Bad Interaction Design is nothing new! In fact, we have a term for it "red tape" or more accurately "bureaucracy". Every time we have to deal with authority there is a form to be filled. How often do we get frustrated and annoyed by badly designed forms and overly complex bureaucratic process? Bureaucracy isn't coming to the web, its here already! Are you just another 21st Century Bureaucrat?

Back on November 6th, the Australian electorate were asked to vote in a plebiscite whether they wanted to become a Republic breaking the 200 year old link with the Constitutional Monarchy of United Kingdom. As the time grew nearer to the election day, there was increased press coverage of events in the UK media. We were introduced to Malcolm Turnbull, leader for the "YES" campaign. Initially, this was confusing because you had to ask, "Yes to what?" "Which side is the guy on?" Naturally, the answer to this lay in the question.

The question was...

Do you approve of a proposed law to alter the Constitution to establish the Commonwealth of Australia as a republic with the Queen and Governor General being replaced by a President appointed by a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Commonwealth Parliament?

Australians couldn't vote on-line, this time around. They could however, read all about it on-line at the government information website. Perhaps next time they will get the chance to vote on-line. What might that HTML page look like?

In the end, the Australian debate was muddied by discussion over what kind of republic they should have. As it happens, the result was NO and Australia remains a Constitutional Monarchy. This result goes against popular opinion. So what is the problem? My wife who is a political scientist was quick to remind me that the way you control any plebiscite is determined by how you word the question! As Interaction Designers, we should know this already. We also know that how you indicate the answer is also important. Had Malcolm Turnbull been of the "Pro Republic" rather than the "Yes" campaign, it would have been immediately obvious to the observer, what he stood for. Consider this alternative on-line voting page.

It doesn't take a genius at Usability to realise that the results from this subtly changed interaction design could be completely different. In fact this is perhaps not the best choice of design change, but I make it this way to obviate the point.

So what is the point?

The world over, the process of government is going on-line. Vast sums stand to be saved from removing civil servants from government bureaucracies and giving the work back to the citizen. Why pay for forms entry staff when you can have the citizen enter the data directly into the database from the comfort of their home or office. On-line bureaucracy is here to stay and the economy of the world will benefit as government gets thinner, lighter and cheaper.

Already we have seen tax incentives for on-line return of income statements. Whilst I was living in Singapore, the Singapore government pioneered this system offering 1% reduction in income tax to those declaring on-line. The British government is to introduce a similar scheme next year.

The whole business of government and politics can be influenced through what we put on the screen and how we deliver the message. The visual communication and interpretation of web pages will become vital to the good governance of nations. Opinions will be manipulated through interaction design.

Interaction Designers and Graphic Designers are the spin doctors and bureaucrats of this new era. The web and how it communicates and interacts with people is a powerful tool. Like any powerful tool, it can be put to good use or bad use. Interaction Designers really do have the power to change people's lives for better or worse.

So what can be done to ensure on-line government serves the people and not the other way around?

Forms Design is critical

Good Forms design is half the battle to keeping bureaucracy in check. Last month I was moving to the United States. The Customs form which is accompanying my personal effects contained the following question...

My answer to this was "neither". I could not answer "permanently" because I don't have a permanent residency visa. I couldn't answer "termporarily" because I was planning to stay more than siz months. However, there was no place on the tightly packed form to say this. This is just one of many many problems with government forms.

In the UK, the Campaign for plain English has long lobbied and advocated improved forms design. The campaign has sought over a long number of years to encourage improved government forms through its series of positive - Crystal Clear - and negative - Foot in Mouth - Awards. Reward those who do well. Embarrass those who do badly. I anticipate that it will not be long before websites dominate the awards nominations.

Navigation maketh the process

The other half of the battle in keeping bureaucracy off the web is good navigation. With paper systems. this is also known as Workflow. The workflow and the process of interaction between citizen and civil servant is critical to the user experience when interacting with bureaucracy. The workflow must be efficient, it must be intuitive and it must provide adequate feedback. All the hallmarks of good navigation.

With a move to on-line form filling, the civil servant disappears to be replaced with a dehumanised website but without careful thought in design of that website, the whole experience could get worse and worse for the citizen.

The Golden Opportunity

With a move to on-line interaction between ourselves and government, the Interaction Designer has a golden opportunity to improve the lives of ordinary people, everywhere. Keep bureaucracy and red tape off the web. Don't become the 21st Century bureaucrat. Practice good design. Always!

If your government isn't practicing good interaction design on its websites, write to your parliamentary representative and ask why!

Related article on BBC news...