reporting crimes. The page includes a large orange border around an advisory that to report crimes in progress, one should call 911 with the details. Below that, the page offers both a phone number and an online form for citizens to use to report crimes in progress.

Winston-Salem, NC

The left side of the main page header includes a row of brightly-colored icons, which stand out easily from the dark blue background of the page. The leftmost icon, “311,” opens a page with a short form that allows citizens to chat live with a City representative.

On the right side of the header are several buttons, the leftmost of which is “Forms.” Clicking this link opens a page (the first of three) of common forms and applications, downloadable as PDFs. Below an advertisement for the city’s Citizen Notification System, the right margin of this page also reminds users of CityLink311, the city’s 311 call center, and below the direct-dial phone number for the call center, provides an e-mail address for citizens to use.

On the main page, below the header appears a second row of buttons, the first of which is “Services.” Hovering the mouse over this button brings up a dropdown list of options: Communicate, Pay Bills, General, Permits, and Service Locations. Clicking the button itself opens a page with lists of services, each headed by one of the entries from the dropdown menu. These, in turn, lead to forms individualized for the respective service.

Beneath the row of buttons on the left side of a bar is a dropdown menu titled “Online Bill Bay,” allowing users a direct link to make payments for various City services.

Knoxville, TN

The homepage includes an “Online Services” link in its header bar, which opens a page with a list of common service and support issues, as well as lists of downloadable PDF forms and applications. One section, marked “Interactive Area,” includes an option to directly “Submit Online Form.” Clicking this link opens a generic electronic form, which appears to service all support requests.

On each page of the site, the upper-right margin includes a large “Contact” link, which when clicked opens a page with a list of contacts for various segments of the City government. Multiple contacts for City Hall, various City departments, the Mayor, and other officials fill the page.

Nashville, TN The main page includes a “Contact Us” link at the very top, which opens a page with information on requesting customer service. The first section, titled “Request Customer Service,” directs visitors to a phone-based system; below that, another section titled “Quick Reference Information” provides two additional phone numbers. Below that, a “Request Information” form appears, which actually allows citizens to submit incident reports or service requests (i.e. graffiti reports, garbage pickup requests, etc.). The form, composed entirely of open-field text boxes, ends with a CAPTCHA, which must be filled prior to submission.

City of Fayetteville Corporate Communications

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The main page’s header bar also includes a “SERVICES” button, which when hovered over by the mouse opens a dropdown with links to lists of City departments and services, along with a FAQ center:  

  

 

Find Metro Departments: opens a page with a list of City departments, their physical addresses, and phone numbers; many of the listed departments feature expandable “+” lists of their services. Each department name links to that department’s page, which includes additional information and contact information.

Find Metro Services: opens a page with an open search box.

Services A to Z: alphabetical listing of City services Services by Category: opens a page with broad categories for services, each of which has a “+” next to it to open a list of specific services. Each service name links to a page with dedicated information and/or contact information pertaining to that service.

Online Services: opens a page with a specific list of services that are available online.

Frequently Asked Questions Center: opens a page with a list of commonly asked questions (in list format, each with a “+” beside it to expand the answer)

San Antonio, TX

On the homepage, prominently visible in the left margin is an advertisement for the City’s mobile apps: “City Mobile Applications / Get Connected” appears in red text, with gray phone icons nearby. Clicking the ad opens a page listing the City’s multiple mobile apps (iPhone/Android) or mobile-friendly websites:       

311 Mobile App: mobile app; allows residents to submit service requests/reports for multiple City services (i.e. “Aggressive animal,” “Dead animal pickup,” etc.)

DSD Inspection Scheduler: mobile site only; allows homeowners to schedule inspections online, to avoid the $3 inspection fee San Antonio International Airport: mobile site My Waste: mobile app; designed to answer questions about household waste pickups RHH Hugman River Walk Tour: mobile site; site designed to expose citizens to the Robert H.H. Hugman River Walk via their smartphones San Antonio Official Travel Guide: mobile app; provides information on San Antonio tourist highlights and money saving tips

The right-hand margin of the main page also includes a “Request a City Service” section, under which appears both the number for the City’s call center, and below that, “Request a City Service Online” as a clickable hyperlink. Clicking that hyperlink opens the service request page, which begins with a map including a search box, allowing citizens to pinpoint the location of an issue prior to reporting it. To the left of the map interface is a list of 311 service requests, presented as a series of check boxes and labeled, “Click to toggle the visibility of the various service requests.”

