The Hidden Cost of Clunky Portals: How Poor UX Erodes Public Trust

Let’s be honest…nobody wakes up in the morning excited to log into a government portal. You don’t make a coffee, sit down, and think…“Today’s the day I’m going to have an incredible experience updating my license details.”

But here’s the thing…it could be like that. Okay, maybe not Netflix-level binge-worthy, but at least smooth, quick, and…dare we say it…enjoyable. Instead, too often government portals feel like a game of digital snakes and ladders…you think you’re moving forward, but one wrong click and you’re sent tumbling back to square one. And that experience doesn’t just frustrate citizens. It chips away at something far more important…trust in government.

Why UX Isn’t Just a “Nice to Have”

In the private sector, bad UX usually means people just give up and go somewhere else. But in government? Citizens don’t have another option. They have to engage. And when they do, if the experience is clunky, confusing, or downright impossible, it reinforces the stereotype that government services are slow, outdated, and disconnected from the people they’re meant to serve.

It’s death by a thousand clicks. Each poorly labelled button, each error message written in cryptic IT jargon, each page that takes forever to load…it all adds up. And citizens notice.

The Ripple Effect of Clunky Portals

Think of a government portal like the front door to a department. If the door is jammed, hard to open, and squeaks loudly every time someone walks through, people don’t just dislike the door…they start to question the whole house.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

  • Eroded trust: Citizens wonder, “If they can’t even get a website right, can they really handle my data, my payments, or my services?”
  • Wasted time and money: People end up calling helplines or showing up in person, which costs both them and the department more resources.
  • Accessibility barriers: For those with disabilities, poor design isn’t just inconvenient, it can be exclusionary. That’s not just a UX issue; it’s an equity issue.
  • Reputation damage: One clunky experience can easily snowball into headlines, complaints, or social media storms.

Why Citizens Remember the Bad More Than the Good

It’s human nature. We rarely notice when something just works. Nobody tweets, “Wow, the login process was intuitive today!” But when something doesn’t work? That’s when frustrations boil over.

For citizens, these experiences stick. When portals are slow, confusing, or inaccessible, it’s not just annoying…it feels like government doesn’t respect their time. And that’s where trust starts to fray.

The Fix: Build Portals People Actually Want to Use

The good news? It doesn’t have to be this way. With the right approach, government portals can go from dreaded chores to streamlined services that feel almost invisible.

Here’s how:

  • Design for people, not processes: Build around what citizens need, not internal bureaucracy.
  • Simplify, simplify, simplify: Plain language, logical steps, and no unnecessary clicks.
  • Prioritise accessibility: WCAG standards aren’t just compliance checkboxes, they’re a commitment to inclusion.
  • Test in the wild: Get real citizens using prototypes early and often. If they struggle, fix it before launch.
  • Think mobile-first: If a portal doesn’t work smoothly on a smartphone, you’ve already lost half your audience.

How We Help at The Services Company

At TSC, we’ve spent nearly a decade helping Government departments build portals and digital services designed for the unique pressures of government. From award-winning emergency service apps like Fires Near Me, to biodiversity portals like BioNet, to volunteer training platforms that support thousands of Australians, our work is always built around one principle: people first.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about flashy tech. It’s about trust. It’s about creating services that make people feel seen, respected, and supported by the government that serves them.

At the end of the day, poor UX isn’t just inconvenient. It erodes public confidence and costs government departments more in the long run. But when digital services just work, fast, intuitive, accessible, they do more than save time. They rebuild trust between citizens and their government. And in today’s world, trust is one of the most valuable currencies we have.

 

The Services Company – Australia’s #1 Dedicated State Government IT Services Provider

We are a dedicated Government IT Professional Services and Consulting Firm specialising in Project Services, Managed Services, Advisory Services, and Support Services for State Government. Our proven delivery capabilities range from complete projects to specialised teams within larger projects, as well as providing single, niche resources. SCM0020, SCM0005, LGP ICT products and Services.