The NEW American FactFinder New Jersey State Data Center (SDC) Meeting Rutgers University DADSII Update & American FactFinder Demonstration June 17, 2010.

The NEW American FactFinder

New Jersey State Data Center (SDC) Meeting

Rutgers University

DADSII Update & American FactFinder Demonstration

June 17, 2010 1

Agenda

• DADS Program Status – Jeff Sisson

• Demonstration – American FactFinder – Jeremy Melissari

2

American FactFinder Redesign

Census Bureau’s Primary Web-Based Data Dissemination Vehicle

– Tabular, Map, or Chart-form Data Products

– Online Access to Archived Data (Through Download)

3

American FactFinder Replacement Schedule

• American FactFinder Development Schedule:– Project Activities are On Schedule

– System Deployment: • Release 1: January 2011• Release 2: Fall 2011

• Legacy and Replacement Systems will run in parallel– Legacy AFF retired sometime after September 2011

(following final release of 2007 Economic Census)

4

American FactFinder Release 1: January 2011

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Enhanced Legacy System Core Functionality:

• Improved Look, Feel & Layout• Consistent Structure• Improved Search & Navigation• Table Services:

– Basic Table Manipulations • Sort• Filter• Reorder Rows/Columns• Show/Hide Rows Columns• Transpose Rows/Columns

– Mapping Services• Thematic mapping on the fly

– Basic Embargo capability

American FactFinder Release 2: Fall 2011

• Table Services Update– Display errata and link to geographic change

notes– Calculate statistical significance– Sorting of multiple columns

• Charting Services

• Archiving of Older Data

• Enhanced Embargo Capability

6

American FactFinder: Other Activities

• Tabulation of 2010 Census

• Preparation for:– Migration and Full Release of Population

Estimates Data (Oct 2012)

– Release of 2010 Census Printed Reports

– 2010 PUMS system to create PUMs File Products

– Island Areas Dissemination Activities

• Develop Web Services Support

– (future enhancement)

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Future Milestones

American FactFinder Feedback

9

•Analysis of Legacy American FactFinder:– Stakeholder Feedback– User Feedback– Usability Studies– Usability Audit

•Areas for Improvement Include:– Usability and Customer Satisfaction– Visual Elements– Conventional Layout– Consistent Structure– Layering of Information

American FactFinder Usability Audit

Areas for Improvement

10

Source: ForeSee ResultsAmerican FactFinder Usability Audit Review, January 2010

•Visual Elements

- Homepage Should be More Visual to Improve Visitor Expectations, Reduce Perceived Complexity, and to Improve the Look and Feel of the Site.

•Easier to Absorb and Assess through Better Balance of Text and Visuals.

•Use of Images, Color and Negative Space can Help Convey what to Expect and Make the Page Easier to Digest.

American FactFinder Usability Audit

Areas for Improvement

11

Source: ForeSee ResultsAmerican FactFinder Usability Audit Review, January 2010

•Conventional Layout

-Search Should be Presented in the Best Practice Format as a Text Box Directly on the Homepage.

•Prevents Visitors from Going through a Multi-Step Process to Perform a Query.

•Search is Less Likely to be Overlooked or to Blend in with Other Links/Options Surrounding it.

American FactFinder Usability Audit

Areas for Improvement

12

•Consistent Structure- Navigation Options Should Appear in the Same Location throughout the Site so Visitors Don’t have to Search for Them or Use Their Browser’s Back Button.

Source: ForeSee ResultsAmerican FactFinder Usability Audit Review, January 2010

American FactFinder Usability Audit

Areas for Improvement

13

Source: ForeSee ResultsAmerican FactFinder Usability Audit Review, January 2010

•Layering Information

- Should Improve Content Management and Reduce Scrolling by More Effectively Layering Page Information.

•Less Scrolling gives Visitors the Impression that the Information is Much Easier to Absorb.

•Layering Ensures More Information is Presented Higher Up on the Page—and Avoids Overwhelming Visitors with too Much Content at Once.