This chapter addresses the main elements to be considered when implementing effective government information websites. It starts by providing insights into how to upgrade and improve the homepage and the search tool. It also focuses on practices to engage users in improving the website, the quality of its contents, and the service delivery. Finally, it presents useful information to implement a continuous improvement strategy.
Effective Government Information Websites
Toolkit for Implementation
2. Building blocks for effective information websites
Abstract
Structure and use
Information websites are used by citizens to gather information on administrative processes, which can be complex at times. It is therefore essential to keep the website simple and easy to understand and navigate. The structure of the information website, the choice of design for the homepage and the robustness of the search tool can ensure that the user experience is smooth.
Homepage – Visually pleasant, comprehensive and easy-to understand
Finding
The homepage is a critical part of the information website. A complicated homepage with information overload can overwhelm a user and deter future use. Moreover, information needs to be standardised for the purposes of effectively feeding the website from different parts of the public administration.
Recommendation
The platform should have a homepage that is visually pleasant and easy-to-understand to enable all users to find the necessary information. It should include a search tool and a clear categorisation of information available. The structure of the information, i.e. the main categories proposed for quick/direct access, should correspond to situations/issues that are the most frequent or prominent for citizens’ concerns and questions. These priorities should be defined based on available data and citizen/business consultations.
Actions for implementation
1. Design a user-friendly homepage enabling the user to get a quick overview of the information available, through:
a) A well-presented list of key areas the platform can provide information on.
b) A set of visual icons corresponding to the category of procedure/service to facilitate the identification of the appropriate service or information.
c) A categorisation of processes/services for ease of navigation. When clicking on the category, the user is taken to a new webpage presenting, in a similar way, the services offered within that category and enabling the user to find the information relevant to their situation.
d) An easy approach to the website’s structure. This is indispensable to help users find easily what they need, avoid discouragement at excessive complexity or irrelevant information, and ensure that the portal rapidly gains in popularity and use.
e) Use of life event categorisation or similar relevant categorisation. For example, “people with disabilities”, “child and housing allowance”, “health file” “medical care and hospitalisation” can be ordered within a broader “health and welfare” category. The ability to browse for services using a life-event categorisation has recently been adopted by the Greek portal for online digital services (GOV.GR, 2022[1]) and is also part of the YourEu portal (YourEurope, 2022[2]) and the French public service portal (ServicePublic, 2022[3]).
2. Specific rules to present the structure of the information provided by all actors involved in the website should be drafted. All the information should be drafted according to communication standards and avoid technical language when possible (use of citizen language). Concretely, this entails the following:
a) Guidelines to produce contents should be drafted before the information is released.
b) An oversight actor or body should review the adherence to the language guidelines and propose changes when needed.
3. The search function should be clearly presented to the user in the homepage (see Search tool – User-friendliness and effectiveness section for detailed explanations on the recommended design and gradual development of the search function). If possible, the search function can offer suggestions while typing, to help the user with formulating the request during the search. Suggestions while typing could correspond to keywords or to titles of specific pages or documents. The suggestions could correspond both to content pages, e.g. fact sheets or webpages, and to online services, if available. The search function is particularly critical, as it is often the main tool applied by users to navigate the portal.
4. Users should be able to easily identify contact details and opening hours of the administrative service locally responsible for a certain type of administrative process. The use of a geo‑localisation function as used by the French national platform (see section on Finding the competent authority) can be added to help users locate administrative services responsible for administrative processes at local level.
5. The homepage should be designed in a way that it allows citizen users to look for information on processes in languages other than the national language spoken in the country (see section on Multi-language information). This would ensure that foreign nationals and businesses, or minority-language speakers residing in the country, are not disadvantaged and can find relevant information when needed – to promote integration, investment, business creation, and public trust.
a) Additional languages shall be selected based on research (e.g. census) of the language communities present in the country, as well as the latest immigration and transnational investment trends.
b) To ensure that public resources are spent efficiently, only certain parts of the website could be translated based on the target audience. For instance, critical procedures for foreign residents include dealing with immigration & residency, driving licenses, car registration, etc. The wide availability and good performance of automatic translation models1 and tools for assisting the manual curation of machine translations, guarantee fast cycle of translation to other languages.
