To What Extent Does the Usability of the Indian Government's Driving License website, Parivahan Sewa, Meet Standards? A Comprehensive Evaluation of its User-Friendliness.

By Gurdarshan Singh

What is Parivahan Sewa Website about?

Parivahan Sewa is a prominent online transportation service provider that is assiduously run by the Indian government. The terminology, which comes from the Hindi terms "Parivahan" and "Sewa," respectively, expresses the essence of movement and service. This sophisticated online portal stands as a testament to the government's commitment to facilitating streamlined access and management of vehicle-related documentation and services for its citizens. Empowering individuals with efficiency and convenience, Parivahan Sewa serves as a pivotal instrument in modernizing and simplifying the administrative landscape of transportation-related procedures.

What are the issues that are affecting the usability of Parivahan Sewa? How am I going to assess them?

Numerous challenges significantly impede the optimal usability of Parivahan Sewa. In this blog post, my focus will be directed towards addressing issues of medium to extreme severity. When assessing the Parivahan Sewa website, I methodically employed Nielsen's Ten Usability Heuristics. These guidelines served as a thorough framework for evaluating the user interface design of the website, helping me pinpoint potential usability issues and direct my analysis. Let us delve into a comprehensive examination of these critical concerns using Neilsen’s Heuristics. We will be using the Severity scale to measure the impact of the issues.

SEVERITY SCALE

I. Cards with a Vague and Grammatically Incorrect Tagline Underneath.

Fig 1: Card with Vague Tagline and its Solution

Issue:  The first problem lies in the grammatically incorrect and ambiguous slogans beneath the card headings. For instance, in Figure 1, the slogan below the heading states, "License registration on your fingertips," which appears informal and vague. Such slogans should be avoided, and instead, they should be more direct and formal in nature. New users may find the 'More' option on the homepage confusing.

Heuristic Violated and Severity:  Neilson Heuristic 2: Match between the System and the real world. It is of High Severity.

Suggestions: The substitution of the 'More' button with the 'Apply' button would significantly enhance user experience. To ensure clarity and formality, it is imperative to refine the slogans. For example, in Figure 1, consider revising the slogan to "Get your License from here" rather than the current "License registration on your fingertips." This modification aims to eliminate ambiguity and improve user understanding. Developers are encouraged to replace all unclear slogans throughout the platform for an overall enhancement in user communication and satisfaction.

II. Lack of Clear Guidance on the Navigation Process

Fig 2: Absence of Clear Instructions and its Solution

Issue: The second concern centers around the absence of clear instructions guiding users on how to achieve their desired goals. The listing of available features lacks a structured format, leading to confusion about navigation. For instance, in Figure 2, all features are presented on the homepage without a defined format or accompanying guidance. This lack of direction is particularly problematic for new users exploring the website, leaving them feeling adrift and uncertain about how to navigate it effectively.

Heuristic Violated and Severity:  Neilson Heuristic 9: Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors. This issue is of extreme severity.

Suggestion: Instead of displaying features haphazardly, the website would greatly benefit from adopting a structured, step-by-step approach to seamlessly guide users through the process. For instance, Figure 2 showcases features in a somewhat disorganized fashion and also one which presents a thoughtfully reorganized, stepwise guide for enhanced user clarity. Emphasizing the importance of clear instructions, it's crucial to highlight prerequisites, such as obtaining a learner's license before applying for the final driving license. By implementing this approach, the user experience is not only streamlined but also ensures users navigate the platform with ease and confidence.

III. Absence of User Flow Status

Fig 3: Absence of User Flow and its Solution

Issue: The third issue pertains to the absence of clear cues indicating the user flow on the website. Highly usable websites ensure users have a transparent understanding of their current position within the site's structure. The deficiency of these status indicators can lead to user disorientation amid the website's complexity, significantly hindering effective navigation and comprehension.

Heuristic Violated and Severity: Neilson Heuristic 1: Visibility of system status. This issue has moderate severity.

