User Interface Tom Gossett and Mary Chilvers, MN Board on Aging HSTG June 12, 2008

What is MinnesotaHelp.info ® ? 1999 legislative mandate to create long-term care database 2003 live at Service of the MN Board on Aging on behalf of State of Minnesota Web-based means of finding information about health and human services in Minnesota Used by Senior LinkAge Line®, Disability Linkage Line® and Veterans Linkage Line™ Web access point for Aging and Disability Resource Centers – a national CMS and AOA initiative

What’s in MinnesotaHelp.info? Comprehensive health and human service info Seniors People with disabilities Caregivers Parents and families Youth Veterans People with low income

First generation MHI philosophy Step-by-step process, walk users through each phase of searching Focus groups –Quality and quantity of data, sources of data (professionals) –Layout and phrasing on the Results and Details pages Road show –Training and feedback sessions across the state with county workers

First generation MHI

“Bobby Approved”, but not accessible Survey results, s and feedback from users indicated –Professionals Frustrated by the step-by-step process (too cumbersome) Can’t find services they know should be in the database Unable to perform statewide searches –Consumers Got lost on the steps Don’t know human service language, can’t find what they need

Second generation MHI philosophy Accommodate needs of “power” users –Fast –Better keyword capabilities, Keyword Search Tips –Boolean functionality, field-level searching, phrase searching –Create directories, export to MS Excel, mapping –Save and easily repeat searches –Statewide search capabilities Accommodate needs of consumers –Easier keyword searching –Don’t need to know the lingo to use the site

Second generation MHI Early 2004 idea of a power user interface Key Users Group formed and meeting –Professional users within DHS - Disability Services Division, Children and Family Services, Aging & Adult Services Division –Identify needed functionality –Review design concepts 2005 values statement adopted –Be relevant –Be accessible and user friendly –Reduce duplication and streamline access 2005 accessibility cannot be separated from usability!

Second generation MHI design 2006 testing accessibility reviews, nationally recognized accessibility expert production focus groups –County case managers –Consumer advisory group –Area Agency on Aging, Linkage Line and DHS staff –Minnesota Board on Aging board members

Second generation MHI Commonly asked focus group questions Where would you go to find X, Y, or Z? What would you expect to find under A, B, or C buttons? What two things do you really like about the tool? What two things must be changed before you would use the tool?

Second generation MHI Consistency across applications Clear navigation “above the fold” No more than 3 clicks Just–in–time log in Font size selector Match between MHI language and the real world Flexibility and efficiency of use Help and documentation Adopted usability principles

Second generation MHI

Exceeds Section 508, conforms to W3C level "Double-A“ Interface –Basic user –Power user Search –Keyword, Suggested Keyword, Did You Mean? (synonyms), Advanced Keyword –Topic and Taxonomy –Resource Navigators Refine & modify result options –Search history, search within search results –Export to MS Excel, mapping, customizable directories –Save and easily repeat searches

What’s in MinnesotaHelp.info? 31,000+ services 12,500+ providers 19,000+ sites Organized using international AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy of Human Services

Second generation MHI Number of Visits 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 Jul-05 Sep-05 Nov-05 Jan-06 Mar-06 May-06 Jul-06 Sep-06 Nov-06 Jan-07 Mar-07 May-07 Jul-07 Sep-07 Nov-07 Jan-08 Mar-08 May-08 Number of Visits

Second generation MHI Visitors Who Visited More Than Once ,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 Jul-05 Sep-05 Nov-05 Jan-06 Mar-06 May-06 Jul-06 Sep-06 Nov-06 Jan-07 Mar-07 May-07 Jul-07 Sep-07 Nov-07 Jan-08 Mar-08 May-08 Visited More Than Once

Next steps Focus groups –Experience on the website –Quality of data Continued development –Online chat –Resource navigators –Data integrity

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