ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the process used to redesign the hhs.gov portal, the trials and tribulations of the design team, and real-world lessons learned' that can be applied to any web site design or redesign activity. It explores the experiences of those who were responsible for the reinvention of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Internet presence to meet the demands and rigours of federal legislation, Executive Branch e-government moves, and most importantly the user. The United States Department of HHS unveiled to the public a new web portal. Designed by a multidisciplinary team of web developers and content experts from across the Department, the HHS portal design is based upon current research findings in the field of web site design, validated through an iterative series of usability tests. Approximately 116 million adult citizens are online in the United States. Eighty per cent of all adult Internet users in the United States have searched for health and human services-related information online.