Good practice examples
User-friendly presentation of the homepage
The way a governmental information platform is designed should take into consideration the need to ensure that end-users understand its purpose and content, and can make use of it swiftly and easily. It is essential that the homepage presents information in a clear and concise manner. The opening pages from the information websites of the US (usa.gov), France (service-public.fr) and the UK (gov.uk) showcase different approaches to ensure a user-friendly presentation.
The US portal uses a terminology that is easy to understand. It clearly links to a short and clear description of what users “can do on this site”. It can also be displayed in Spanish (Figure 2.1).
Figure 2.1. Snapshot of the national information portal deployed by the United States
Source: (USA.gov, 2022[4]).
The French portal uses life-event categorisation to guide users to relevant administrative procedures. These are displayed with visual icons (Figure 2.2). In addition, it includes several tabs that facilitate the navigation, including a “How to?” section, thematic fiches, and a section on procedures and tools. The portal serves primarily as an information website, but also has transactional functions for selected, simple procedures.
Figure 2.2. Snapshot of the national information portal deployed in France
Source: (ServicePublic, 2022[5]).
The homepage of the GOV.UK information website gives a concise description of its purpose (“the best place to find government services and information”) and provides suggestions on popular themes, in addition to featuring a prominent search function (see Figure 2.3).
Figure 2.3. Snapshot of the GOV.UK homepage
Source: (GOV.UK, 2022[6]).
Search function from the end-user perspective
An effective search tool is one that makes it possible for end-users to find the information they are looking for in an easy and straightforward way. Typically, the search tool will improve over time, as the search engine is gradually “trained”. However, this should be seen as a key priority for the platform’s development. One way to improve the training process is through the use of “guiding phrases”. The search box can guide the user by having an opening phrase such as “how can I”. This is useful because it can help engage the user with the search tool and from a technical perspective, collect requests in a homogenous fashion. Some examples of this function are:
“How can I enrol my child in kindergarten?”
“How can I transfer my residence?”
Box 2.1 provides the functions of the search tools in the French and British national websites.
Box 2.1. The search function from the end-user perspective
The examples below show how relevant search tools work in the French Public administration platform (ServicePublic, 2022[5]) and in the British one (GOV.UK, 2022[7]) from a citizen’s or end-user’s perspective.
French platform
The user can select the type of end-user (citizen, professional or association).
When typing the information sought in the search tool, suggestions are automatically proposed based on the keywords entered.
Suggestions are divided into fact sheets, online services and websites. Based on the selection made by the end-user, the platform may direct the user to a different website.
If the user prefers not to use the search tool, groups of easily understandable services illustrated by a simple icon, are also displayed on the homepage.
UK platform
The search function in GOV.UK is structured in a similar way
Users can insert a word describing the administrative process/public service they are looking for in the search tool.
There is also a list of categories of processes or services. When clicking on one category, a series of options (ordered alphabetically) open up in a new webpage.
Source: (ServicePublic, 2022[5]), (GOV.UK, 2022[7]).
Finding the competent authority
Citizens frequently need to have the possibility to contact the administration competent for a certain procedure, either to ask questions and get the assistance they need, or to take an appointment (e.g. for a procedure that has to be done in person).
The French Public Administration platform:
displays email contact details related to the different procedures/services
displays telephone numbers of relevant actors
has a section of most frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help users navigate the portal.
Some information websites directly provide information on the closest contact points to the citizen.
The French Public Administration platform has a functionality that allows geo-localising available services in the administration directory. This allows citizens to directly find the contact details of services close to them (ServicePublic, 2022[8]) (ServicePublic, 2022[9]).
Multi-language information
Having information in multiple languages, and making them easy to find (e.g. accessible from the homepage or at least from a section’s main page) can be beneficial to those citizens who are not nationals of the country they reside in, or belong to linguistic minorities.
Figure 2.4 shows an example drawn from the regional website of the public administration in Tuscany (Italy) that can serve as an example of what a multilingual information administrative services webpage can look like.
