Search and Navigation
When navigating a website, users with limited literacy skills tend to:
Get distracted by extra words and elements of a website like links and icons
Navigate in a linear fashion and backtrack frequently
Choose the first answer they find, without checking if it’s correct—and have a hard time telling the difference between high- and low-quality information
Have trouble recovering from mistakes
When reading, users with limited literacy skills focus on the center of the screen. Once they shift their focus from the navigation to the center of the screen, they’re unlikely to look back to the navigation to solve a problem or change course if the content isn’t meeting their needs.
How do people currently navigate information about how they will get a vaccine and learn about their eligibility?
Top three search takeaways:
Search 1: Multiple searches, vague information, PDF downloads, and no answer
Search 2: State government and public health websites that highlight a prioritization framework, with no current details on next steps
Search 3: Going straight to workplace resources or to your primary care provider
Top query searches from English speakers:
"Where can I get vaccinated in my county?"
“When can I get the covid vaccine?”
“When am i scheduled to get the covid vaccine massachusetts”
“When do Americans get vaccines?”
“When will 1b group get vaccine”
Location of searches ranked from the highest influence and highest usage to lowest influence and usage:
State gov website
CDC
Health center
Public school website
Google’s common question accordion tool
BBC News
AARP, NY Times
Residents' next steps after searching for vaccine information online and offline:
Try again search in early spring
Talk to their main health provider with personal experience
Make a decision depending on the general public flow
Talk to their employer
Last updated