How easily and effectively people can accomplish their goals using a product or system, while having a positive experience.
Usability refers to the measurement of how easily a user can accomplish their goals when using a service. This is usually measured through established research methodologies under the term “usability testing,” which includes success rates and customer satisfaction. Usability is one part of the larger user experience (UX) umbrella. While UX encompasses designing the overall experience of a product, usability focuses on the mechanics of making sure products work as well as possible for the user.
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This resource provides sample agreements for securing informed consent from user testing participants.
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This resource includes a sample script for conducting a usability test, along with recommended best practices for evaluating usability testing sessions.
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Best practices for creating clear, useful, digital content for federal websites and digital services.
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Learn 5 steps to develop effective personas that reflect people with disabilities. Understanding how customers experience your content, with and without assistive technologies, provides development teams with valuable insights into multiple user needs.
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This resource provides a script and example questions grouped by key moments often found in in-depth interviews.
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This resources is a model for debriefing following user or stakeholder interviews.
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This resource is a sample user and stakeholder interview checklist.
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Good research starts with a good plan. This resource outlines what might be included in a plan for conducting research with users.
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A resource with four approaches to help federal employees perform usability testing.
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Get started making usability fixes to your website or product.
Usability events
Learn the U.S. Web Design System basics, how to get started with the design system, and what’s coming next for USWDS in 2025.
2025
The U.S. Web Design System team is joined by the Federal Website Standards team to share more about the standards, their origin, the research backing them, and what standards are coming next.
Watch Video
2024
The U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) team will share their vision for the design system as a product, including USWDS Web Components and other new things the team expects to deliver in 2025.
Watch Video
2024
The U.S. Web Design System team will share the product and engineering principles they’re using to guide the development of the design system.
Watch Video
2024
Digital service experts across the federal government will share case studies and best practices on delivering a digital-first public experience.
2024
Usability news
Sample Personas for Users With Disabilities
Learn 5 steps to develop effective personas that reflect people with disabilities. Understanding how customers experience your content, with and without assistive technologies, provides development teams with valuable insights into multiple user needs. — via Section508.gov
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This resource provides sample agreements for securing informed consent from user testing participants.
-
This resource includes a sample script for conducting a usability test, along with recommended best practices for evaluating usability testing sessions.
-
Best practices for creating clear, useful, digital content for federal websites and digital services.
-
Learn 5 steps to develop effective personas that reflect people with disabilities. Understanding how customers experience your content, with and without assistive technologies, provides development teams with valuable insights into multiple user needs.
-
This resource provides a script and example questions grouped by key moments often found in in-depth interviews.
-
This resources is a model for debriefing following user or stakeholder interviews.
-
This resource is a sample user and stakeholder interview checklist.
-
Good research starts with a good plan. This resource outlines what might be included in a plan for conducting research with users.
-
A resource with four approaches to help federal employees perform usability testing.
-
Get started making usability fixes to your website or product.
55 posts
Learn the U.S. Web Design System basics, how to get started with the design system, and what’s coming next for USWDS in 2025.
2025
The U.S. Web Design System team is joined by the Federal Website Standards team to share more about the standards, their origin, the research backing them, and what standards are coming next.
Watch Video
2024
The U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) team will share their vision for the design system as a product, including USWDS Web Components and other new things the team expects to deliver in 2025.
Watch Video
2024
The U.S. Web Design System team will share the product and engineering principles they’re using to guide the development of the design system.
Watch Video
2024
Designing for people with disabilities
The User Experience (UX) team at USA.gov’s Public Experience Portfolio recently conducted a study to analyze the experiences of individuals who access USA.gov through assistive technology. The team partnered with a local organization to gather insights from a diverse group of participants, many of whom are blind or deaf. The study revealed various habits and challenges faced by these users, such as a preference for mobile sites, difficulty with website carousels, and a reliance on clear headings and action-oriented descriptions. These findings can guide improvements in accessibility, such as clever link labeling and better navigation aids for assistive technology users. — via USA.gov
One year with the new USAGov
It has been a year since USA.gov and USAGov en Español were relaunched using human-centered design principles. Using task backlog, the USAGov team has addressed content gaps, improved discoverability, and implemented technical updates. Through usability tests, visitor comments, and click behavior the team was able to unravel and respond to user feedback and unmet needs, leading to noticeable increases in visitor satisfaction and task accomplishment. Moving forward, the focus will shift to enhancing public engagement with the government, improving the search for benefits-related content, and exploring interactive and personalized user experiences. — via USA.gov
Search.gov year in review: 2023 report
Learn what types of information people searched for on federal websites in 2023, see emerging trends the team is exploring to improve customers’ search experience in 2024, and check out three new updates. The data tab provides insightful summaries for 13 popular topic areas—and lists the public’s top 25 search terms, in their own words, for each. — via Search.gov
Digital service experts across the federal government will share case studies and best practices on delivering a digital-first public experience.
2024
Why the American People Deserve a Digital Government
OMB released new policy guidance for government that includes a variety of actions and standards to help federal agencies design, develop, and deliver modern websites and digital services. Memo M-23-22, Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience, will make it seamless for the public to obtain government information and services online, and help agencies fully implement the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA). — via The White House
