USPTO Website Satisfaction Trails E-Gov Rankings

The December quarterly report of the E-Government American Customer Satisfaction Index (E-Gov ACSI), an independent survey that measures customer satisfaction with Federal government websites, shows that overall customer satisfaction with government websites has risen from 72.1 a year ago to 73.9 today, a 2.5% increase. About 50 Federal government websites participate in the survey, which was established in 2003.

The USPTO website scored 67, a 1 point increase over a year ago and one of the lowest scores in the category "Portals/Department Main Sites." The USPTO has participated in the survey since December 2003, and its score has fluctuated between 66-68. The National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus health information website scored 85, one of the highest scores among Federal government websites.

USPTO Website E-Gov ACSI Scores

2004 2005
Q1 66 66
Q2 66 68
Q3 66 66
Q4 66 67

Experts attribute the overall rise to improvements in governmentweb site navigation and search functions. The lack of improvement in the USPTO's score is puzzling, given the rationale (and cost) of the survey. In comparison, the General Services Administration website's score improved 12 points over a year ago following a major overhaul and redesign in 2005.

Sources

American Customer Satisfaction Index

Citizens Warm to Fed Web Sites , Dec. 15, 2005
Federal Computer Week