UX Research:Good to Go website

Report by Jen Bailey

https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/GoodToGo/default.htm

Overview

The story

The Good to Go website is a division of

Washington State Department of

Transportation that handles payment of tolls

for traveling on I 405, SR 520 Bridge and SR

167 and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Currently there is a high volume of calls

made to customer service to handle questions

and transactions that can be accomplished on

the website. In the interest of saving money

and HR resources our goal is reverse this

trend.

Target AudienceDrivers using the Good to Go website to pay for tolls traveling on

designated roads in Greater Puget Sound area

● Commuters traveling frequently on toll roads

● Carpool groups

● Drivers traveling infrequently on toll roads

● Drivers traveling only once on toll roads

Research ObjectiveTo discover how users figure out what the

best Good to Go option is for their needs.

Executive SummaryThe Good to Go website has many

good features for users:

1. Site is easily located on search

engines

2. Content written for sixth grade

reading level

3. Current location is clearly

indicated (ie: breadcrumb)

4. Lots of white space

Improvements to help users determine

what is their best account option:

1. Only have one homepage

2. Simplify and streamline content

to provide clarity

3. Use best practices for website

design ie: multiple login options

4. Reconfigure main navigation and

introduce sub-navigation

5. Make website responsive

Usability Review

48 out of 100Overall usability score: Poor

Usability Score

Usability Review

What’s working?1. Site is easily located through common

search engines

2. Links are obvious

3. Content is written for a sixth grade

reading level

4. Current location is clearly indicated

(ie: breadcrumb)

5. Search function is available

6. Lots of white space

Usability Review

What is causing trouble for users?

Usability Review

There are two home pages with different navigation and design

Usability Review

Multiple pages with the same information

Usability Review

Pertaining content is not easy to locate ie: how do you get to the FAQ?

Usability Review

Does a user need an account? Or a pass? Or both?

Usability Review

No hierarchy of content — many elements speak at same volume

Usability Review

Site not responsive

Usability Review

Competitive Review

Competitive Review #1: The Toll Roads of Orange CountyWhat’s working

1. Multiple best-practice options

for accessing information

2. Hierarchy of information helps

reader to get to pertinent

information quickly

3. Content is easily accessible and

conveyed in a simple to

understand way

4. Responsive website

Competitive Review

What’s working #1Multiple best-practice options for accessing information ie: three different ways from the homepage to access account

Competitive Review

Drop down menu Hero center section Top nav

What’s working #2Hierarchy of information helps reader

to get to pertinent information quickly

● Big headline with brand objective.

● Popular links large and obvious.

● CTA is front and center.

● Things not as critical are hidden in

drop down menus

Competitive Review

What’s working #3Content is easily accessible and

conveyed in a simple to understand way

Competitive Review

What’s working #4Responsive website

Competitive Review

Competitive Review #2: EZ Drive MAWhat’s working

1. Hierarchy of information helps

user to get to pertinent

information quickly

2. Side navigation that expands

main navigation

3. Responsive website

Competitive Review

What’s working #1Hierarchy of information helps user to get to pertinent information quickly

Competitive Review

What’s working #2Side navigation that expands main navigation

Competitive Review

What’s working #3Site is responsive

Competitive Review

Contextual Interviews

DavidGood to Go User #1

Travels on the 520 bridge about 3-4

times a week for commuting to work.

Contextual Interviews

Excerpts“I don’t understand the difference between the pay

by plate account and the good to go account

with a sticker.”

“How did I find the FAQ page before and how do I get

back to it?”

“I feel like I am jumping down a rabbit hole here. I could

spend another half hour and still not find what I need.”

“I don’t want them taking a picture of my windshield and having record of me and any

passengers in my car.”

Contextual Interviews

PatrickGood to Go User #2

Travels on the 520 Bridge about 6

times a year to visit family.

Contextual Interviews

Excerpts“I can’t find the FAQ page - it doesn’t say it anywhere.”

“It looks like there are two homepages

but with different information.”

“I don’t know how it works if you have a

rental car and want to go across the

bridge and I can’t find where that

information is on the website.”

Contextual Interviews

SarahGood to Go User #3

Travels on the 520 Bridge about 2

times a month to visit family and

friends.

Contextual Interviews

Excerpts“Before the toll was set up on the 520 bridge, I signed up to get email updates. I found

out about the Good to Go pass options from those emails.”

“I was able to find what I needed on the

Good to Go website and now I don’t have

to go back because I set up an autopay.”

“I never take the hov lanes on I-405

because I don’t understand the rules.”

Contextual Interviews

Affinity Diagramming

What are the issues and how do they relate to each other?Affinity Diagramming

Recommendations

Information Architecture ImprovementsOnly have one homepage helps users

by providing a base to access all

information simplifying and

streamlining their process.

Help users get to the right information

quickly by reconfiguring main

navigation using sub-navigation to

prioritize content.

Recommendations

Content Improvements1. Help users determine what type of account/pass they need by streamlining

content to one simple process.

2. Define terminology and use it consistently to avoid confusion.

3. To answer user questions about privacy, provide information about the

technology behind the Good to Go pass, as well as what is done with the data and

images captured.

A B

A B

Recommendations

Design ImprovementsHelp users login in by providing

multiple places to access the login page.

Use hierarchy of information design to

help users find pertinent information

quickly.

Recommendations

Web Development ImprovementsMake website responsive so users can access from their preferred device.

Recommendations

Thank you!