Represent the BestUnited States House of Representatives

A new website prioritizes the ability to find and contact local representatives, while mobile optimization helps reach a younger demographic. The distinct visual design conveys an open and approachable feel, and provides the House with a direct channel to communicate with constituents without the filter of the media.

The Challenge

The United States House of Representatives needed an uncluttered website with strong visual branding to serve as the destination portal for learning about the House.

• Improving visitor ability to find and act on information, such as identifying one's local representatives
• Creating a distinctive visual design that conveys an open and approachable feel
• Providing a comprehensive resource for disseminating official information about members, committees, official events, legislation, and laws.

The Solution

User Research revealed that most  visitors were looking for channels to communicate with their representatives, but did not utilize any of the numerous other resources available on the site.  To encourage deeper dives into the House's information, the new web design focused on:

 

• Intuitive navigation that exposes once buried materials
• Easy-to-use widgets for finding your representatives and contacting them
• Expanded public disclosure section
• Interactive calendar of current and archived House schedules, floor proceedings, votes, bills, and reports
• Educational tools for learning about the House and federal government

Project Results Included:

• Intuitive, lightweight design that allows for easy access to House information
• Interactive schedule of legislative activity
• User-friendly search function for Member and Committee information Integrated links to partner pages that allow for better access to House resources

Tech Highlights:

• HTML templates, page code and CSS files
• JavaScript libraries to complement function and presentation

The new website provides the House a direct channel to communicate with its constituents without the filter of the media to frame the conversation. A mobile version of the site extends this functionality beyond the desktop, utilizing smatphone capabilities to call or email your local representative. A well-designed web and mobile presence for the House of Representatives will improve trust in the institution, encourage direct citizen engagement, and highlight the impacts its actions are having on people and the nation as a whole.

The Client

The U.S. House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of Congress. Along with the Senate, the House makes and passes federal laws that affect the entire country.