4.3: Web Site
Design our Web site for participation Other Information:
We will make our web site – Archives.gov – an effective and easy tool for our users. This idea, received on our Open Government
Idea Forum, illustrates the changes we will make, the information we will include, and a format our audience will appreciate:
"Archives.gov needs to be simplified. The present format overwhelms visitors with a superabundance of links, navigations,
and icons, which make it difficult for the public and NARA employees alike to navigate the site. Rather than burying the user
in options and trying to provide a link for every imaginable constituency, the main archives webpage and those of NARA divisions
ought to be basic and straightforward. Exhaustive details and online search tools are better suited to supplementary pages.
Main pages ought to take the format of the 'Archives.gov For…' navigation, in which users identify their reason for visiting
the site and are guided to the pertinent information and nothing superfluous (an office records manager does not need to be
provided with a link to the Declaration of Independence, for instance). An overhaul of the web site would go a long way in
improving the public and the Government’s accessibility to NARA services." As with many other public and private websites,
information has built up over time on our website, resulting in a site that is bursting with information but difficult to
navigate. A question from our online user survey asks, "What is the best thing about Archives.gov?" Although we received many
positive comments regarding the wealth of information we provide, we took the following response to heart: "If I can't find
what I am looking for, there is no best thing." We understand that Archives.gov needs to be updated and improved to foster
the public’s use of our records. We will include the principles of open government into our redesign process, by seeking employee
and public input on how to make our web site a leader in access to government records. We plan several rounds of usability
testing with mockups of the website to ensure that we are creating a site that is user focused. We will also provide a public
comment space on our NARAtions blog (http://blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access) and other public feedback mechanisms.
We will strive to be transparent about the process and collaborate with non-governmental organizations in designing a web
site to meet our 21st-century needs. The usability testing will begin this summer with a launch goal of December 2010 for
the redesigned site. We want Archives.gov to be more than simply a web 1.0 offering of records; we also want to create online
communities to engage with our online users and help us achieve our vision and mission in a collaborative way. One idea we
are exploring is to develop a National Archives wiki. This space would allow the public to contribute their knowledge of our
archival holdings. This user-driven site would enhance the information provided in the Archival Research Catalog (ARC). The
UK National Archives has begun a beta version of a wiki, "Your Archives," available at http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Home_page.
As we design our website for participation, we would like to hear your feedback on the following questions: * What are your
wishes for Archives.gov? * What do you think would make Archives.gov a leader in online public access? * How should we design
to encourage your participation? * How can we create and support communities who are interested in our work? * How would you
use an Archives wiki?
Indicator(s):
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