Figure 2.4. Multilingual informative sheets
Source: (Regione Toscana, 2022[10]).
Similarly, Luxembourg’s information website Guichet.lu also provides information in multiple languages (English, German and French), reflecting the multi-linguistic population and the high influx of workers from different nationalities (Figure 2.5).
Figure 2.5. Languages available in the Luxembourg’s information website Guichet.lu
Source: (Guichet.lu, 2022[11]).
Search tool – User-friendliness and effectiveness
Finding
A search tool is computer software used to search (probe) for data (such as a text or a set of documents) in the pursuit to acquire specific information or processes. In the case of a government information website on administrative procedures, the search tool should look through the platform’s contents to find information that is relevant, considering the terms entered by the user. The key challenge is to yield search results with not just pages or documents that contain the terms in question, but those that are specifically relevant for the user.
Having a user-friendly and effective search tool will contribute to better understanding and use of public services. Consequently, an enhanced system will provide transparency and generate greater trust between citizens and authorities.
Recommendation
While developing the search tool, it should be kept in mind that the purpose is to facilitate the end-user and provide him/her with the necessary information in an easy and user-friendly manner. Hence, the software of the tool should be designed accordingly, namely in a way that user queries find relevant information.
Actions for implementation
1. Information websites should contain a proper document management system to handle the information it will hold, and this provides an ideal avenue for improvement of the search function. Indeed, for each “document” (be it an actual “document” or a webpage), the document management system should enable to record a series of key words, which then enable the search function to link this document with the terms searched. This functionality can be gradually developed, but it needs to be a core objective from the beginning.
2. Improvements of the search function will require regular analysis of most frequent searches, and of user satisfaction (which the platform should collect feedback about), and successive navigation from the initial result (see Box 2.2). It is also recommended that citizens / end-users be involved, directly through consultation, to provide input into what they typically search for and how, and on the effectiveness of the search tool. The purpose remains for this tool to be beneficial to the largest number of potential users.
3. When developing a search tool, it is essential to consider the perspective, the need and the envisaged results of the end-user. When designing the search tool and populating its analytics and algorithms, it is essential to remember that the target audience is the end-user, and in that spirit, the end-users’ needs should be met, which may differ from the need of the developer of the tool or administrator of the information provided in the tool. The latter generally has more expertise in the domain. Consequently, there may be a disconnect between “how” searches are performed by non-experts, compared to public administration officials, and this is why non-expert input is essential.
4. When a user is looking for information on an administrative procedure, a simple text search may not present the desired output or result. One reason for this could be not knowing the exact search term, i.e. the name of the procedure.
a) One way to fix this is to have a comprehensive autocomplete list, which can produce “hits” based on analytics and algorithms from previous searches.
b) Another option could be to lead the user to an advanced search or giving the user an option to enter the process ID of the desired procedure.
Good practice examples
The Greek national platform currently employs the latter two methods to enable searches (see Box 2.2).
Box 2.2. Search function of the Greek Registry
Step 1: The user is looking for “Επιχείρηση” (Business), but the autocomplete works until “Επιχ” since it matches a procedure on “Επιχορήγηση…” (subsidy). See Figure 2.6.
Figure 2.6. Autocomplete functionality of the search function of the Greek registry
Step 2: However, there is an option to advance search for results that contain (περιέχει…) the query term, as shown below. See Figure 2.7.
Figure 2.7. Advance searching functionality of the Greek registry
Step 3: In the retrieved results, the search term does not appear in the title of the procedure. In fact, the user does not need to type in the precise wording or search term to retrieve relevant results. See Figure 2.8.
Figure 2.8. Preliminary results of the searching function of the Greek registry
Step 4: Some of the results have similar stems in the title. If a user were to click on the first link the search term appears several times within the page. See Figure 2.9.
Figure 2.9. Visual support of the searching function of the Greek registry
Note: The website layout for the Greek and English versions may slightly vary.
Users can also search using the procedure ID. See Figure 2.10.