Below that are three columns of popular service requests, including self-service, information requests, and online payments. The bottom of the page includes a series of buttons, each representing a particular category of service (i.e. “Animals,” “Education & Employment,” “Elections, Government, & Records,” “Garbage, Recycling, & Graffiti,” etc.). Clicking a button opens a subwindow with a list of that category’s specific services; each service name links to a specific page on the site with information about the service, and contact information for the department or official best suited to address issues.

The page footer includes both an “Open Government” and “Contact Us” links. “Open Government” links to a page dealing specifically with public information requests, including guides on how to make a request and how to track a request once submitted.

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“Contact Us” opens a page with a form allowing citizens to contact customer service by e-mail. The form consists mostly of opentext fields, with a radial-select field allowing a citizen to select a desired contact method (e-mail/phone/“No reply”), and a dropdown menu allowing a citizen to select the nature of the contact (“City Service,” “Complaint or Compliment,” “Web Content or Website,” and “Other”), and ending with an open-text field allowing for a narrative description of the issue. This form also includes a CAPTCHA. Charlottesville, VA

The page’s header bar includes links for “Departments and Services,” “I Want To…”, and “Online Services,” each of which is both a clickable link and a mouse-over item.

“Departments and Services” opens a progressive dropdown list of links to department listings, City services, Boards and Commissions, Other Governmental Agencies, and a City Staff Phone List. The pages opened by the department listings provide links to each department’s subpage on the Charlottesville site; pages include e-mail addresses and phone numbers to allow citizens to contact City departments.

“I want to…” offers options to apply for, check status of, contact, get, pay, report, or request various services. Like the “Department and Services” dropdown, “I want to” is structured with multiple tiers, with submenus opening when the mouse overs over particular items in the main menu. These links open pages for various City departments who handle the actions spelled out in the menus (for instance, “I want to” > “Get” > “Utilities Turned On” opens the page for the City’s Utility Billing Office, which includes a phone number and an e-mail address).

The left margin of the main page also includes a Self-Service Menu, a dropdown menu featuring a list of common self-service actions (“Pay a City Bill,” “Request a City Service,” “Contact a City Department,” etc.). Selecting one of the available options opens a page with more specific information and/or contact information pertinent to the request (i.e. “Request a City Service” opens a page with a departmental listing, each of which links to that department’s page; “Get Records or Forms” opens a page with various types of records or information, each of which links to the appropriate City or State organization to supply said records).

Below the Self-Service Menu are a series of buttons with similar options to the menu: “Request a Service,” “Pay Bills Online,” “Maps and GIS,” “Documents,” “Budget,” and “Contact City Hall,” each of which links to a page with information, forms, and/or contact information to resolve the issue.

Bellevue, WA

The left margin of the main page includes various “How do I…” options, including “Apply,” “Check Status,” “Find,” “Pay,” “Report,” “Request,” and “See.” Hovering the mouse over these items opens a popup menu with specific options for each (“Report” for instance brings up “Issues,” “Common Complaints,” “Request Services,” “Ask Questions,” and “Code Violations”). The items in each menu link to pages with more specific information to fulfill requests. “Common Complaints” opens a page with specific issues, the City department or organization that responds to such requests, and provides both a link to the appropriate Web site (where applicable) and a contact phone number.

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Near the top of the right-hand margin, contact information for City Hall (including a physical address and phone number) appears, just below a “Service First Desk” link. Clicking that link opens a page with a description of the City’s Service First Desk, located in the lobby of City Hall, and includes parking information, as well as information on pet licensing.

Farther down the right-hand margin, a large “City of Bellevue” icon labeled “Customer Assistance” links to the City’s Customer Assistance Portal. The initial page presents a search box, which provides suggestions as a user enters key words. A user can then either click one of the search suggestions, or, if none accurately represents the request, click “Go,” which opens a PublicStuff.Com page and allows a user to submit a request or inquiry.

The search page also includes an advertisement for the City’s mobile app, “MyBellevue.” The advertisement links to the app’s main page, which offers the following description: “On Monday, March 31, the City of Bellevue launched MyBellevue, a mobile app that makes it possible for people to enter service requests and access city news, jobs and social media easily with their smart phones and other portable devices. MyBellevue is also available on the city website as a new customer assistance portal.”

The page goes on the provide additional information about the app, including step-by-step instructions to obtain the app, and listing it as available from the App Store, Google Play, Blackberry World, and the Windows Store.

