Visual Interface Design Innovation: Citizens' Perception of Financial Administration Applications

Abstract

The paper deals with an analysis and evaluation of an innovative visual design of the Czech Financial Administration application, which was launched in order to solve needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Financial Administration had not made use of information technologies for several years, which had prevented the streamlining of public services offered to taxpayers. The aim of the study is to compare the perception of the visual interface design of two Financial Administration applications: (a) the Tax Portal -launched before the pandemic, and (b) the application for the provision of a compensation bonus for self-employed -launched during the pandemic. The research is based on a sequential mixed method design, where findings from a focus group and an interview are used to define relevant properties of web design to be evaluated in a questionnaire survey. The difference between variables regarding the perception of the Financial Administration applications is determined using a paired t-test. The results show that the new application has brought a significant change in the appearance of the interface design. Positive results of the Financial Administration's innovative approach can be beneficial for future development of different e-government projects.