Assessing U.S. federal government websites

Government Information Quarterly, 2020

With the increasing disclosure of public information and government data through information and communication technologies, along with the considerable privately generated data now available online, individuals have access to a huge volume of information. This “disintermediation” of (i.e., greater direct access to) public information may improve transparency and facilitate citizen engagement, but it may also overwhelm citizens not only with too much information but also by requiring them to take responsibility for gathering, assembling, and processing information. Despite the importance of effective information processing to successful use of available information, existing studies have not yet fully integrated this consideration into research on citizen use of e-government and open government data. Based on information processing theory—according to which individuals have a finite information processing capacity, which is affected not only by the quantity and quality of information but also by one's preferences for how information is presented—this study examined the effects of information presentation type (infographic versus text) on perceived information overload, along with the consequent effect of information overload on perceived website usefulness. We also investigated whether individual information processing propensity (visual or verbal) moderated the effect of information presentation type on perceived information overload. Our results showed that textual information tended to cause greater information overload, especially for those with a propensity for visual information processing, and that higher information overload was associated with a lower perception of website usefulness. Moreover, individual information propensity moderated the effect of information type on perceived information overload; people with visual information processing propensity were more strongly affected by the presentation of textual information. We discuss the implications of our findings for improving the communication of policy information through government websites.

portal Libraries and the Academy

Government information traditionally published in printed form is increasingly appearing on federal agency websites. This transition generally results in better access to information. However, these changes raise a variety of bibliographic control and access problems for the Federal Depository Library Program. This article provides an overview of these issues, examines responses to date, and provides the perspective of a government manager on some of the access issues, arguing that rather than fighting the changes librarians need to help the system evolve by embracing proactive solutions.

Government Information Quarterly, 2005

W3C Interest Group …, 2009

Current Web technology allows governments to share with the public a variety of information in unlimited quantities on demand. Technology is also available to allow citizens to bring issues of concern to the attention of local, regional and national governments. However, exploiting these capabilities within government systems is a challenge that encompasses environmental, policy, legal, and cultural issues. Establishing effective eGovernment requires openness, transparency, collaboration and skill in taking advantage of the capabilities of the World Wide Web. The rich potential for two-way dialogue between citizens and government creates a need for global leadership. The W3C has an opportunity to provide guidance in support of eGovernment objectives by promoting existing open Web standards and noting the challenges external to the Web and Improving Access to Government through Better Use of the Web

Abstract- E-government is a subject which requires a great amount of local knowledge in order to implement successfully. An E-government model which has been successfully implemented in another country may not be directly applicable in to a Sri Lankan environment without applying the required adjustments. Since e-government efforts are leading to socio economic transformation, great resistance towards such initiatives can be seen from participants. In the Sri Lankan context locally generated knowledge on e-government field is lacking, which has resulted in slower progress in local e-government developments. In order to address the above void, this research has built a model with the help of previous researches which consists of six variables. During the research the importance of each of those variables towards the sustainable development of Sri Lankan e-government capabilities will be checked. Keywords – e-government, quality of service, accountability, user interface, executability, transparency, democracy

Library trends, 2003

2019

Government web portals are central to governments' web strategy, yet their rationale, design and effectiveness is scarcely studied. This paper comparatively examines the hyperlink structure of the government web portals of Australia, Canada, France, UK and USA. Websites are conceptualized as operating within web and informational ecologies in which governments seek to position their portal at the center. This paper investigates the different ways governments approach this task by analyzing the various sizes and shapes of the portal in terms of webpages and hyperlinks, and the makeup of webpages externally linked from the portal. This research highlights different design approaches between information repository portals and referral portals, as well as considerable differences in the presence of social media platforms for the operation of online government, revealing an interactive webportal design. The paper provides the basis for assessing the effectiveness of different portal ...

Aslib Proceedings, 2008

Purpose -In this paper we gradually develop a framework for evaluating the websites of public authorities. The proposed framework consists of four axes: two for assessing the general characteristics and content of the websites (namely general characteristics and e-content); and two for assessing specific functionalities addressing their governmental character (namely e-services and e-participation). The practical use of the framework is demonstrated by means of a case study, namely evaluating the websites of Greek public authorities at local and regional level. Design/methodology/approach -The proposed framework is gradually built through a critical analysis of the two relevant domains, website evaluation and e-government. The methodology used in the case study includes the construction of an appropriate questionnaire for assessing the framework metrics. Findings -The proposed framework presents a more holistic approach to egovernment website evaluation, while the case study provides some interesting results with regards to the shortcomings of Greek public authority websites. Research limitations/implications -The proposed framework could be further enhanced by incorporating an evaluation of the demand site of e-government. Moreover, a more thorough approach with regard to privacy would have to include metrics to be answered directly by IT security personnel. Practical implications -The proposed framework can be used for evaluating the websites of public authorities in a more comprehensive way. As an example, the case study reveals significant results of practical importance by indicating overall progress, aspects that are under-developed, etc. Originality/value -This paper provides a novel framework to e-government website evaluation that also considers e-government services and e-participation. We anticipate that it will be of interest to both researchers and practitioners alike.