Summary of Findings: Web Site Design/Layout A municipality with a Website pleasing to the eye and simple to navigate will facilitate more efficient communication with both itself and with its citizens.

Phoenix, AZ

The main page layout emphasizes the header graphic, “Welcome to the City of Phoenix: Government at Your Service,” and the eServices box to its left. Social media links for Twitter, Facebook, RSS, Instagram, and YouTube are visible in a small bar at the very top of the page. “Contact Us” appears in the page footer, linking to a separate page with contact information, but direct contact information is not visible on the site itself.

The Phoenix main page appears designed primarily as a means for the City to present information to its citizens, rather than as a means for citizens to engage with the City. Contact information is relegated to comparatively small areas at the top and bottom of the homepage.

City of Fayetteville Corporate Communications

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Summary of Findings

The main page layout at first glance directs the eye to the welcome banner, and from there to the red eServices box. The page lacks a sense of general organization; the placement of content appears haphazard, and an S&P Credit Rating graphic appears at the top of the page out of alignment with any other content. The plain white background and black text combine to give the page a bland appearance.

Coral Springs, FL

The main page emphasizes the header graphic, “Coral Springs – Everything Under the Sun.” Social media links for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, FeedBurner, a newsletter, and a podcast appear in a small bar at the top of the page, along with a “Contact Us” link.

Immediately below the header, a bar offers visitors common options (“I Want To…”, “Departments,” etc.) to locate the content or contact they need. From there, the page splits into thirds, with the left and right thirds dedicated to common issues, and the center third dedicated to dynamic content. Although the right and left thirds are well organized, the center section appears cluttered, with five modules immediately visible when the page loads, all with contrasting colors and with few section headers to define and group content.

The page design uses colors and minimizes empty/white space. The central area features a peach-colored backing, against which most content is rendered in dark blue and stands out to the eye easily, and the left and right edges feature a faded wallpaper image of palm trees. In lieu of plain text, the majority of the page content is presented as large, colorful icons.

In addition to the “Contact Us” link at the top of the page, both a physical address and phone number appear in the page footer. Multiple links to report issues or file service requests appear in the central section of the page, allowing the page to strike a good balance between serving as an outlet for City information and as a means for citizens to request services.

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Summary of Findings

Olathe, KS

The main page emphasizes its header graphic, “Setting the Standard for Excellence in Public Service.” Social media links for Facebook and Twitter, along with an Events link, appear at the bottom of the header graphic. A physical address and phone number for City Hall immediately appear on the header graphic as well. Additional contact options appear in the central section of the page, as well as in the page footer—not only does the header include a “Contact Us” option, but it also includes the physical address and phone number for City Hall, as well as an option to sign up for the City newsletter.

The main header bar includes common links, as well as a search box. The header bar is Flash-capable, opening menus immediately as the mouse hovers over them. The site’s primary color scheme favors earth tones, with plain white reserved for highlighting critical areas.

Below the header bar, the page divides into two columns, with the left devoted to News & Announcements, and the right titled What’s Happening. Each column is well organized; the News & Announcements column incorporates a single video widget (not set to auto-play; the active video presents as a still image with play controls below), with text news items beneath. The right column begins with a flash carousel of City news, rotating through four headline items; the timing is such that each item lingers just long enough for a visitor to read and identify before moving on. As the only moving item on the page, the carousel easily draws attention without becoming a distraction.

Below the Flash carousel is a large advertisement for OlatheConnect; this links to a support page, but is also the name of the City’s mobile app, which is intended to serve as the primary means for the City’s citizens to connect with it. Although the ad itself neglects to mention the app, links to download the app do appear on the linked support page. No direct mention of the City’s mobile app appears on the homepage.

The page design is streamlined and avoids clutter, and presents contact information and/or links in multiple locations, and strikes an excellent balance between facilitating an outflow of information and serving as a place for citizens to request support or services.

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Summary of Findings

Rockville, MD

The primary feature of the main page is a large carousel featuring photos of Rockville and its citizens, which changes every six seconds. The carousel dominates two-thirds of the screen space, and easily seizes attention when the page first loads.

Next to the bar is a column featuring large, easy-to-read buttons, above which appears a search box. “Report a Concern” is immediately visible when the page loads, and the white text is easy to read against the darker blue of the button itself.

