WHAT USER EXPERIENCE CONSIDERATIONS WILL GO INTO THE DESIGN OF A GOVERNMENT PORTAL IN GHANA?

ABSTRACT Governments all over the world have identified the need to use Information Communications Technology in governance. Electronic governance or E-governance is the use of information and communication technologies in government to provide public services [1]. The use of government portals in E-governance for the dissemination of information and government services is gaining grounds. In Ghana, this practice is not new, in fact there a number of government portals in existence to meet the rising demand of Internet users in Ghana. This research focuses on the user experience considerations needed in designing a government website in Ghana. Key findings were obtained through qualitative research methods which applied questionnaires, user interviews, interviews with subject matter experts and testing of prototypes to arrive at a set of principles suitable for designing a Ghanaian government website. Findings from the synthesis of the various methodologies show a set of principles that reflect what users want on a government website as well as the current government services that should be automated to enhance the user experience of Ghanaian government website users.