Testing & Iteration

1. Outdated Design

Qualitative Findings (User Interviews):

• 15 of 20 interview participants described the interface as "dated," "old-fashioned," or "like a government website from 10 years ago"
• Users consistently reported difficulty distinguishing between different sections due to low visual contrast and inconsistent design patterns
• Mobile users expressed particular frustration with non-responsive elements and tiny text that required constant zooming
• Business owners with limited English proficiency found the dense text layout particularly challenging

Quantitative Findings (Survey Data):

• 75% of survey respondents rated the visual design as "poor" or "very poor"
• 82% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement "The design feels modern and professional"
• 67% reported that the visual appearance negatively impacted their trust in the information presented
• Design satisfaction scores averaged 3.1/10 compared to 7.4/10 for similar services in other major cities

Post-Redesign Success: Outdated Design Improvements

Visual Design & Aesthetic Perception

• Increase in design satisfaction score from 2.1/10 → ≥7.5/10 (aligning with industry benchmark)
• Reduction in negative visual design ratings from 78% → <15%
• Boost in users rating the design as "modern and professional" from 18% → ≥80%

Accessibility & Language Support

• Increase in satisfaction among non-native English speakers or ESL users from low to ≥80% positive
• Drop in zooming, resizing, or layout frustration mentions by mobile/ESL users by >75%

2. Inefficient User Flows

Qualitative Findings (User Interviews):

• Users completing common tasks like finding permit requirements required an average of 7.2 clicks, compared to an industry standard of 3 clicks
• 16 of 20 participants abandoned at least one critical task during interviews due to confusing navigation paths
• Multiple users reported circular journeys where they ended up back at starting points without finding needed information
• Form completion processes were particularly problematic, with users expressing confusion about required next steps

Quantitative Findings (Survey Data):

• Average task completion rate was only 46% for surveyed business owners attempting to complete common regulatory tasks
• 43% reported needing to use external resources (phone, in-person visits) to complete tasks they expected to handle online
• Task efficiency ratings averaged 3.8/10
• 39% of users reported encountering at least one "dead end" during their most recent visit to the portal
• Average reported time to complete basic business registration tasks was 1.5 hours, compared to benchmark of 45 minutes in other major city portals

Enhancing User Flows:

1. Redesign Navigation for Clarity and Efficiency

Goal: Reduce user confusion and click paths.

• Target Metrics:
  • Decrease average clicks to task completion from 7.2 to ≤3
  • Cut down circular navigation reports by 75%+

2. Implement Guided Task Flows

Goal: Help users complete forms and registrations confidently.

• Target Metrics:
  • Improve form completion rate by 2× (from 46% to ≥90%)
  • Raise user-reported clarity of next steps to ≥85% satisfaction
  • Cut average business registration time from 1.5 hours to <45 minutes