Below the carousel and buttons, the page splits into thirds, with the left column devoted to a set of links to common issues, as well as options to share, print, or e-mail the page. The center column, titled “Latest News,” displays recent headlines from the City; and the right column, titled “Events,” shows upcoming City events, with both the date and day of the week. The columns are clearly separated by vertical dividers, and each is also a different color to help the eye separate one set of content from another.

“Contact Us” appears directly above the right-hand column’s search box, though the small font size makes it easy to miss. Social media links for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Video on Demand appear farther down the page, each with its own large and easy-to-see button. The page footer includes the physical address for City Hall, but lacks a phone number; this information appears on the page opened by clicking “Contact Us” at the top of the page.

The layout of the page is very well-organized, and with the photo carousel as the only animated object, attention is easily drawn to that when the page loads. The page color scheme is rich but subdued, complementing the content without becoming a distraction, and reserving plain white for highlighting specific areas. Multiple links to allow citizens to contact the City government are spread across the page, allowing the page to strike a good balance between disseminating City information and allowing citizens to request services or support.

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Summary of Findings

Charlotte-Mecklenberg, NC

The primary feature of the Charlotte-Mecklenberg County homepage is a large photo of the city in the center of the page. Though the photo is pixelated, it draws attention when the page first loads. A Flash widget in the right column quickly draws attention away, however; the small carousel occupies the lower third of the right margin, and rotates between static images once every seven seconds.

Despite the presence of dark-colored buttons at left, the eye is more drawn to the “311” icon at the right, which stands out as a dark object on a light background. Between the icon, the links at left of the section, and the dropdown menu above, the options for citizens to request support or services are obvious and easy to locate.

Aside from “311,” no contact information appears on the homepage; a “Contact Us” link appears in the footer, which opens a page with a fillable electronic form.

The remainder of the page lacks a definite sense of organization; two headline items appear below the photo, but they lack labels aside from the headlines themselves, and no division separates them from the three icons below (MeckConnect, Gov Channel, and Notify Me). Overall, the design appears barren, and the color scheme is largely unappealing.

Eastover, NC

The primary feature of the Eastover homepage is the Flash header; when the page opens, an animation, music sting, and sound effect accompany the appearance of the photo and accompanying header bar. The header bar is Flash-capable, and when the mouse hovers over one of the buttons, a shuffling sound can be heard as the button’s color inverts. Immediately below the header photo, a scrolling marquee announces the city’s official tree as the Redbud.

Below the header, the page splits into thirds. The left portion offers a meeting schedule and contact information for the Town Council, a place to subscribe to the town’s updates, and a list of recent updates.

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Summary of Findings

The center section begins with a brief welcome message, and then splits into two columns, each filled with smaller blocks of content, including: Town Goals & Services; Planning, Zoning, & Ordinances; Community Organizations; Visit Eastover!; and Sports & Recreation.

The right section begins with a community calendar, with the current date identified by a dark gray square, and days with events highlighted as blue hyperlinks. Below that, a widget offers the current weather conditions; and below that, several “Quick Links” appear for the Eastover Sanitary District, the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and Emergency Services. The column ends with an ad including a minivan, and the words, “Need a ride? Click Me!”; at first glance, this appears to be a commercial advertisement, however it points to a PDF named “RGPFlyer.”

Although no contact information is visible on the page, both the green header bar and footer include “Contact Us” links.

The overall design of the site is simplistic, with a plain white background and black text. The center section appears cluttered, and as a result the page lacks a sense of overall organization or flow.

Fayetteville, NC

The dominant feature on the Fayetteville page is a sizeable advertisement in the center of the page for Fayetteville OutFront, titled “FayettevilleOutFront Engages the Community” and includes both a promotional graphic and a large red “Sign Up Now!” button.

The page’s header graphic includes contact information and what appears to be a phone number for City Hall, but which is in fact for the City’s call center. Social media links for Facebook and Twitter appear in the header bar directly below the header.

Below the header bar, the page splits into thirds. The left column begins with a search box, then offers a listing of “Most Visited Areas,” including a link to enter a word order. Below that, a section marked “Contact Us” presents the same contact information as appears in the header graphic, along with Ask a Question, Report a Problem, and General Comments, followed by a series of Quick Links. The column ends with a graphic linking to the city’s Public Works Commission.

The center column begins with a set of six buttons, “Don’t Flick It,” “Community Conversations,” “Follow Your City on Twitter,” “Environmental Services Customer Satisfaction Survey,” “Safe Streets,” and “2014-2015 Budget Chronicles.” Below that, the advertisement for Fayetteville OutFront; a subsection listing recent Media Releases; a social media widget presenting the most recent Twitter postings, as well as an invitation to like the City on Facebook and a link to its YouTube channel; an “Around the City” section; and the column ends with the City’s Welcome Message.

