A usability analysis of municipal government website home pages in Alabama

This study uses e-government and corporate usability benchmarks to compare municipal government websites in Alabama and examine correlations between usability scores and population, as well as usability scores and per capita income. E-government in Alabama is on the rise. At the state level, in 2008, Alabama ranked in the top 10 states in e-government after three years of being in the bottom three. Improvements in state-level e-government have not, however, necessarily trickled down to the municipal level, and this study found no correlation between usability and a municipality's population or per capita income. Indeed, the study reveals substantial problems with municipal website usability, including accessibility; such problems could erode the web credibility of municipalities trying to engage citizens, to create or strengthen sustainable practices, and to attract companies that can bring new jobs and improve the local economy.

► We use e-government and corporate usability benchmarks to compare municipal government websites in Alabama.
► We examined correlations between usability scores and population as well as per capita income.
► We found no correlation between usability and a municipality's population or per capita income.
► We found substantial problems with municipal website usability, including accessibility.
► These problems could erode a municipality's web credibility.