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(2/) off to a good start: ooh page layout and fonts are nice! A+ for use of the @USWDS. (I'm biased, I know) [caption: a scrolling image of a page from http://IRS.gov ]pic.twitter.com/CJ6jqn1BS0
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(1/) As a former fed govt employee, I try *real* hard not to bash govt tech because I know it's a hot mess in there, but damn, the #TaxDay #UX blues got me down. With respect for how hard these things are to fix, here's a lil review of one bit of http://IRS.gov ...
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...but why on earth can't a person login at all times? Atleast explain to us WHY this is the case. and why so ET-centric? there are a lot of Americans who don't live in Eastern Time. oy. vey.
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(3/) MMMMMMMM. This non-508 compliant/accessible orange notice is informing the vision-abled among us that today, on
#TaxDay "At this time, users may experience technical difficulties when signing in and registering. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please try again later."pic.twitter.com/c72gbuIiud
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...I'm sorry. WHAT? When later shall I return that will not result in late fees on my tax payments? And listen, got it, systems have issues. But this is not an "inconvenience" -- this is confusing and alarming for a person who now has no idea what to do.
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(4/) So I take my chances and venture on. The next set of screens asks me to confirm a bunch of times in v small writing that I do indeed have access to a list o random info required to set up an account. Annoying but ok fyn.pic.twitter.com/C5rxXgb6K8
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...wait yknow, what not fine. Lets look closer at this. You say "I need a mobile device" -- but then you say this is "the easiest" way. Does that mean there's another way? Why do you need my phone at all?pic.twitter.com/mygUaU36P3
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...oh and can't be pay-as-you-go mobile device? (or a landline, lol, ok with you there). but so what about all the folks who have prepaid phones? you say we need "a mobile device," but in fact you mean "a mobile device with a contractual agreement."pic.twitter.com/AmhOzWxGCA
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...ah I see there's a backup option. But wait...if I don't have a mobile device w a contractual agrmt then I have to do this via snail mai...and even in that case I still need a mobile phone? I'm now royally confused - and worried cuz today is
#TaxDay and who's got time for mail.Show this thread -
(5/) I fill out some screens then am told I need to enter a confirmation code from my email. Sure fine. But once I do, then I try pressing 'continue' -- to no affect. So I try pressing tab, a key feature for all assistive screen readers which low or non-vision users will need...
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...and of course, the tabbing function isn't coded at all such that I'm stuck tabbing between the data field and the address bar. So I guess this means I don't have to pay my taxes? [caption: gif of a screen where the user cannot tab to advance]pic.twitter.com/SpaEeDtvIH
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(6/) So lets say I figure out how to advance in another browser (I was using Safari, I can advance in Firefox, cuz apparently they gots known OS issues). Now I need to prove my existence w the form of some kind of engagement w a financial institution which is HELLA CLASSIST.pic.twitter.com/XGjRyUn1m5
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...but don't worry, if you can't provide one of these things because you're, idk, poor, there are other "options are available to you" at this link which takes you back to the page where you started and is covered w links to other places but not much in the way of other options.
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(7/) Annnnnd after I enter some credit card info, I get the official NOPE. I am an able bodied, overeducated, former government technology person, and I can't get through this apparently. [caption: "registration error screen"]pic.twitter.com/kzboYynECu
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(8/) Because I'm me I'm digging for more and I find this long ass page which I read in detail. I think I have found the culprit in my case: I'm on a family phone plan and my name is not the primary name on our account...and apparently that means I don't exist.pic.twitter.com/n9QXin9OqE
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(9/) Listen: none of these technical issues are technically hard to fix, I get (first hand) that fixing them is more complicated than it seems. What bothers me is not (really) how janky this—the foremost site of online engagement between the American ppl + our government—is...
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(10/) But how the authors of these tools (because lets be honest, there are atleast 3-10 products at play here), never once took the time to explain to us WHY they need our mobile devices and all of this info about us.
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(11/) When it's down to the wire on Tax Day and I'm sweating heavy trying to figure out how on earth to give the govt my hard earned $$ on time for once, and I am met with walls and qualifications and requirements, I have no understanding of how I will make it out.
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(12/) As an ode to
#contentdesigners everywhere, making language on websites may not be easy but its an act of respect and courtesy to your users when sending them through hoops that seems unrelated to an already stressful task. Esp given how class biased so much of this.Show this thread -
(13) Thanks to everyone inside the hardened walls of govt who continues to advocate for "users" (aka us humans). As an attempting-to-be-tax-paying citizen, I appreciate you & I also implore you to keep pushing, to keep asking for more. Looking forward to next yr's updates.pic.twitter.com/y88LZVsLOX
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End of conversation
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