Net Improvement for State Government

How does a State Government department check that its web presence is performing?

A State Government department wished to ensure that its expenditure on online services was appropriately managed. This involved a review of the suitability of eGovernment service offerings, marketing strategies and an organisational structure review focusing on the potential to move to a shared services model.

SMS was engaged to review the department’s web services and offerings, as well as those of other governmental jurisdictions, to determine:

• appropriate government internet services for the State’s Community
• the most effective organisational structure to deliver these services
• marketing techniques to increase usage of these services
  

A three phase program comprising Discovery, Design and Development.

• Discovery - the review of existing key reports from the State and other Governments, synthesis of knowledge on customer needs, expectations and attitudes and a review of the department’s internet services delivery
• Design - market analysis, comparative analysis of Government practice and technology trends, identification of target services and mechanisms for customer uptake, and a costs benefits and risks study
• Development - produced recommendations for improvements to optimise web service delivery, and strategies to draw more customers to online services
  

SMS delivered to the State Government a report that provided a number of clear recommendations for the organisational and technical restructure necessary to position itself for future leadership in eGovernment.

SMS’s recommendations focussed on:

• a new and uniform State Government-wide vision of services access through the internet, the development of new types of e-services such as community consultation and education and the uptake of new technologies for service delivery
• a more strategic and co-ordinated organisational approach to internet service delivery
• improving State Government communications and marketing techniques
  

A blueprint for a strategic program of performance improvement and organisational change.

The SMS recommendations enabled the State Government department to identify and respond to its immediate and developing needs in delivery of eGovernment services.