This section provides recommendations to enhance information websites with tools aimed at facilitating communication and interaction with citizens. This includes adopting enhanced functionalities and increasing usability of websites. Governments can also consider upgrading information website to transactional portals.
Effective Government Information Websites
Toolkit for Implementation
3. Upgrading informational portals
Abstract
This section provides further suggestions on functionalities that governments may consider for future upgrades, including the enhancement of the search tool and the increased usability of information websites through development of mobile-friendly versions. Governments could also consider the implementation of service delivery functionalities via transactional portals as a major step up of information websites.
Upgrades to enhance functionalities and usability
Advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence are providing increased opportunities to enhance information website, and in particular to strengthen the search function. Furthermore, governments need to ensure that access to information is available via the most effective channels of communication. Increasingly, citizens make use of portable devices such as mobile phones or tablets to access any kind of online information. Hence, governments could consider creating mobile-friendly websites as part of a strategy to increase usability.
Virtual assistants as natural evolution of search boxes
Finding
The natural evolution of search boxes (see Chapter 2, Structure and Use) are virtual assistants, commonly called chat-bots. These tools allow the end-user to perform a search by asking a question directly, rather than just typing in search terms. Furthermore, in the case of chat-bots, information about interactions that did not lead to visitor satisfaction can be used for supervised learning and improvement.
Recommendation
Develop a virtual assistance tool to improve the end-user experience on the information website. Ensure that virtual assistance tool incorporate advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to continuously improve search results.
Actions for implementation
1. Develop a chat box based on:
a. Decision trees, keyword recognition, or through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
b. The use of AI and ML foresees the processing of data starting from a list of “intents” of the visitor (it could be the search for information related to administrative procedures subsequent to a specific life event) and sets of potential questions and answers. The training of the chat box will lead it to be able to contextualise the visitor’s question and propose the appropriate answer.
2. Ensure that transparency and accountability mechanisms are taken into account given their critical importance to secure a trustworthy adoption of AI in the public sector. This includes taking into account the OECD’s Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence (OECD, 2022[1]) and the OECD’s Good Practice Principles for Data Ethics in the Public Sector (OECD, 2021[2]).
Good practice examples
Numerous portals allow a virtual assistant to be implemented without major technological and economic investments. The effectiveness of a chat-bot is directly dependent on the information available for its training. The information gathered in the search tool design phase (see subsection on ‘Search tool – User involvement for search tool design’) and from the analysis of searches (see subsection on ‘Use of help desk in combination with information website’ and ‘Analytics tools to strengthen information websites’) can therefore form the basis of know-how enabling the chat-bot to understand the intentions of the visitor and respond in a correct and relevant manner.
Development of a mobile friendly website
Finding
The use of portable devices such as smartphone and tablets is becoming ubiquitous and includes the search for information related to government services. The accessibility and usability of information websites would increase with mobile-friendly versions.
Recommendation
Launch a mobile version for government information websites or transactional portals to increase real access for government service users.
Actions for implementation
1. Consider the changes or quality controls necessary to transition from desktop to a mobile portal in order to make the navigation experience and accessibility friendlier for these devises.
2. Ensure a “mobile by design” website development using responsive layouts that use the same URL and the same code irrespective of the device from which the website is being accessed. Typically, a responsive layout website development is more cost- and time-effective compared to the creation of a dedicated mobile website.
Transactional service delivery portal
A potential evolution of information websites is the upgrade to a transactional service delivery portal. The key challenge when developing transactional websites is to ensure that they effectively can replace existing processes and/or interface with existing systems. They should be user-friendly and reliable. In fact, it is highly desirable to develop a strategy to ensure that procedures and formalities are as simple as possible before digitalisation. If governments fail to simplify processes before digitalising, the outcome may be the digitalisation of an already-existing bureaucratic system. Moreover, cumbersome administrative procedures may appear even more frustrating online, as citizens have no means to ask for in-person advice.