The right column begins with an advertisement for “Hire Fayetteville First,” directly above an advertisement for “Focus,” described as the City’s e-newsletter. Below that, with an RSS option, is a list of Upcoming Events, followed by a series of photos described as “Hometown Views.”

In the page footer, a “Contact Us” link appears directly above a third instance of the address and phone number appearing in the header graphic.

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Summary of Findings

The page’s overall appearance is very cluttered; modules of varying size are placed alongside one another, and content is arranged in what seems to be a very haphazard manner. None of the visible content is Flash-capable or animated in any way; aside from the Fayetteville OutFront advertisement, no content on the page significantly draws the eye.

Although a total of five links appear on the homepage allowing citizens to request services or support, they blend in with the bulk of the content on the page and are not readily evident. The trio of links under “Contact Us” in the left column is particularly difficult to discern, as they appear as lines of dark burgundy text against an even darker gray background.

Another link appears at the top of the left column, slightly more noticeable against a lighter gray background, however the language (“1Fay – Enter a Workorder”) is ambiguous at best as to the purpose of the content it links to.

Overall, the placement of content appears haphazard, and presents content in a patchwork manner, suggesting improvisation over time without a clear sense of organization. Though the site’s color scheme is varied, the exclusive use of solid colors gives the page a simplistic look. The site’s primary focus appears to be on presenting information from the City, with the ability for citizens to request support or services treated as a much smaller priority.

Havelock, NC

An advertisement for “National Night Out 2014” dominates the main page’s center section.

The page’s dominant colors are blue and white, making the line of red text in the header graphic appear to clash. The solid colors, combined with the plain-looking font, give the page a simplistic look and feel, a problem compounded by the plain white background.

Content on the page is organized into three distinct columns. To the left, a series of links to various City elements, followed by a search box, a caricature of a water drop linking to Online Payments, a link to the Havelock Tourist & Event Center, and a link to the 2013 Water Quality Report.

The center column begins with a brief welcome message and trio of photos, which do not align with either the text of the welcome message horizontally or vertically. Below the welcome message is the aforementioned National Night Out 2014 advertisement, followed by “News and Updates from Twitter,” “Public Services Information,” and “9/11 Memorial Brick Opportunity.”

The right column begins with a section titled “City News,” followed by “City Events,” and two large buttons to connect on Facebook and Twitter. The column ends with a stylized “Employment Opportunities” icon.

A physical address and phone number for City Hall appears in the footer, along with a “Contact Us” link. Large buttons to connect on Facebook and Twitter appear at the bottom of the right column.

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Summary of Findings

Overall, the site appears bland and unattractive, with basic-looking fonts and a lack of color variation. The site’s top priority appears to be to disseminate information from the city, and to collect payments—the first two links in the left column pertain to obtaining or paying for water service, and farther down the same column, the water droplet caricature clearly points to Online Payments.

Jacksonville, NC

The dominant feature on the main page is the large carousel, which changes every seven seconds. The photos in the carousel are all bright, and stand out well from the dark blue of the main page and complement the green sidebar well.

The header bar above the carousel is Flash-capable, and hovering over any of the words and phrases opens a dropdown menu. Hovering over “Help Center” switches the center carousel to a list of common help topics. The sidebar accompanying the photo carousal is also Flash-capable, and each button highlights noiselessly as the mouse hovers over it.

Below the carousel, the page is divided into thirds. The left section provides additional links to supplement those next to the carousel, including a link to the city’s TV station, G10. The column ends with the Jacksonville city seal.

The center column is a single widget with three components—City News, Calendar, and Spotlight. Only one is visible at a given time; the remaining two may be accessed by clicking the white triangle below that section’s name.

The right column includes a similar widget, this one with two components: “Follow” and “Find.” Both present sets of social media links, to a variety of platforms including Flickr and Vimeo, alongside more traditional platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.

The page footer includes a physical address, phone number, and e-mail address for the City, along with a separate “Contact Us” link.

The page makes excellent use of space, presenting information effectively with a minimum of wasted space. The color scheme easily directs the eye towards highlights on the page, with plain white reserved for highlights and the bulk of the page backed by dark blue wallpaper. The green sidebar on the carousel easily helps the carousel stand out without being overpowering. The page City of Fayetteville Corporate Communications

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Summary of Findings

makes excellent use of Flash, adding just enough life to the content to make the page seem engaging, without going too far with music or sound effects.

