You can have the most trustworthy (T) and reliable (R) system in the world, but if it’s confusing to use, citizens won’t adopt it. The third TRUE pillar, U for Usability, is arguably the most powerful driver of the entire TRUE Ratio because it is what convinces the majority of residents to switch from high-cost, in-person or offline channels to digital self-service.
Designing for No Training Required
Usability, in the context of government payments, means creating a system that requires no training, no special instructions, and no help desk calls. It needs to feel as easy and intuitive as making a purchase on a major retail website—what we call the “Amazon-like” flow.
To achieve high Usability (U), the platform must feature:
- Frictionless Pathways: Minimize clicks, eliminate unnecessary data entry, and offer multiple payment options.
- Mobile-First Design: A majority of residents access government sites via mobile devices. The interface must be perfectly optimized for every screen size.
U Drives E: The Adoption Multiplier
Every resident who successfully completes a self-service task online is one less interaction for your staff. Poor usability is the number one cause of abandonment, meaning the citizen gives up and calls your office instead.
- The Power of Easy: When the digital experience is simple, adoption skyrockets. This was proven in Grand County, UT, where implementing a simplified, highly usable payment flow led to a massive, system-wide 10x increase in online transaction volume. This explosion in digital adoption directly frees up staff to focus on complex, high-value tasks instead of simple data entry.
Usability is the bridge between your agency and full digital self-service. It transforms the citizen from a service recipient into a self-sufficient client, which is the necessary prerequisite for achieving our final pillar: E for Efficiency.
Join us in the final post as we deep dive into the measurable payoff: E for Efficiency.
If your current payment experience is not delivering a 10x TRUE Ratio, your agency has untapped efficiency potential. Let’s schedule a 15-minute chat to review your current payment environment and provide a preliminary recommendation for improving your overall TRUE Ratio.