Often governments start with the creation of information website before embarking in the more complex task of setting up of a transactional portal. An incremental approach might bring the advantage of gathering learnings from the experience of implementing the information website prior to upgrading to an even more dynamic tool. Namely, service delivery functionalities can be added to the information website, gradually turning it into a transactional portal.
Upgrade to a transactional portal
Finding
An increasing number of countries have created transactional portals (or e-portals) whereby citizens can obtain information and receive several services, for example, perform business transactions, receive services such as renewal of driver’s licenses, apply for official documentation such as birth certificates, pay dues, fines, or taxes, or create different forms of business entities.
Recommendation
Consider implementing service delivery functionalities for certain processes, on a gradual basis. Ensure confidence in the portal and provide privacy to the users with respect to their confidential information and personal data.
Actions for implementation
1. Carefully consider which processes and service delivery functionalities can/should be introduced and piloted – based e.g. on the Methodology for Rapid Identification of Reform Priorities, and on existing or foreseen tools from competent authorities.
a) wrtal can be available in multiple versions, each of which customised via a single identifier and password to enable the user to meet his/her specific needs.
2. Ensure that the processing of personal data is carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations on protection of data and that end-users are duly informed on the measures taken in this regard (see Security of online government services).
Good practice examples
User-friendly identification of available online procedures
The ServiceOntario (Ontario, Canada) portal clearly lists the different categories of procedures. Those that can be performed online are visibly indicated (see Figure 3.1).
Figure 3.1. List of procedures that can be performed on the ServiceOntario website
Source: (ServiceOntario, 2022[3]).
Similarly, Luxembourg provides an integrated user-experience through its information website GUICHET.LU and its transactional version MYGUICHET.LU (both available in mobile version) (see Figure 3.2). The two sites serve as single entry point for citizens, businesses and migrants to access online public services with a recognisable brand for service delivery (OECD, 2022[4]).
Figure 3.2. Integrated user experience of information website and transactional portal in Luxembourg
Source: (Myguichet.lu, 2022[5]).
Service Delivery portals often apply customised access based on the typology of the user. This enables to improve the portal experience from an end-user’s perspective – this way end-users have access to information and services related specifically to their characteristics and needs.
In Alberta (Canada) a personal account for online procedures enables all citizens to perform administrative procedures online using a single identifier and password (see Figure 3.3).
Figure 3.3. Personal account for online procedures in Alberta
Source: (My Alberta Digital ID, 2022[6]).
Security of online government services
As Service Delivery portals involve processing of personal data of users, relevant platforms should ensure that necessary measures are taken to ensure that this is done in accordance with the relevant rules, and that end-users are duly informed on how their data are protected.
The portal Canada.ca provides extensive information on security of online government services, as well as relevant guidance in a dedicated webpage (see Figure 3.4).
Figure 3.4. Security of online government services on Canada.ca
Source: (Government of Canada, 2022[7]).
References
[7] Government of Canada (2022), Security of online government services, https://www.canada.ca/en/government/system/digital-government/online-security-privacy.html (accessed on 25 November 2022).
[6] My Alberta Digital ID (2022), MyAlberta Digital ID: A secure way to verify who you are online, https://account.alberta.ca/ (accessed on 25 November 2022).
[5] Myguichet.lu (2022), Myguichet.lu, https://guichet.public.lu/en/myguichet.html (accessed on 24 November 2022).
[4] OECD (2022), Digital Government Review of Luxembourg: Towards More Digital, Innovative and Inclusive Public Services, OECD Digital Government Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b623803d-en.
[1] OECD (2022), Recommendation of the Council on Artificial Intelligence, http://legalinstruments.oecd.org.
[2] OECD (2021), Good Practice Principles for Data Ethics in the Public Sector, https://www.oecd.org/gov/digital-government/good-practice-principles-for-data-ethics-in-the-public-sector.pdf (accessed on 25 November 2022).
[3] ServiceOntario (2022), Service Ontario, https://www.ontario.ca/page/serviceontario (accessed on 25 November 2022).