Raleigh, NC

The homepage is laid out as a series of tiles, presenting content in a way that appears optimized for touch-capable devices. Many of the items on the page are Flash-capable, animating in subtle ways when hovered over by the mouse. Contact information isn’t immediately visible, though it does appear in the page footer. In similar fashion to LinkedIn, the top row of the main area presents two large tiles, and the row below presents three smaller ones.

Below that, the page presents a collection of widgets, most with RSS icons, arranged in two columns: News, Events, Open Raleigh, Council Meetings, Popular Pages, and Featured Video. Below a declaration about having been named the Seventh Best-Run City by 24-7 Wall Street, the page footer includes social media links, a physical and a mailing address for the City.

The page lacks a central focus, though the eye is immediately drawn to the FY15 Budget, as its colors match the bulk of other content visible when the page loads. The left margin includes a series of buttons, including one that opens a dropdown menu with a comprehensive list of City departments. Below that, sections marked “Pay,” “Find,” “Report,” “Manage,” and “Status & Notices.”

The “Report” section contains varying options for citizens needing to request services or report an incident.

The page presents a deceptively simple appearance, with a plain white background and muted blue and grey tones for most of its content. The content, however, is well organized, and despite the initial lack of a primary focus, the layout suggests a general downward flow for the eye. The site’s use of Flash is also well-executed, adding a tasteful touch to the site’s content, without becoming a distraction.

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Summary of Findings

Winston-Salem, NC

The main page immediately draws the eye with a Flash carousel displaying a series of photos, changing every five seconds. Directly above the narrow carousel, an array of large and easy-to-read buttons present options to visitors. At the very top, a series of bright and colorful icons describe Winston-Salem’s social media presence, including Google+.

Below the Flash carousel, a series of columns present lists of City services, and below that, additional contact options and site navigation tools. This section includes phone numbers for the City’s call center, as well as an e-mail address and a physical address, along with a downloadable PDF directory.

The main page is deceptively simple in its initial presentation. The simple-looking buttons are Flash-capable, and mouse-hovering over them opens dropdown menus with more specific options.

In lieu of graphics, the main page relies on text and its simple design to communicate with its audience effectively. Links and options appear on Winston-Salem’s front page that most other municipalities place on separate pages, sometimes one or even two links away from the main page. Curiously, the front page lacks headline items of any kind; its primary function seems to be to serve as a means for citizens to interact with the City, rather than for the City to present information to citizens.

Knoxville, TN

The main page lacks a dominant focus, instead presenting visitors with four news items in its large central section when the page first opens.

The header graphic—a version of which appears on every page of the site—includes a physical address and phone number for City Hall, along with a “Contact” link that opens a page with an extensive list of contact information.

The main page itself is divided into three distinct columns. The leftmost presents a search box, a welcome message from the mayor, links to various elements of the City government, News, and Knoxville Events.

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Summary of Findings

The center section is primarily devoted to news items, with a radio widget and social media links at the bottom (Facebook and Twitter for the mayor, and RSS, Facebook, Blogspot, Mippin, Twitter, and YouTube for the City), as well as an expanded “Events Coming Soon” box. The column ends with several sets of links, grouped by subject matter: Residents, Business, City Hall, Online Services, Visitors, and City Employment. The page footer includes a physical address for City Hall and 311 as the phone number.

The right column includes a weather widget, a 311 advertisement in the form of a large graphic, and a similar button for Brush Schedule Pickup; below that, “I want to…” options including “Pay Property Taxes Online,” download forms/permits, find a park, etc.; “More Info” including City of Knoxville Energy & Sustainment, the South Waterfront, Convention Center, and Zoo; and the column ends with City Job Opportunities.

At first glance the site can appear cluttered, however the content is well organized, and when the page first loads, both news from the city and multiple methods for citizens to request support or services (“Dial 3-1-1 for City Services” and “I Want To…”). The prevalence of upcoming events and news, along with the many instances of contact information and links, strike an excellent balance between making City news and headlines available to the citizens, and allowing citizens to make requests directly from the City.

Nashville, TN

The most noticeable feature of the homepage is the large open space directly below the header bar, which presents a large photo that changes with each page load (it does not change in a single page viewing). When the page completes loading, a “Quick Links” box rises from the lower border of the photo, which includes social media links, current weather, and local time.

