Hello and Happy New Year!
This blog will be getting a make-over for 2019. You can expect to start seeing blog posts from our colleagues across Dorset, from digital inclusion and health as well as local government, who want to share news about their local digital projects with you.
Just before this new group of bloggers get started, and as it is the beginning of a brand new year this feels like a good time to sum things up and to tell you about our progress in 2018.
Creating a more customer-focused Dorsetforyou
Dorsetforyou.gov.uk is an innovative and award-winning partnership website providing joined-up information and access to council services. By 2016 the website needed a serious overhaul. At 8,587, there were far too many pages, and some were preoccupied with council processes and departments rather than the things most people were looking for.
The seven councils behind the site decided it was time for a fresh start.
Digital solution
The partnership team followed a user-centred design approach to focus relentlessly on the needs of residents and businesses, and Agile project delivery approaches to ensure this complex project was delivered on time and budget.
Even the structure of the new site was based on user testing with residents. With a greater number of people using mobile devices to get online these days, a lot of attention was given to how the new site looked and worked on tablets and smartphones.
A new content management system allowed a flexible approach to page structure and design. Many pages now use a GOV.UK stripped-back style allowing residents to complete a task as quickly as possible.
- commercial services, like leisure centres and wedding venues, can now display large images and show off their facilities
- online forms have been redesigned, making them simpler and building in communication to keep users better informed of progress
- the new site needs much less maintenance, meaning the number of service staff keeping it up to date has been reduced from 180 to 88. This has allowed them to spend more time on delivering services and allowed the Dorsetforyou Digital Team to provide the very best training and support to the remainder
The new website went live in May 2018.
Impact
Testing shows the website revamp has really paid off. Users are completing common tasks and finding key information much more quickly since the relaunch.
And while some users struggled with certain aspects of the redesign, such as the decision to scrap the A to Z of services, customer feedback shows that the new site is working for residents in the main:
“Your site is excellent. Very easy to navigate. Thank you.”
“Well a pat on the back for the new site. I was able to select what I wanted and it all worked ?”
“Just to say thank you. I found it very easy to find and access your collection dates.”
“Web site much clearer and easier to follow. Thank you.”
Dorsetforyou Senior Content Designer Cassie Booth said:
“Rebuilding the website was a brilliant opportunity to have a fresh start and focus on what our users want. Our recent user testing shows that people are completing tasks more successfully, and 2 to 3 minutes quicker than they were before the rebuild.
A more effective website means fewer visits and phone calls from customers, which in turn saves the council money and helps to protect frontline services.”
Next steps
The new website puts us in a much better position to make the move to 2 unitary councils for Dorset. We are working with the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council team to transfer Christchurch content and there’s a new name on the way – dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Work continues to make sure the site search is as good as it can be.
