WDFN: Users spoke and we're listening
A summary of the feedback shared by users on the beta real-time data pages in the spring of 2019
A few months ago, the USGS launched a re-designed real-time water page on waterdata.usgs.gov. Here is an example of a new page.
We asked for your feedback and you delivered! Thanks to all of you who visited the new pages and shared your thoughts with us.
USGS mobile-friendly real time data page
Feedback and Usage by the Numbers
Since the February launch, hundreds of users have submitted feedback on the new real-time site pages.
Many people love the new pages, especially recreational and general public users. The majority of people who shared thoughts want additional features. Top feature requests (ranked by popularity) since February include:
- Custom date range display (23%)
- Better time-series plot, including improved axis scaling and display of groundwater data (17%)
- Better map, including upstream / downstream navigation to discover nearby sites (13%)
- Multiple parameters / sites on one plot (11%)
- Easy data downloads (6%)
Just who submitted feedback? We know that about ⅓ of comments came from USGS users of Water Data for the Nation, and the remaining ⅔ came from non-USGS domains. Some users shared information about who they were and how they used the site, including:
- Hydrologist, Hydrographer, or Hydrologic Technician
- Water Manager
- Resident of flood-prone area
- Angler
- Whitewater rafting company proprietor
- Self-described “average citizen” who monitors local river conditions
What’s Next?
We’ve logged your suggestions, and we’re already working on the issues and requests that were mentioned most frequently. In addition, we will continue to increase the accessibility of the pages for all users, and will work to bring footage from USGS time lapse stream cameras into the pages.
We’re still collecting feedback, and we’ll continue to make improvements, so if we’re not working on your suggestion yet, it doesn’t mean we won’t. You can track our development priorities on our project board and follow our progress on the Water Data for the Nation blog.
As we continue to build out these pages in the coming months and years, please keep the feedback coming!
Disclaimer
Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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