From there, the Flash-enabled “Featured Articles” widget quickly draws attention as it cycles through a series of seven headline items. Scrolling down shows the Featured Articles widget shares a row with a box introducing Mayor Dean, though only Featured Articles is animated.

Below the two boxes for Featured Articles and Meet Mayor Dean, the page splits into thirds, with boxes for “Live,” “Work,” and “Play,” each of which includes a trio of related links.

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Summary of Findings

Below the Live, Work, and Play buttons, the site presents a calendar, with the present day indicated by a dark square; a written Calendar of Events, with a list of upcoming events; and an advertisement for “Metro 3 Video Stream,” which allows visitors to watch current and archived Council Meetings, events, and public service announcements, on what appears to be Nashville’s municipal television channel.

The page footer includes a number of quick links, several contact options (including the City’s TTy7 Relay Service, 711, along with its more traditional 311 call center), and a second set of social media links.

Despite its plain white background, the page looks professional and elegantly designed. The header bar near the top of the page is Flash-capable, and hovering the mouse over the icons opens dropdown menus. The large photo changes each time the page is loaded or refreshed, keeping the site fresh, and by having only a single animated item on the entire page, content does not seem overwhelming and the eye is easily directed to move down the page.

The page layout is efficient and prevents clutter, and the use of large tiles and large, easy-to-read text appears to indicate the page is optimized for touch interfaces. The top of the page includes a “Contact Us” link and a search box, pairing a means to get information or make a request, a design philosophy which appears to permeate the page—the header bar includes multiple options for both, as does the footer.

San Antonio, TX

The dominant feature of the main page is a large header graphic advertising the Spurs. Attention is quickly drawn from there to the City Spotlight directly below it in the center of the page; this Flash-capable widget speeds through a series of six headline items, cycling once every five seconds, rapidly rewinding once it reached the end.

The main portion of the page is divided into three columns of approximately equal width. The left, topped by an advertisement for the City’s multiple mobile apps, includes: information on the Mayor, the City Council agenda, City Services/E-Services, contact for the City Manager, Departments, “Truth in Taxation Notices,” and links to various other City elements.

The center column, dominated by the City Spotlight widget, also includes four large tile-like buttons: “Apply Today,” for the upcoming school year; “Collective Bargaining,” with information on that process; “311 City Services,” which links to a page with a multitude of service and support request options; and “Facts,” pertaining to healthcare and retirement benefits.

The right column begins with a series of social media links, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and RSS. Below that, a link to the Healthcare/Retirement Benefits Task Force, Request a City Service, Emergency Information, Community Survey, City Annual Report, Request a City Document – Open Records, TVSA, Media Center, and City News. The page footer also includes a “Contact Us” link.

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Summary of Findings

The City Spotlight widget is the only animated object on the page, and thus immediately draws attention when it first changes. Immediately visible to either side of the City Spotlight are a multitude of options to contact the City, including a prominent declaration of the City’s mobile apps. Almost directly opposite the mobile app notice are the social media links; the two outer columns maintain this sort of symmetry all the way down, presenting contact information and links in similar order.

Although the choice to create columns of nearly equal width makes it somewhat difficult to isolate critical content, and can at first glance give the page a cluttered appearance, the placement of the City Spotlight widget at the top of the central column helps alleviate this problem by identifying it as the source of dynamic content, versus the more static content on the outer columns.

The page makes tasteful use of Flash integration as well; all of the items in the header bar open when the mouse hovers over them, however no other items on the page respond in this way, preventing any animated or moving objects from becoming a distraction.

The use of large tiles in the lower half of the central column suggests a page designed with touch interfaces in mind.

The page strikes an excellent balance of presenting City information and news, and offering citizens information on contacting the City. Especially noteworthy is the advertisement for the City’s mobile apps—not only is the image announcing their presence large and clearly visible when the page first loads, but clicking that link opens a page with a list of the various apps available for the city, each of which serves a specific function, accompanied by direct links to those apps’ pages on Google Play and on the App Store. The page also provides direct links to mobile-friendly City pages dealing with DSD Inspections, the City airport, and more.

Also upon first loading, the page presents a straightforward means of requesting services from the City, with a dedicated section to request a City service. This section includes both “311” as well as a direct-dial phone number, along with a link to request service online. Conveniently, a section directly below the service request section provides links to City departments for emergency situations.