Figure 2.10. ID procedure of the searching function of the Greek registry
Source: (GOV.GR, 2022[14]).
Search tool – User involvement for search tool design
Finding
Effective tools are designed with the end-user in mind. However, too often, search tools are based on the internal organisation’s needs, terminology, and acronyms, which may not be clear for end-users. Good practices across the world suggest that effectiveness of a search tool requires a simplified process and focus for the end-user.
Recommendation
Involve citizens and end-users early in the design phase. This step is critical to ensure that the software is capable of deciphering human queries and input effectively, including using appropriate language.
Actions for implementation
1. In order to determine the formulations mostly used by end-users when seeking services from the government administration, it is recommended to conduct a survey amongst citizens and other end-users. This step will clarify the terminology used by citizens and will make clear where and how the general public differs from public officials in how they refer to different procedures, life events, etc.
2. In order to conduct a survey or focus groups that are reliable, and representative of the citizens, they will need to be performed using a methodology which will consider the appropriate criteria.
a) For example, it will be necessary to determine the characteristics of the sample, the number of citizens to be polled/involved, to ensure that it is representative of society, considering elements such as gender, age group, location.
b) It is important to address the issue of the responsible body of the survey and/or focus groups, meaning who will be responsible for conducting the survey, how will the survey be performed (in-person/phone interview/ online questionnaire/ written questionnaire other social media outlets), who will have access to the data compiled, who will analyse and report on the data.
c) If, before the introduction of the tool, the citizen's search for information was done in person at public offices or governmental service counters or by phone, one could take advantage of this contact to interview the citizens and/or the public officials in order to recognise the terminology used when the citizen requests the information.
3. Digital solutions can be implemented within the information websites in order to obtain information about users’ experience.
Good practice examples
To support user involvement, governments can engage in extensive public consultations that take into account user-centred design research. For instance, the government of Australia adopted an extensive public consultation process on the future of employment services in the wake of digitalisation and changes in the labour market. This involved consultations over 23 roundtables and community forums, as well as user-centred design research involving 550 people, among other practices (Welby and Hui Yan Tan, 2022[15]).
The region of Tuscany in Italy has put in place an information website that is structured in a simple way that allows for easy identification of relevant contents. It also makes use of plain language instead of applying the jargon of the public administration (see Box 2.3).
Box 2.3. Simple language and user-friendly identification of contents in Tuscany
The search tool should enable citizens to perform research and look for information about procedures and/or services on a web platform in an easy, understandable, and straightforward way. The example of the regional website of the public administration in Tuscany (Italy) shows some ideas about the structure and language used for end-users to navigate the platform. The search tool presents a list of key areas that, if clicked on, open a further menu presenting the different procedures within that category and enabling the identification of a given procedure.
Here the user can decide to look for procedures related to “entry routes and stay” and “life events”. This more practical way of approaching the topics can be of particular help to individuals who are not very familiar with the language or with administrative procedures.
The Italian national information portal categorises functions into life events. It is possible to choose the status of the end-user: non-EU or stateless, new EU member states national, or EU citizen (general case). After selecting for example, the “non-EU citizen” category, the platform shows a list of different types of life events that might be of interest to the end-user, including work, open a company, have a family, stay in Italy for a long period, study, get economic aids etc.
The language that is used is relatively simple and very different from typical public administration jargon that could represent an obstacle for end-users of the platform. When clicking on the categories if the end-user is interested in a new ‘menu’ containing a more specific list of information, he/ she gets an overview of the processes contained in the new menu. For instance, the option (life event), “have a family” opens up more specific related processes: family reunification, children, spouse, parents etc. This way, the end-user can easily find in an intuitive fashion the procedure he/she is interested in and identify the relevant information.
Source: (Regione Toscana, 2022[16]).
Search tool – Full-text search functionalities
Finding
For a website that collects information on processes and documents, it is necessary to have a valid tool for full-text searching, both on the pages of the site and within the documents themselves (e.g. pdf). Essentially, information websites need to contain an indexing engine that allows searches within attachments, and the management of metadata profiles for each document.
