Website review and high level roadmap

The project issues
Southend Borough Council received only a C rating in the 2006 Better Connected report. The Council’s prime objective was to achieve an updated rating - preferably T (Transactional) - in the Better Connected 2007 report. The website is listed as a critical priority in achieving the corporate priority of “improving public satisfaction”. Significant benefits in this respect can be achieved by providing a fully transactional website, which gives users a self-service capability. Socitm Consulting was asked to review the present situation and provide recommendations for achieving these goals.

The Socitm Consulting solution
Socitm Consulting undertook a review of the Council’s website in three main stages: documenting the current situation, establishing the service requirements of the website within the wider ICT strategy, and making recommendations for future steps. Specific tasks included:

• Review of Better Connected report and supporting documentation
• Review of existing website
• Review of existing skills set
• Review of existing systems
• Review of problems and issues
• Meeting with key stakeholders in management and web group
• Understanding corporate and strategic issues

Reports were then presented documenting the elements of website status according to the Better Connected criteria (C and C+ (now Standard), Transactional and Excellent) and a roadmap of how to achieve an improved Better Connected rating, efficiency improvements in service delivery and potential cost savings. The report findings were presented and discussed.

The benefits to the client
By providing a clear focus on the position of the Council’s website within its wider service delivery priorities, developing a roadmap of how to improve the efficiency of the website according to national standards and identifying the dedicated resources needed to achieve this goal, Socitm Consulting was able to help the Council lay strong foundations for its future online status.

Project identification
Client organisation: Southend Borough Council
Client contact: Hayley Beale, Systems Development Team Leader (ICT), 01702 215157, hayleybeale@southend.gov.uk
Lead consultant: andy.grant@socitm.gov.uk
Project no: 5814