Example 1: Mynaportal
"Mynaportal" is a service provided by My Number System that enables online administrative procedures in conjunction with Digital Agency. It was launched in November 2017 with the aim of improving the convenience of administrative procedures and presenting a model case for the formation of a digital society to all citizens, including governments, companies, and organizations. From December 2022, in parallel with the services provided until then, we provided a "demonstration version" of some functions and screens and continued to make improvements based on feedback received from many citizens. In March 2024, we officially released the top page based on the results of the demonstration.
Contents
- [Problem 1] The screen is in a state of information overload, and users have pointed out that it is difficult to use.
- Solution Point #1: Visualize what key users want
- Solution Point 2: Establishing guidelines for creating experiences that respond to the interests and problems of the people
- Solution Point 3: Creating Screens Linked to the Three Experience Creation Guidelines
- Solution Point 4: Don't fill a screen with too much information
- [Problem 2] There was no way to gather the voices of the people who are users and no system to respond to them.
- Solution point 1 Introduction of a system that allows users to easily send comments and requests on services
- Point 2 of solution: Show the basis of the problem to be solved and form an agreement among related parties.
- Solution Point 3 Release of "Demonstration Version" that Allows Users to Select Old and New Screens
- [Problem 3] The development that sufficiently understood the actual condition of use of the disabled had not been possible
- Solution point 1: The person in charge of accessibility at the Digital Agency accompanied the operator.
- Solution Point 2: Holding verification meetings with persons with visual impairment
- Solution Point 3: Utilizing the Digital Agency Design System
- Solution Point 4 Implementation of accessibility testing in accordance with JIS standards
- Interview
- Related Pages
[Problem 1] The screen is in a state of information overload, and users have pointed out that it is difficult to use.
Before the renewal, Mynaportal was pointed out by the people who used it that it was "difficult to use."
One of the reasons for this was that the screen was full of information as a result of the government's efforts to "convey necessary information accurately and without omission."
Another is that, depending on the development status and the order contract system at that time, procurement by function and development by accumulation were promoted, and from the viewpoint of the entire service, it was not consistent, and various functions seemed to be arranged separately.
Solution Point #1: Visualize what key users want
In order to specifically resolve the causes of "situations that are difficult for users to use," we created easy-to-use screens by visualizing user trends based on factors such as understanding of digital and public services, age, and life stage.
For example, for young users, we have identified the expected usage situations, such as notification of marriage, birth, and child rearing, acquisition of driver's license and passport, and notification of moving and lifeline. Based on these, we have determined the required functions and development priorities. We have implemented these initiatives for users with various attributes and realized more user-friendly services.
Solution Point 2: Establishing guidelines for creating experiences that respond to the interests and problems of the people
Some of the people who used the My Number Card said, "I made the Mynaportal, but I don't know how to use it." One of the reasons for this was that the convenience of the airport itself had not been translated into language.
In order to solve this problem, in response to the concerns and problems of the people, we established a guideline for creating experiences that supports the three aspects of "finding," "verifying," and "not forgetting."
Solution Point 3: Creating Screens Linked to the Three Experience Creation Guidelines
- "Finding" is a guideline in response to the public's opinion that "Mynaportal has many functions and is difficult to understand." Before the renewal, it was difficult to understand which services were necessary for users, but by reviewing the classification and labeling, we improved it so that necessary procedures can be easily found.
- "Verify" is a guideline in response to the people's desire to "make it easy to check their own records and information." Before the renewal, even if people wanted to check their own records, such as drugs and medical expenses, it was difficult to find the information, and it was necessary to take multiple steps to apply and get a response. The flow of such confirmation was organized into a form that was easy to find and understand. For example, medical expenses for the month you want to check can now be seen at a glance.
- "Don't forget" is a guideline for creating experiences in response to people's voices saying, "I want you to summarize what you should do next so that you don't forget." For example, the electronic certification in My Number Card is renewable after five years, so if you don't renew it, you may not be able to complete procedures such as filing a final tax return. By displaying these "things not to forget" on the Mynaportal screen in an easy-to-understand manner, it has become possible to support smooth administrative procedures [Figure 1].
Solution Point 4: Don't fill a screen with too much information
In designing the screen, we paid particular attention to not filling a single screen with a large amount of information. For example, we made it possible to display only the information that should be touched first, and to obtain information in stages according to the user's understanding and needs, thereby achieving a smoother user experience [Figure 2].
[Problem 2] There was no way to gather the voices of the people who are users and no system to respond to them.