Recommendation
Adopt a platform that allows for search of webpages and within documents (in various formats such as pdf, doc, etc.), both by content / thematic categorisation and by associated metadata.
Actions for Implementation
It is recommended to choose a software platform that can provide this support (i.e. search of pages and documents by content and associated metadata).
1. Potential software solutions include e.g. Alfresco or Documentum (see Box 2.4).
2. Document software using powerful engines for indexing and searching content also include Apache Solr and Elasticsearch which quickly return pages (including service pages, procedures and other informational pages) that contain the search terms, with partial (stem) or full matching
3. There are also practical and effective cloud solutions, such as Amazon CloudSearch and Microsoft Azure Search.
Good practice examples
Several software solutions offer ways to conduct effective searches within documents (see Box 2.4).
Box 2.4. Software solutions for effective document searches
Several aspects can characterise documents by associating sets of metadata corresponding to different domains such as author information, geo-referencing information, photographic characteristics (such as exposure time and aperture), etc.
It is possible to define aspects with customised metadata, which indexing tools can understand and use to improve search efficiency. Software available for this purpose is extensive and several options provide quality results. For example, some software options use powerful engines for indexing and searching content. Practical and effective cloud solutions can also be considered.
One or more customised aspects to be applied to the documents should be studied and implemented, in order to optimise them for indexing and search engines. For instance, metadata describing the type (e.g., “self-declaration” or “registration code”) and scope (e.g., “work”, “social assistance”, “family”), etc. could be included.
Usually, this type of tool also allows the management of versioning, allowing one to keep an eye on changes from one version to another of the same document.
Source: (Alfresco, 2022[17]).
Use of help desk in combination with information website
Finding
When a citizen / end-user cannot find or interpret or understand the information on the website, they often resort to contacting the telephone helpdesk. When an end-user contacts the administrative body to seek clarification or assistance, this is an opportunity for the administrative body to explore the potential difficulties in the search tool. This opportunity will allow the government body to ascertain the terminology used by the end-user when formulating the request and as such will allow the government body to evaluate the reasons the search was unsuccessful or non-efficient. As the platform improves, based on the feedback from citizens, the help desk/ line will notice a reduction in calls seeking assistance.
Recommendation
Implement a help desk (phone and chat) to help citizens find information on the platform. Use the feedback from the help desk to improve the information website, including the search function.
Actions for implementation
1. In order to provide the necessary assistance and be able to collect the data to continue improving the tool, choose a help-desk tool capable of collecting data and producing statistical analysis.
2. Carefully define the organisation of the help desk needed to support the use of the information portal. For example, consideration should be given to the potential capacity of units with respect to telephone lines, operators, call agents, data protection and the use of data to improve the platform.
Analytics tools to strengthen information websites
Finding
By using web analytics tools, it is possible to trace the navigation flow of visitors, and to identify the paths that lead to the information requested. This information can also be used to study the difficulties and “failure points” of navigation through the site content. Finally, analytics can provide valuable insights about the various platform components (MediaWiki, API, Feedback forms) and their usability, and can also provide a continuous reporting on the progress of the population of the information portal and the update of its contents.
Recommendation
Adopt web analytics tools to better understand trends and developments in visitor navigation.
Actions for implementation
It is recommended to conduct a thorough review in order to select the most appropriate web analytics tool. Although there are several alternatives, they should be compliant with privacy and data protection regulations. The main objective remains the importance of creating reports and analysing the results periodically by a search engine optimisation (SEO) expert.
Further engagement, outreach, and assistance
While numerous jurisdictions have already taken a lead in digitisation of government services with the objective to facilitate and benefit their citizens, communicating these strategies and changes is essential in order to achieve the results sought. It is recommended to take steps to promote the use and ensure confidence in the information platform. By continually engaging users to improve the platform, the quality, and the service delivery through different means such as stakeholder meetings, assessments, evaluation forms or feedback etc., users will be more confident in using these services.
Prior to launch engagement
Finding
For the information platform to be successful and for the citizens to feel that the platform was created with them in mind, and so they can perform the necessary searches successfully, citizens should be engaged in the overall process (in addition/complementarily to the design of the search tool – see Search tool – User involvement for search tool design above).
