20 January 2010
Local authority and government websites are most difficult to use of any sector
Research identifies news and media company websites as the most usable
Local authority and government websites are the most difficult to use, followed by financial services and retail and ecommerce websites, according to new findings released today. News and media company sites are identified as the easiest to use sites, followed by travel websites and utility websites, according to the vertical usability poll, carried out by user experience consultancy, Webcredible.
The research revealed an overwhelming feeling that the public sector needs to do more to make its websites easy to use, with more than one third (34 per cent) of respondents identifying the local authority / government sector as having the most difficult to use websites, largely due to difficulties in finding information. In contrast, the informational sites of news and media companies were identified as the easiest to use with only 7 per cent of respondents identifying these sites as the most difficult to use.
Financial services websites were identified as the second most difficult to use with 16 per cent of the vote, with retail and ecommerce sites coming in third most difficult with 13 per cent, perhaps a surprising result given the money to be made in online retail. Travel websites were identified as the second easiest to use with only nine per cent, followed by utility websites with 12 per cent of respondents identifying these sites as the most difficult to use.
The research polled more than 1,000 web users between September and December 2009 on which industry sector has the most difficult to use websites. Nine per cent of survey respondents identified other sectors as having the most difficult to use websites, including gaming websites.
Trenton Moss, Director at Webcredible comments, "Website user experience has become a big deal in most sectors and users are increasingly frustrated if they find a website difficult to use and will tend to drop off commercial sites for this reason. Of course, when using local authority and government websites, dropping off and using another site is often not an option so users will have to just grin and bear a poor user experience, which could partly explain these sites being identified as the most difficult to use."
"Some sectors are clearly performing better than others when it comes to website usability, but as competition and demand for online functionality increases, it's crucial that websites in all sectors invest in providing their users with the best user experience possible."
The vertical usability research polled 1,006 visitors to the Webcredible website between September and December 2009. See full results of the survey and respondent comments.
About Webcredible
Webcredible is a user experience consultancy, offering a range of usability, accessibility and design services for websites, intranets, mobile devices and applications. The UK-based consultancy researches, designs and builds interfaces to support user requirements & business goals.
With a long list of global clients in the private and public sector, including Airmiles, BBC, eBay, Laura Ashley, Lloyds TSB, T-Mobile and World Health Organisation, Webcredible is widely regarded as one of the most respected consultancies in the user experience industry.