Suggestion: To tackle this issue effectively, a straightforward solution involves incorporating a clear user flow indicator. Developers can achieve this by integrating a breadcrumb trail, such as "Driving/Learner License -> Apply for Learner License," positioned beneath the navigation bar. This thoughtful addition will empower users with a visual guide, enhancing their understanding of their current position within the website's structure.

IV. Inability to Navigate Back After Form Submission

Fig 4: Unable to Go Back After Form Submission

Issue: The fourth problem concerns users being unable to navigate back after completing a form on the website, resulting in the display of an error message labelled "Confirm Form Submission." This issue arises from the failure to save the form data, limiting users' autonomy and control over their interactions on the website.

Heuristic Violated and Severity: Neilson Heuristic 3: User control and freedom. This issue is of extreme severity.

Suggestion: To elegantly resolve this hiccup, astute developers should contemplate the integration of browser caching or harness the prowess of cloud-based data storage to gracefully safeguard form data throughout a user's session. By deftly preserving this vital information, users are empowered to navigate the website seamlessly, steering clear of any pesky error messages. This not only guarantees a fluid user experience but also liberates individuals from the tedious chore of repeatedly inputting redundant details, thereby imparting a touch of sophistication and excellence to their online interactions.

V. Clicking on any link takes the users to another tab.

Fig 5: Clicking on Website Links Navigates to New Tabs

Issue: The fifth issue stems from the website's use of links that pop open in new tabs. This setup can befuddle users trying to find their way back to the original page after clicking a link. Depending on the browser, the back button might not behave as expected, leading to some serious frustration. This predicament is especially tough for users with disabilities who rely on assistive tools, as juggling multiple open tabs can be quite the challenge. What's more, those aiming for a clean exit from the website might hit a roadblock due to the proliferation of new tabs.

Heuristic Violated and Severity: Neilson Heuristic 3: User control and freedom and Neilson Heuristic 4: Consistency and standards. This issue has high severity.

Suggestion: To rectify this issue, it is advisable to configure all homepage links to open within the same tab, eliminating the need for redirection to new tabs. While some developers may deliberately introduce this problem to prolong user engagement, it frequently leads to user dissatisfaction. Ensuring a uniform experience where all links open in the same tab not only empowers users with greater control but also minimizes unwarranted confusion.

VI. Issues with uniformity throughout the entire website.

Fig 6: Inconsistency Throughout the Website

Issue: The sixth issue highlights a notable inconsistency within the website. Specifically, crucial links on the homepage deviate significantly from the main homepage design, creating confusion for users. The distinct appearance of these links raises uncertainty about whether users are still within the Parivahan website. This lack of uniformity poses a significant challenge for users attempting to navigate the site effectively.

Heuristic Violated and Severity: Neilson Heuristic 4: Consistency and standards. This issue is of high severity.

Suggestion: To effectively address this issue, it is crucial to enforce visual cohesion across all links on the homepage, ensuring they seamlessly integrate with the main homepage design. This entails harmonizing the design and layout of every section throughout the website to mirror the consistency of the homepage. Developers should prioritize achieving a uniform visual experience across the entire site, aiming to eradicate any confusion arising from discrepancies in appearance.

Conclusion

The Parivahan Sewa website, overseen by the Indian government, functions as a crucial online platform for transportation-related services. However, an assessment of its usability reveals several significant issues. These include ambiguous and grammatically incorrect taglines beneath card headings, a lack of clear guidance for users, absence of indicators for user flow status, difficulties in navigating back after form submission, links opening in new tabs causing confusion, and inconsistency in the visual design across the website. The severity of these issues varies, ranging from moderate to extreme. Addressing these concerns is essential for optimizing the Parivahan Sewa website, streamlining user interactions, and enhancing overall usability.

Acknowledgement

The grammatical corrections were facilitated using Grammarly to ensure accuracy and clarity in conveying the information about the usability issues identified on the Parivahan Sewa website. The collaborative effort between the author and Grammarly aimed to enhance the overall quality of the content and address potential language-related concerns.

 

References:

[1]          10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design - https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

[2]          Parivahan Sewa (Indian Government Driving License Website) - https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/

[3]          Improved English with the help of Grammarly.