Recommendation
Promoting the engagement with different stakeholders for the testing of the platform before being launched can ensure its accountability and promote different interests in the development of the platform.
Actions for implementation
If feasible, it may be useful to create partnerships with national and local administrations, business and target group associations, non-governmental organisations, academic institutions to conduct testing for several purposes: a) verify the correctness of information and b) improve end-user experience over time.
Communication strategy throughout the process
Finding
A communication strategy is essential to ensure that end-users are aware of the existence of the platform, its objectives and how it can be used. This includes updated information on any changes related to the platform and administrative processes (e.g. simplification of a process, changes in supporting documents, etc.) The communication strategy takes place via a variety of tools (e.g. an electronic newsletter and bulletins alongside social media outlets) set up to enable citizens to be up to date with any administrative change and contribute to an increase in public trust.
Recommendation
Effectively communicating to users (e.g. through newsletters, bulletins and easily available information) to allow users to engage with the information portal and ensure confidence. See relevant best practice in Box 2.5.
Actions for implementation
1. Design an outreach campaign(s) aimed at informing the public and target groups about the existence, purpose, and utilisation of the information platform.
2. Use a variety of tools (e.g. an electronic newsletter and bulletins alongside a Facebook webpage – or other social media outlets) to enable citizens to be up to date with any administrative change and contribute to an increase in public trust.
Good practice examples
Several platforms make use of various communication channels to keep users updated (see Box 2.5).
Box 2.5. Information and communication
The UK platform GOV.UK offers users the possibility to get emails about updates on specific topics (e.g. money, children, or education), webpages (e.g. news about certain departments, agencies), foreign travel advice webpages as well as news and communication.
Both the UK and the French websites have a Facebook page information presenting the latest developments and procedures in an easily understandable and graphically appealing way.
Features to assist users
Finding
International practices suggest that government information websites do not only inform users, citizens and businesses about the services rendered, but also assist them in the administrative procedures and practical information in a simple, user-friendly manner.
Recommendation
Information websites should include features that facilitate assistance to end-users.
Actions for implementation
1. Including a Contact Us feature. This should be up-to-date and should provide a source of reassurance to the citizen that they can be assisted in the search for information.
2. Providing a list of most frequently asked questions (FAQs) to enable a better understanding of the platform’s functioning and services. This could be set up in cooperation with the different national bodies contributing to the platform.
3. Setting up a call centre, a chat assistant, an email service (with service delivery targets) where users can directly contact the administration if they encounter any difficulty during the process. See in particular the finding “Use of help desk in combination with information website” above.
Continuous improvement of the information website
Effective government information websites need to be conceived as dynamic tools if they are to provide value for citizens over time. This entails considerations of continuous improvement and gradual updates.
Assessment for continuous and gradual upgrade
Finding
International experience shows that good practice websites are the result of years of continuous improvement and gradual upgrade of relevant tools and functionalities, based on the objectives of the platform (i.e. websites are not an objective per se, but tools to achieve regulatory goals). No platform was born perfectly-fit-for-purpose. Improvements implemented are based on technological advancements, but also on the input received from different stakeholders and target groups.
Recommendation
Periodically assess the need for improvements and upgrades, based on technical advancements, feedback from citizens, end-users and stakeholders, and objectives underlying the implementation of the information portal. Improving and updating the information platform to a successful intake of citizens and end-users.
Actions for implementation
1. Regularly assess the performance of the information portal based in particular on the following:
a. See findings from the sections Use of help desk in combination with information website and Analytics tools to strengthen information websites.
b. Indicators such as satisfaction of end-users and stakeholders, time spent in understanding how to undergo administrative procedures, number of visits, etc.
c. Speed and quality of the tools and technologies used
d. Research of new and alternative solutions
2. Based on the assessment, consider improvements based in particular on the below. Furthermore, an agile approach can contribute to continuous learning and improvement (OECD, 2020[18]).
a. Benchmarking against international good practice
b. Expert advice
c. Input from end-users and other stakeholders (i.e. continually engaging users to improve the platform and the quality of the platform so as to ensure that the use of the platform has attained its main goal) – through different means such as stakeholder meetings, assessments, evaluation forms, surveys, emails and feedback links.
d. Cost-benefit analysis of possible upgrades.
