The Problem
Wave3 was approached by the Director of Public Outreach for Routt County to reform their web presence and assist in ongoing web strategies to stem the flood of phone calls and contacts the county was overwhelmed by during the early stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic. They were overwhelmed by increasing in call volume and needed a way to provide clear and concise information to the public and evaluate user flow to direct them to the correct information. We were able to provide assistance with daily creation and use of web, social and email assets.
Taking it day by day
We’ve heard it a thousand times, the Pandemic is unprecedented. Local government was juggling a myriad of questions, changing regulations, and pressure from the state to develop a strategy to cope with a rapidly evolving situation. As a result, their initial web efforts were implemented quickly, and without long term strategies or goals other than “get the information out as quickly as possible.” They relied heavily on call centers and needed a way to provide quick information and encourage the public to find official documents and announcements on the web.
3 mo. rolling average before implementation
Our Solution
We needed to know where our users were coming from, what they were trying to find, and ensure the content they received was up to date and easily understandable. A tall order given the complexity of governmental systems. Here’s how we tackled it:
- Define your audience and model their likely interactions. Deploy solutions that are tailored to their needs.
- Meet people where they are at. Ensure that information is easily accessible to a wide range of skill levels and tech savviness. Diversify into print media and easily digestible content forms.
- Silo front page content and make sure it is easy to direct people to relevant information.
3 mo. rolling average after implementation
Ask, don't assume
Community feedback was pivotal to providing clear and concise information, as well as informing decision making in the local and state governments. Charged with streamlining this process, we provided real-time data collection and results utilizing Google APIs.
Business as unusual
As state government increased regulations on capacity and PPE requirements, businesses grappled with new procedures including site mitigation protocols and event permitting. We streamlined this process through form digitization and delivery.
Our Solution
Using the intelligence gathered from two rounds of public surveying, responses to digitized business forms, and site metrics, we rebuilt the website structure and marketing to center around per user personas, ensuring that information was easily accessible to everyone.
3 mo. rolling average after implementation
Devon Barker is a consummate professional. We have limited resources at the County and he always offers solutions in a timely manner. I like his approach of asking first what the goal is before offering a tactic. This strategic way of thinking helps improve the communications we send on behalf of the County and helps me also grow professionally. I would hire Devon for any project in the future. He is a pleasure to work with.