Best Practices for Government Websites

The Federal Web Managers Council, of the Interagency Committee on Government Information (ICGI), recommended these best practices in its June 2004 report to OMB: "Recommended Policies and Guidelines for Federal Public Websites." They're practices that many federal agencies have adopted to make their websites more citizen–centered.

They can also help you implement " OMB Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites," as mentioned in the cover memo from OMB.

Management and Governance

• Top 10 Best Practices for Government Websites
• Best Practices for Multilingual Websites
• Use Government Domains
• Show U.S. Sponsorship
• Avoid Advertising
• Establish Linking Policies and Procedures
• Ensure Continuity of Operations During Emergencies
• Collaborate in Developing Cross-Agency Portals
• Avoid Duplication
   

Managing Content

• Focus on top tasks rather than information
• Best Practices for Plain Web Writing
• Provide Dates and Ensure Content is Current
• Organize Content Based on Audience Needs
• Have an Effective Homepage
• Avoid Publishing Information for Employees
• Use Basic Common Content, Terminology, and Placement
  • Contact Information ("Contact us" page)
  • Organizational Information ("About us" page)
  • Site Map or A–Z Index
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • Online Services
  • Forms and Publications
  • Jobs and Employment Information
  • Information about Regulations
  • Information about Grants and Contracts
  • Site Policies and Notices
• Manage Links
• Link to Appropriate Cross-Agency Portals
• Link Back to Your Homepage
• Link to USA.gov
• Use Standard Metadata
   

Usability, Accessibility, and Design

• Provide Common Access for a Broad Range of Visitors
• Use Appropriate File Formats
• Provide Appropriate Access to Data
• Use Consistent Navigation
• Develop with Web Standards
   

Improving and Evaluating Your Website

• Develop a Web Metrics Strategy
• Tying Website Evaluation to Mission Achievement
• Audience Analysis
• Measure Customer Satisfaction
• Do Usability Testing
• Analyzing Web Logs
• Review Links Regularly
• Measuring Technical Performance
• Inform Audiences of Website Changes
• Apply for Awards and Get Recognized

Using Technology

• Have an Effective Search Engine and Search Engine Optimization
   

Other "Best Practice" Resources

• Detailed checklist of all requirements and best practices
• Examples of agencies that have implemented these best practices
• What other governments are doing
• Best practices for email, phone, and other customer service channels     
  (MS Word, 229 KB, 35 pages, September 2005) (developed by the Citizen Service Levels Interagency Committee)