Learning from Better connected 2009: A blueprint for a new, strategic, approach to local government websites

Produced by: Socitm Insight

Type: Briefings

The context for local government on the web has changed. The recession, and the inevitable squeeze on public spending, means that all public sector organisations will struggle to meet future demand...

This 20pp executive briefing draws out the lessons from Better connected 2009, Socitm Insight's eleventh annual report on the state of development of local authority (and some other public sector) websites.

The briefing says that the recession, and the consequent pressure on council budgets, should be leading public services to focus heavily on service redesign and efficiency in delivery. For local services pursuing this objective, the council website is key because of its ability to enable self-service for citizens and businesses.

However, to follow this route successfully will require major changes in thinking, culture, and practice around council web governance, management and delivery. This briefing sets out Socitm Insight's blueprint for achieving this.The briefing also summarises the results from Better connected 2009 and sets out what it takes for a website to be considered 'useful, usable and used'.

Briefing contents

• About Better connected
• A new, strategic, approach to local government websites
• The Better connected blueprint for future website management
• How the Better connected survey is done
• Better connected 2009: highlights
• The top 20 most developed sites in 2009
• What is a 'useful' website?
• What is a 'usable' website?
• How well used are council websites?
• How good are other public sector websites?
• How Socitm can help you

Last modified: 19th January 2010