user interface tom gossett and mary chilvers, mn board on aging hstg june 12, 2008

User Interface

Tom Gossett and Mary Chilvers, MN Board on Aging

HSTG June 12, 2008

What is MinnesotaHelp.info®?• 1999 legislative mandate to create long-term care database• 2003 live at www.minnesotahelp.info • Service of the MN Board on Aging on behalf of State of

Minnesota• Web-based means of finding information about health and

human services in Minnesota• Used by Senior LinkAge Line®, Disability Linkage Line® and

Veterans Linkage Line™

• Web access point for Aging and Disability Resource Centers – a

national CMS and AOA initiative

What’s in MinnesotaHelp.info?

Comprehensive health and human service info

• Seniors • People with disabilities• Caregivers• Parents and families• Youth• Veterans• People with low income

First generation MHI philosophy

Step-by-step process, walk users through each phase of searching

• Focus groups– Quality and quantity of data, sources of data (professionals)

– Layout and phrasing on the Results and Details pages

• Road show– Training and feedback sessions across the state with county

workers

First generation MHI

First generation MHI

• “Bobby Approved”, but not accessible• Survey results, emails and feedback from users indicated

– Professionals

• Frustrated by the step-by-step process (too cumbersome)

• Can’t find services they know should be in the database

• Unable to perform statewide searches

– Consumers

• Got lost on the steps

• Don’t know human service language, can’t find what they need

Second generation MHI philosophy• Accommodate needs of “power” users

– Fast

– Better keyword capabilities, Keyword Search Tips

– Boolean functionality, field-level searching, phrase searching

– Create directories, export to MS Excel, mapping

– Save and easily repeat searches

– Statewide search capabilities

• Accommodate needs of consumers– Easier keyword searching

– Don’t need to know the lingo to use the site

Second generation MHI• Early 2004 idea of a power user interface • 2004-2005 Key Users Group formed and meeting

– Professional users within DHS - Disability Services Division, Children and Family Services, Aging & Adult Services Division

– Identify needed functionality

– Review design concepts

• 2005 values statement adopted– Be relevant

– Be accessible and user friendly

– Reduce duplication and streamline access

• 2005 accessibility cannot be separated from usability!

Second generation MHI

• 2005-2006 design• 2006 testing• 2006-2008 accessibility reviews, nationally recognized

accessibility expert• 2006-2008 production• 2005-2008 focus groups

– County case managers

– Consumer advisory group

– Area Agency on Aging, Linkage Line and DHS staff

– Minnesota Board on Aging board members

Second generation MHI

Commonly asked focus group questions

• Where would you go to find X, Y, or Z?• What would you expect to find under A, B, or C buttons?• What two things do you really like about the tool?• What two things must be changed before you would use the

tool?

Second generation MHI

• Consistency across applications

• Clear navigation “above the fold”

• No more than 3 clicks• Just–in–time log in

• Font size selector• Match between MHI language

and the real world • Flexibility and efficiency of use • Help and documentation

Adopted usability principles

Second generation MHI

Second generation MHI

• Exceeds Section 508, conforms to W3C level "Double-A“

• Interface

– Basic user

– Power user

• Search– Keyword, Suggested Keyword, Did

You Mean? (synonyms), Advanced Keyword

– Topic and Taxonomy– Resource Navigators

• Refine & modify result options

– Search history, search within search results

– Export to MS Excel, mapping, customizable directories

– Save and easily repeat searches

What’s in MinnesotaHelp.info?

• 31,000+ services• 12,500+ providers• 19,000+ sites• Organized using

international AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy of Human Services

Second generation MHI

Number of Visits

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

Jul-0

5

Sep-0

5

Nov-05

Jan-0

6

Mar

-06

May

-06

Jul-0

6

Sep-0

6

Nov-06

Jan-0

7

Mar

-07

May

-07

Jul-0

7

Sep-0

7

Nov-07

Jan-0

8

Mar

-08

May

-08

Number of Visits

Second generation MHI

Visitors Who Visited More Than Once

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

Jul-0

5

Sep-0

5

Nov-05

Jan-0

6

Mar

-06

May

-06

Jul-0

6

Sep-0

6

Nov-06

Jan-0

7

Mar

-07

May

-07

Jul-0

7

Sep-0

7

Nov-07

Jan-0

8

Mar

-08

May

-08

Visited More Than Once

Next steps

• Focus groups– Experience on the website

– Quality of data

• Continued development– Online chat

– Resource navigators

– Data integrity

Presenter information

Tom.L.Gossett@state.mn.usProject Manager

Mary.A.Chilvers@state.mn.usTechnical Manager