Bottom of the online pile

It’s not exactly official but local authority websites are reported to be among the most difficult to use.

News and media company sites were top of the list of a poll carried out by user experience consultancy, Webcredible.

Their researchers polled more than 1,000 web users between September and December 2009 on which industry sector had the most difficult-to-use websites.

There was, says Webcredible, an overwhelming feeling that the public sector needed to do more to make its websites easy to use.

More than one third (34%) of respondents criticising the local authority/government sector as having the most difficult, largely due to difficulties in finding information.

Surely this won’t come as a complete shock to those responsible for town hall sites.

Many are striving to upgrade the online experience for their users - particularly as there’s a growing realisation that they can help achieve substantial cost savings.