Usable Government Websites: Practical Standards

Usable government websites: practical standards for design and content

Many government websites are built to publish news, while citizens are looking for a specific service. This article sets practical standards any public body can use to assess its current website or build a new one.

Digital government 5 min read

By Nour Aldein Tleti. Updated 7 October 2026.

What makes a government website easy to use?

An easy-to-use government website takes citizens to the service they want in as few clicks as possible, loads quickly on phones and weak connections, and uses clear Arabic. For each service it shows up-to-date conditions, documents, fees and duration, and it offers effective search and a real way to get in touch. News and official photos come after services, not before them.

Design standards

Services up front: The home page shows the most requested services and a clear search box before news and official statements.
Mobile first: Large buttons, readable text and short forms that work on small screens and mid-range devices.
Load speed: Compressed images and light pages, because many users have slow, expensive connections.
Native Arabic design: Right-to-left layout built in from the start, not just a translated foreign template, with fonts that are clear on every device.
Accessibility: Enough colour contrast, alt text for images and keyboard navigation for people with disabilities.

Content standards

One page per service: Explains who is eligible, the documents, fees, duration, how to apply, and where to go if needed.
Direct language: Short sentences and clear verbs such as “Apply”, “Pay” and “Track” instead of long administrative phrasing.
Last updated date: Citizens know the information is current, and the agency commits to reviewing content regularly.
Answers to frequent questions: Collect the questions that reach counters and phones and publish the answers on the service page itself.

Trust and security standards

Encrypted connection: A security certificate on every page, especially login pages and forms.
A clear official domain: A known, official domain name helps citizens tell the real site from fake ones.
An understandable privacy policy: Explains what data the site collects, why and how it is protected.
Warning about fake pages: A visible reminder that the agency never asks for payment or passwords through links sent in messages.

How do you assess your agency’s website today?

01
Task test
Ask a few citizens to find information on a specific service on their phones, and note where they get stuck.
02
Measure speed
Open the site on an ordinary mobile connection and record which pages load slowly.
03
Review content
Compare the service information on the site with what is actually requested at the counter, and fix any differences.
04
Check accessibility
Use free tools to check contrast and alt text, and try navigating without a mouse.
05
Make an improvement plan
Rank problems by their impact on citizens, and start with the most visited services.

Simple indicators of website usability

Indicator	How it is measured	What it shows
Finding the service	Did testers reach the service page without help?	Clarity of navigation and search
Load time on mobile	Opening pages on an ordinary mobile connection	How well the site suits weak connections
Repeated calls	Questions reaching phones and counters about information already published	Missing or unclear content
Incomplete forms	How many people start a form and do not finish it	Form length or difficulty

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Frequently asked questions

Do we need a new website or should we improve the current one?

If the technical base is sound, improving content, navigation and speed may be enough. If the site is slow and does not work on phones, rebuilding is usually cheaper in the long run.

Should the website be in Arabic and English?

Arabic first, because it is the users’ main language. English can be added for services needed by investors or foreign residents.

How do we make the website appear in search results?

With clear titles on each service page that match what people type into search, up-to-date content and good speed. The same standards help the site appear in answers from AI tools.

Who should update the content?

One or more staff members in each department responsible for their service pages, with central review of language and formatting.

Does ONE DIGITAL build websites for institutions?

Yes. We design fast, responsive Arabic websites for institutions, with attention to performance on weak connections and visibility in search engines.