In the early stages of Mynaportal, once system development was completed, the focus tended to be on operation and maintenance. There was no system in place to collect qualitative user feedback or quantitative usage information, and data-based improvements were not possible.
In addition, there were constraints such as the structure of the system and the form of contract with the operator, and the slow improvement cycle was also a challenge, as it took several months to change even one phrase.
Solution point 1 Introduction of a system that allows users to easily send comments and requests on services
We installed a form at the bottom of every screen that allows users to easily send their impressions and requests, and created a system that collects thousands of users' voices a day (hereinafter referred to as the "Quick Survey"). The Quick Survey has attracted attention as an epoch-making initiative, partly because there has been no system that collects people's voices on this scale and directly delivers them to related parties [Figure 3]. In addition, we track the status of use in two axes, "Satisfaction" and "Number of Functions Used," and incorporate them into improvements.
Point 2 of solution: Show the basis of the problem to be solved and form an agreement among related parties.
Based on the opinions of users gathered through the Quick Survey, usage data, and a survey conducted by the person in charge, the priorities of the issues to be solved were compiled, and by presenting concrete grounds, a consensus was formed with other ministries and agencies and other organizations for service improvement, and a system was built so that the people concerned could proceed with the project with a sense of satisfaction and speed.
Solution Point 3 Release of "Demonstration Version" that Allows Users to Select Old and New Screens
Since Mynaportal was already in operation, it was expected that users would be confused by the screen design and function updates immediately after the renewal. Therefore, we built an environment where users could select the one they wanted to use "before / after the renewal" and started with the release of a service demonstration version to verify the response. We proceeded with the development of the official version while investigating the impressions and evaluations of the demonstration version.
[Problem 3] The development that sufficiently understood the actual condition of use of the disabled had not been possible
Administrative services must reach everyone, including the elderly and people with disabilities.
That is why ensuring accessibility was an important requirement, but it was not the case that development was done with a full understanding of the actual situation of use by persons with disabilities.
In order to realize a state in which all people can surely use the service after understanding the functions of the service, support for a screen reading function (hereinafter referred to as "screen reader") for visually impaired users was promoted.
Solution point 1: The person in charge of accessibility at the Digital Agency accompanied the operator.
In the development of the Mynaportal, a specialist responsible for accessibility was assigned to the contractor, and the person in charge of accessibility at the Digital Agency communicated the testing methods to the specialist.
Verification and improvement were carried out by the contractor, and the person in charge of accessibility at Digital Agency responded to elements that were difficult to judge on a case-by-case basis. Development proceeded while carefully checking each issue.
In particular, the person in charge of accessibility gave generous support to pages widely viewed by the public, such as the "Web Accessibility Policy" and the "Examination Results."
Solution Point 2: Holding verification meetings with persons with visual impairment
Since it is difficult to see the real image of users just by testing and improving according to the JIS standard, we held a verification meeting called the "Live Review Meeting" (Figure 4). The verification meeting was attended by Digital Agency employees who are blind and visually impaired and are also accessibility experts. Developers were given an opportunity to directly observe how the screen reader was used and verify what needed to be improved. The verification meeting is held continuously, and about 30 developers and related people from Mynaportal participate and share their knowledge each time.
Solution Point 3: Utilizing the Digital Agency Design System
In the development of Mynaportal, we have introduced the "Digital Agency Design System" (hereinafter referred to as the "Design System") [Figure 5]. The design system can improve accessibility. In addition, by using parts of the design system, high-quality web pages can be produced at low cost.
However, design systems are also not all-powerful. If you use a design system, you can expect to work more efficiently, reduce schedules, and guarantee a certain level of accessibility. However, to guarantee sufficient quality, you need to have knowledge of accessibility and verification skills.
For example, we have made improvements to the card reading operation of the Mynaportal app. The procedure for holding the My Number Card over a smartphone cannot be completed only by operating the screen, so a particularly careful explanation is required. Therefore, when users use the screen reader, we have prepared and embedded a more careful dedicated sentence to make the card reading procedure easier to understand [Figure 6].
Solution Point 4 Implementation of accessibility testing in accordance with JIS standards
As with other websites and digital services provided by Mynaportal, the accessibility standards required of Digital Agency must comply with the conformance level AA of JIS X 8341-3:2016, the Japanese industry standard for accessibility. The test methods and results are published in accordance with the JIS standard.
After the renovation, the Mynaportal conforms to the AA compliance level of JIS X 8341-3:2016, the Japanese industrial standard for accessibility, and to the four AAA compliance levels.
