Municipal websites have a lot of ground to cover. From logistics like paying a parking ticket to renewing a business license, there is a lot of information that can easily overwhelm visitors. It is not surprising, therefore, that federal and local government websites have the second lowest user-satisfaction rating. The ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index shows that most government websites are hard to navigate. The most successful websites have these things in common:
- They keep in mind that different user types, or personas, will be using the website.
- They use UX best practices to structure website elements, such as navigation and site flow.
- They are typically split up by audience type (residents, tourists, businesses, etc.) or by task (such as pay a bill, find a job, or get information on current events).
- They are not categorized by department. Because visitors are usually not familiar with your organizational structure, they can have a difficult time finding information if the site is organized in this way.
- They are fairly simple and avoid bombarding visitors with too many choices, images or moving visual elements.
Here is a list of municipal websites that organize information efficiently, follow UX best practices and make effective use of design.









