E-Government and User Experience: Evidence from Greek municipalities

Abstract

This study investigates the digital presence and User Experience of local government websites in Greece, challenging the widespread assumption that low e-Government adoption is primarily due to citizens’ digital illiteracy. Instead, it explores whether usability and design limitations serve as key barriers. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines a qualitative survey with 26 participants, focusing on citizens’ perceptions, emotional responses, and expectations, with a large-scale UX Audit of 138 municipal websites. The audit, based on a customized evaluation framework, assessed nine usability dimensions including navigation, content quality, accessibility, and interactivity. Findings reveal widespread inconsistencies in interface design, non-functional features (e.g., search, forms), and limited multilingual support, resulting in low overall performance. Survey participants expressed frustration, disengagement, and low trust toward their local governments' digital presence, despite increased digital maturity. Striking regional disparities were also observed, pointing to fragmented design practices and a lack of centralized digital governance. This systemic disconnect between citizens and public digital platforms highlights the urgent need for national-level standards and inclusive service design strategies. Improving usability, accessibility, and relevance of municipal websites is not only a matter of efficiency but also of democratic participation and digital equity.