The Challenge
The Town of Atherton’s public works webpages serve as an online resource center for community information, yet over time, the structure had become difficult for residents and stakeholders to navigate. Crucial resources such as Capital Improvement Projects, public works services and permit information were fragmented across multiple pages, resulting in a less intuitive user experience.
Specific hurdles included:
- Navigational Friction: Vital public works information was scattered across multiple pages, making it difficult for visitors to find answers quickly.
- Project Confusion: Ongoing infrastructure projects were mixed with completed ones, creating a lack of clarity regarding current initiatives.
- Siloed Programs: Navigation between programs, including streets, water/storm drainage, and bike/pedestrian initiatives, was not intuitive.
- Static Presentation: Several pages lacked modern formatting and imagery to engage the website visitor.
- Resource Grouping: Key documents for permits, RFPs and utilities were not properly categorized for users.
The Town sought to enhance usability and transparency of these pages while also ensuring the updates aligned with accessibility requirements and industry best practices.
Our Approach
Utilizing Tripepi Smith’s Cloud Webmaster Services, our team worked closely with the Town staff to review the public works website section and develop a clearer content structure.
TS initiated the process by benchmarking Atherton’s website against high-performing municipal peers to identify the most effective organizational patterns. From there, the team developed a streamlined sitemap and navigation structure designed to help residents quickly find the information they are looking for.
Key improvements included:
- Reorganizing the public works landing page with visually intuitive links to major programs
- Organizing sections for programs, including streets, water/storm drainage, and bike/pedestrian initiatives
- Consolidating permit resources and easier access to utilities, stormwater resources and RFP information
- Refreshing the design and imagery to improve readability and visual appeal
All updates were staged, reviewed with Town staff and then implemented within the CivicPlus website platform once approved. This process provided Atherton with a “white-glove” consulting experience while ensuring that every change aligned with their goals and website standards.
The Results
The Town of Atherton now has a more organized and user-friendly public works section that empowers the community to find information effortlessly.
Constituents can now enjoy:
- Clearer navigation across public works services, programs and permits
- Improved use of visual cues and modern formatting to guide visitors
- Updated page formatting that aligns with WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards
