Canada Health Portal Redesign
Situation
The Canada Health Portal is the main cluster for health information
on the Canadians Gateway of the Canada Site (the Government of Canada's
main Internet site). Initially launched in April 2002, the Canada
Health Portal has emerged during a time when searching for medical/health
information is one of the fastest growing, specific online activities
in Canada.
The success of the Canada Health Portal will ultimately be linked
to the end-user experience. Users' ability to easily find relevant
health-related information will impact uptake and repeat visitation
to the Portal. To this end, Health Canada hired Phase 5 to conduct
qualitative, user-based research to ensure that the Canada Health
Portal is designed in a manner that facilitates intuitive use by
its end-users, and to validate the current site architecture.
Our Approach
Our approach consisted of two main research stages:
- 53 one-on-one usability interviews with coverage
of end-user audiences, as well as professional audiences involved
in health care provision and research; and,
- 14 focus groups with different demographic
audiences, covering each region across Canada.
This approach was chosen to first understand user behaviour and
requirements through observed usability interviews, followed by
brainstorming in a group setting on solutions to issues identified
during the one-on-one interviews. During the focus group sessions,
we used an innovative card-sorting technique to develop user-generated
information categories for the site.
Results
The research resulted in a clearer understanding of target audiences
and their needs, as well as the resulting implications for site
design and content. One of the main impacts of the research was
a new, user-centered architecture for the site (pictured below),
which formed the basis of a re-launch in May 2003.
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