Tuesday, January 17, 2012

UI Website Prototype

In collaboration with USDOL, NASWA’s technology arm – the Information Technology Support Center (ITSC) developed a Web site prototype as a proposed standardized approach for the content and layout of state unemployment insurance (UI) websites. The website prototype targets the structural organization and visual layout of state UI claimant and employer informational content and also provides an example of straightforward wording of the content.

According to NASWA, Web sites are playing an increasingly important role in disseminating information to large audiences and State Workforce Agencies have a responsibility to communicate effectively with employers and job seekers/claimants. With each state maintaining its own site, components such as site design and content presentation vary greatly from state to state. In some situations, information may be difficult to locate, or may be ambiguous, incomplete or dated. The site’s layout and navigation might be confusing.

In October 2010, an analysis of the 53 state UI website was conducted by America's Job Exchange (AJE) to evaluate how states compared to each other in the features, functions and content areas they offered. AJE developed a Summary Analysis Report in which the states were ranked on overall site design and on claimant/employer/re-employment content and functionality.

Using the rankings, ITSC and AJE selected 20 states to review more closely. The sites ranged from those deficient in content and/or functionality to those that were superior in those areas. During this detailed analysis phase, AJE was tasked with confirming existence of key UI areas and evaluating the quality of the associated content areas.

ITSC is currently seeking state partner(s) interested in integrating the Web site prototype in a state test environment.

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