Usability Tests for Public Sector E-services

Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Prime Minister (a) whether the Government will consider requiring all public sector e-services including smartphone apps to pass minimum usability tests for user interface and user experience; and (b) if so, whether these minimum standards can be decided with consultation among the Agency for Integrated Care, the Ministry of Social and Family Development, social workers, civil service organisations and volunteers of senior citizenry, including Silver Guardians.

The Government is committed to delivering public digital services which are user-friendly and accessible.

First, the Digital Service Standards (DSS) helps agencies design and develop digital services that are (a) accessible and inclusive; (b) usable; and (c) relevant. The DSS incorporates the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which is a set of international standards to increase the accessibility of web content for seniors and persons with disabilities.

Second, in addition to meeting the WCAG standards, the DSS further encourages agencies to conduct usability checks prior to implementing their digital services. Besides engaging their target users directly, agencies can tap on the Smart Nation Ambassador Citizens Co-Creation Group which includes representatives from diverse groups, such as persons with disabilities, low-income families and seniors.

Third, to support agencies in this effort, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) conducts regular independent usability checks on frequently used online services to help agencies identify areas of improvement. In addition, GovTech provides agencies with central diagnostic tools, such as the (a) whole-of-Government Application Analytics (WOGAA) tool which automates real-time reporting of metrics such as transaction completion rate, customer satisfaction; and (b) Purple A11y, which helps agencies identify and rectify parts of their websites which persons with disabilities may find hard to access.

The processes are in place so that government online services are user-friendly and accessible. We welcome specific suggestions or observations that can help us improve further.