The chief drawback of this page is the color scheme. While typically, red, black, gray, and white go well together, the coloration of different elements on the page creates an atmosphere where multiple elements of content compete for attention from the eye. This is made worse by the plain white background behind much of the page; many items have backing in multiple shades of gray, which are too light to properly separate the button from the background.

Charlottesville, VA

The chief feature of the page is the large Flash carousel below the header bar. The carousel cycles once every six seconds between news items, each of which is accompanied at left by a clickable link offering additional information.

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Summary of Findings

The header bar above the carousel is also Flash-capable, and when hovered over by the mouse, each item presents a dropdown menu. Several are marked with right-facing triangles, clearly suggesting submenus with more specific options or information. Aside from the header bar, no other content on the page is Flash-enabled, which helps prevent any content from becoming a distraction.

Below the header bar, the page splits into three columns. The left column begins with a small weather widget, below which is a section titled “C’Ville at Your Service!”, which includes direct links to TV10 (the municipal TV channel), Cville Social (opens a page with social media links for Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Vimeo), and a FAQs page, which includes general trivia and information about Charlottesville.

Below the three buttons is a dropdown Self-Service menu, which presents common support and service options, and below that a series of buttons with a similar function.

The center column features sections for City News & Information, a City Calendar of Events, and Citizen Meeting Manager. The right column is dedicated entirely to a community poll. The page footer includes a physical address for City Hall.

The page layout is extremely efficient, and employs a color scheme that is pleasing to the eye. Although the page’s three columns are of approximately equal width, each column is colored differently, easily allowing the eye to separate one set of content from another. The use of Flash integration is tasteful, allowing the header bar and carousel to add life to the page but without allowing any other content to become a distraction.

The page also strikes an excellent balance of presenting City information to residents, and encouraging citizens to engage. In addition to the tableau of options present in the header bar, the left column presents a myriad of ways for citizens to request City services or information—in addition to the aforementioned dropdown bar, the large buttons below offer several extremely common options: Request a Service, Pay Bills Online, Documents, and Contact City Hall.

The page’s use of a Community Poll is one of its most unique features. At the time of this writing, the poll noted rising temperatures, and asked which of several City amenities citizens preferred to cool off. Not only does this directly encourage citizens to engage and make them feel as though they have a voice, it helps the City determine which of its recreational services enjoys the most success in the eyes of residents.

Overall, the impression conveyed by this page is of a community genuinely interested not only in serving its citizens’ needs, but also at serving their wants, while presenting the City as open and engaged with its citizens.

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Summary of Findings

Bellevue, WA

The dominant feature of the homepage is the large Flash carousel in the center, cycling every four seconds between a series of five recent news items. Each news item includes a photo, headline, brief introduction, and a link to the full story.

Below the carousel, the page splits into two columns. The left includes entries for Light Rail and Bellevue, More News and Events (including social media and an option to sign up for alerts); the right includes News Updates (with an invitation to follow Bellevue on Twitter), and a Getting Around Town area with traffic advisories. Above the carousel, the header bar includes links to Live, Work, Play and Visit, each of which links to a page with options specific to that topic.

The page also sports two narrow columns to either side. The left includes various “How do I…” options, “About Bellevue,” a section dedicated to City Hall and sporting various subsections dealing with specific City departments, and ends with options to change the text size and display language.

The right column begins with a large area dedicated to contacts for service and support, including a physical address and phone number for the Bellevue Service First Desk, as well as for the City Council (which includes an e-mail address).

Below that, a large blue icon links to a Customer Assistance page. The column ends with a series of Resources links, including Employee Directory, Community Calendar, and Bellevue Weather. The page footer includes a “Contact Us” link.

Besides the carousel, the only elements of the page that are Flash-capable are the links in the left column, which open submenus when hovered over by the mouse, preventing additional content from becoming a distraction. Overall, the page layout appears sparse, with a plain white background and black text; the main content is arranged by subject matter below the carousel, but the sections lack any visible means of division, such as lines or different colors.

With the news items and contact information for City government visible immediately at the top of the page, the site strikes a good balance between presenting news and information to the citizens and allowing citizens to request services or support.

Curiously, although the City does make use of a mobile app, mentions of it are absent from the main page (with the exception of a single small headline item in the News Updates section); a direct link to the app can only be found by clicking the “Customer Assistance” link noted earlier, and on the page that opens, clicking a MyBellevue link (advertised as “Customer Assistance is now available in a mobile version”), and downloading a PDF with step-by-step instructions.

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