December 3, 2024
Mr. Bruce Dunn
Director
Office of Safeguards
Asian Development Bank
Dear Mr. Dunn,
NGO Forun on ADB is writing to your office in response to your request to provide a set of recommendations regarding the user experience and accessibility of the ADB website, based on our observations and feedback from network members, these suggestions aim to improve the website’s functionality, accessibility, and transparency, ultimately ensuring that the ADB website better serves its diverse audience, particularly those in underserved and low-bandwidth areas.
Key Observations and Recommendations:
Access for Communities: Implement low-bandwidth options and improve accessibility standards (WCAG), including text readability and alt text for images.
Search & Navigation: Enhance search functionality and simplify the menu structure for easier navigation. Introduce filters for region, sector, and project status.
User Interface: Simplify the interface and include plain-language summaries for key documents. Provide interactive tools for data-heavy sections.
User Feedback: Add a public feedback system to allow stakeholders to provide input on projects and site functionality.
Project Pages: Display key project details upfront and provide downloadable datasets and project alerts for better transparency.
Energy Pages: Ensure accurate, up-to-date information on climate finance and GHG emissions. Offer clear visualizations and standardize GHG tracking methods.
Safeguards Pages: Improve organization and visibility of safeguard policies. Provide real-time updates, contact info for safeguards officers, and advanced filtering options.
Integration of ADB-Related Websites: Link closely related websites (e.g., ADB Data Library, ARIC) directly from the main site for easier access.
You can read a more detailed discussion of our observations and recommendations attached with this letter.
We hope these recommendations will contribute to improving the ADB website's accessibility, transparency, and usability.
Thank you for considering these suggestions. We look forward to your response.
Respectfully,
Mr. Rayyan Hassan
Executive Director
NGO Forum on ADB
Recommendations on the ADB Website
Overall Observations
Access (for Communities and CSOs)
The website lacks low-bandwidth options, limiting accessibility for communities in areas with poor internet connectivity.
Compliance with accessibility standards (WCAG) is inconsistent; improvements are needed in areas such as text readability, alt text for images, and keyboard navigation.
Search and Navigation
The search function is ineffective, often excluding relevant results and failing to suggest autocomplete options.
Navigation is overwhelming due to an extensive menu structure; more streamlined and concise groupings are necessary.
Interface and UX
The user interface lacks clarity and intuitiveness, making it difficult for users to locate critical information.
Key documents often need more plain-language summaries, which would aid understanding among non-technical audiences.
Data-heavy sections, such as project statistics, need interactive and visually engaging tools(really beneficial for communities trying to understand the project implementation)
User Feedback Loop
The site lacks a robust mechanism for users to provide feedback or comments on projects or site functionality.
Public comments on project impacts and grievance mechanisms are not sufficiently visible.
Observations on Project Pages
Project Information Accessibility
Key project details, such as sector and subsector classifications, are not readily available on the overview pages but are buried in detailed documents.
Climate finance classifications should be clearly stated upfront to avoid ambiguities and retrospective adjustments.
Data and Downloads
Comprehensive downloadable datasets, such as project summaries and safeguards data in Excel format, are absent.
The absence of a "Datasets" tab complicates access to project timelines and aggregated data.
A specific 'alert system' will also be helpful for each project.
The safeguards classification should be presented upfront and linked to the meaning of each category.
Transparency and Updates:
Project updates lack standardization and clarity; timelines, outcomes, and impacts should be presented in a uniform and digestible format.
Links to safeguard mechanisms and accountability frameworks are available but poorly organized and difficult to locate.
Navigation and Filtering:
The filtering system needs region, sector, modality, and project status options to improve localized search functionality.
In Energy Pages
Data Accuracy and Consistency:
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data and project classifications (e.g., climate finance) are often inconsistent or outdated.
Disclosures for controversial initiatives, like Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) pilots, are incomplete or absent.
Content Presentation:
Missing or removed visuals, such as energy financing breakdowns by renewable and non-renewable sources, hinder information flow.
The site lacks clear explanations of terms like "GHG accounting" or "climate finance," reducing transparency.
Recommendations for Improvement:
Provide clickable, detailed data visualizations for energy and climate finance metrics.
Include the historical data/information on the previous and recent Energy Policy and key updates (including the upcoming midterm Energy Policy Review)
Standardize methodologies for GHG tracking and disclose them clearly on the site.
Enhance filtering systems to ensure users find specific energy-related documents without unnecessary complexity.
Observations on Safeguards Pages
Information Access and Organization:
Safeguard policies are difficult to find as they are buried under unrelated categories like “Who We Are” or “Accountability.”
Links between safeguard pages and related project documents are often disorganized and unintuitive.
Accountability and Transparency:
Contact information for safeguards officers is missing, reducing project accountability. GDPR-compliant solutions, such as displaying officer names or specific roles, should be considered.
Real-time updates are needed for downloaded documents to ensure they reflect the most current data.
Functionality and Feedback:
Advanced filtering options, such as date ranges or thematic searches, are missing and should be integrated.
Infographics and visual timelines for the Safeguard Policy Review process would increase visibility and public engagement.
Enhancements for Fieldwork:
Offline access to safeguards data in downloadable formats (e.g., Excel) is crucial for users in low-infrastructure settings.
Low-bandwidth versions of safeguard-related information should be available for remote stakeholders.
General Recommendations
Adopt a user-focused approach to website design, emphasizing streamlined navigation, interactive tools, and low-bandwidth accessibility.
Implement public feedback loops to allow communities and stakeholders to provide suggestions and comments.
Improve search functionality with features like autocomplete, thematic filters, and localized content.
Ensure consistent and timely updates across project, energy, and safeguards pages to maintain transparency and usability.
Information Integration and Accessibility
Lack of Integration of ADB-Related Websites: It is unclear why websites like those listed below are not directly integrated or linked from the main ADB website, even though they are closely related to ADB's activities. Users may be unaware that these resources are connected to ADB, which could create confusion or missed opportunities for information access.
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