EU Presidency

The EU Presidency website is of major international importance, both as a means of imparting policy information accross the EU and as a cultural snapshot of the host country.

The Irish Government commissioned Frontend to evaluate the requirements of the target audience of the website and to ensure that the design and information architecture of the site was to the highest standard. The Presidency of the European Union rotates in turn among the member states. As part of the presidency programme, the host state provides a website outlining the priorities, policies and agenda for the presidential term. The performance and usability of the site is of vital importance as it is seen to embody cultural snapshot of the host country.

Frontend were commissioned by the Irish Government to analyse the previous EU Presidential websites, identifying the key tasks and performing a gap analysis on the functionality available to the end users. In order to conduct this research, an in-depth understanding of user requirements and use patterns was required. The intended audience for the site includes journalists, policy makers, special interest groups and the general public throughout the 15 EU member states.

Frontend carried out an in-depth user interview and testing programme among the target users. The testing was carried out in Brussels as it had a high concentration of the target user group. Over 4 days, 20 users from 7 different nationalities were interviewed. Tests were conducted on-site in the various EU institutions, and in a dedicated test facility with members of the general public.  The tests were recorded using Frontend’s mobile usability lab.

Back in Dublin, Frontend analysed the interview findings and developed 4 'user personas' that encapsulated the typical audience profiles and requirements. These 'Personas' highlighted who uses the site, what motivates them and what information they require from the site. From this analysis it was possible to define an effective information architecture for the site, prioritising key functionality and ensuring that the needs of the audience are addressed. The results can be seen on-line at www.eu2004.ie

Services provided include:

• Competitor website analysis
• User Requirements Gathering
• User Experiece Interviews
• Task Analysis
• Information Architecture

To find out more about our experience and services, contact us.