Good practice examples
Box 2.6. Recipes for success can take time: service-public.fr – evolution over time
The French experience shows that by implementing a continuous improvement process the Service-Public.fr website has been able to efficiently meet the needs of the citizens. The strategy was based on the improvement of functionalities and tools (in particular the search function), feedback from end users and information collected for the purpose to gradually upgrade the design and use of the platform.
The brief history below shows that the use of the platform has been increasing along with substantial improvements implemented.
2000: launch of https://www.service-public.fr/.
2004: 26.4 million visits. 91 000 subscribers to the electronic newsletter.
2007: redesign of the “space for professionals”.
2012: 143.5 million visits. Public site of the year award.
2014: launch of the simplification project aimed at merging the four existing sites (service-public, mon-service-public, mon-compte-pro and mon-compte-asso) with the takeover by the Directorate of Legal and Administrative information (DILA) of the mon‑service-public.fr site and the online procedures for the public operated by the Directorate General for State Modernization (DGME).
2015: launch of a new version of Service-public.fr (new ergonomics and technical architecture, new graphics, editorial changes): the site reaches 285.5 million visits, 25% of which through mobile.
2016: launch of the new merged* service-public.fr site based on the online services platform (PSL), which replaces the DGME's MDEL platform (Mes démarches en ligne).
2018: deployment of new online services, including electoral list registration.
2019: Service-public.fr exceeds 300 million visits.
2020: Service-public celebrates its 20th anniversary and records more than 350 million visits by the end of October 2020.
Source: (ServicePublic, 2022[5]).
Box 2.7. Feedback and improvement
Involving end-users in the improvement of the portal is crucial to allow governments to assess the quality of the platform and ensure that it achieves its intended goal(s).
The French Administrative services platform Service Public + shows that citizens can be encouraged to the following:
contributing to the improvement of the services (e.g. providing feedback about their experience, positive or negative, and being informed on other users’ experience)
indicating administrative documents that are too complicated (through the platform citizens etc. can send the document and explain why it is difficult to understand)
checking the quality outcomes of citizen-facing public services (via online surveys aimed at enhancing the transparency on the efficiency and quality of public services).
The British Public Administration platform makes it possible to users to contact the GOV.UK team (Figure 2.11) to:
ask a question
report a problem
suggest an improvement
Further details are then asked to the end-user who can describe the situation in an online form. The user can also ask the administration to get back to him/her by leaving the email address.
Figure 2.11. Form for issues to do with the GOV.UK website
Source: https://www.gov.uk/contact/govuk.
The Greek Registry has also integrated the ability of its users (public administration employees and citizens) to provide feedback on the registered services (see Figure 2.12). A feedback form is available on every service and allows users to provide feedback (optionally sharing their contact details) on issues related to the metadata of the services, or suggestions on improvements or simplification of the service. They can also provide suggestions and report issues about the platform itself.
Figure 2.12. Form to provide feedback to the Greek public services website
References
[17] Alfresco (2022), Content Model Extention Point, https://docs.alfresco.com/content-services/latest/develop/repo-ext-points/content-model/.
[14] GOV.GR (2022), Βρείτε τη δημόσια υπηρεσία που θέλετε εύκολα και γρήγορα, https://www.gov.gr/.
[1] GOV.GR (2022), Βρείτε τη δημόσια υπηρεσία που θέλετε εύκολα και γρήγορα, https://www.gov.gr/.
[6] GOV.UK (2022), GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/ (accessed on 24 November 2022).
[7] GOV.UK (2022), The best place to find government services and information, Simpler, clearer, faster, https://www.gov.uk/.
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Note
← 1. Examples for machine translation include FastText, i.e. a machine translation model for translating from English and is already available in many languages. BERT is another tool which can provide with prediction support. Though it does not translate text, it can predict the next word based on the context of the previous text.