Putting it all Together

1. Clustering Information & Services around Client Needs Putting it all Together Peter Oberle Office for Government On-line Treasury Board Secretariat Government of Canada (613) 952-7578 Oberle.Peter@TBS-SCT.GC.CA

2. Canadians are going on-line at a phenomenal rate... Canada U.S. Australia Europe* % PopulationOnline 48.2 43.0 38.0 26.0 Mean hours/ weekOnline 5.1 4.2 3.6 3.2 *Europe includes France, Germany and the UK Figures from the Pricewaterhouse Coopers Canadian Consumer Technology Study 2000

3. …and expect government to do the same Government and Internet 60% of Canadians who look for government information do so on the Internet 59% think the Internet is an effective way for Governments to communicate Sources: Ekos, Angus Reid

4. The government’s commitment “The Government will become a model user of information technology and the Internet. By 2004, our goal is to be known around the world as the government most connected to its citizens, with Canadians able to access all government information and services on-line at the time and place of their choosing.” Speech from the Throne Oct 12, 1999

5. Canadians have difficulty getting the services they need • 1 / 4 citizens do not know how to find government services • Of the rest, 1 / 2 experience access problems: • Telephone lines were busy • I got bounced from one person to another • I got conflicting information • Trouble with voice mail or answering system • I received incorrect information • No one took time to explain things • Parking was difficult • I couldn’t find it in the phone book • I didn’t know where to look • I had to travel too far *Erin Research 1998

6. Among Canadians’ priorities for improvement *Erin Research 1998

7. One-stop access on-line: where are we now? GoC Portal • links to 450 federal web sites • different sites independently offer information and services to common clients - as a consequence: • clients search through multiple sites to find what the GoC has to offer • the work to find & assemble information and services components falls to the client Department & Agency Sites

8. We need to cluster information & services around clients Government of Canada Portal Information& Service GroupingsPartnerships Clustering: bringing together relevant information and services across organizational boundaries into groupings that make sense to clients - one-stop electronic access. Department & Agency Sites

9. First step: how should information & services be clustered? Life Event? Client Group? Subject?

10.    Assessing the expectations of Canadians Focus Test 1 - The Organizing Principles, March 2000 • 25 focus groups, 5-7 persons per group • Moncton, Montreal, Toronto, Kelowna, Vancouver • Youth, Adults with & without Internet experience, Seniors, & Business Focus Test 2 - The Specific Clusters, May 2000 • 25 focus groups, 6-8 persons per group • Halifax, Quebec, London, Winnipeg, Calgary • Youth, Adults, Seniors, 2 x Business, half of whom tried to get Government service more than once in the past year Client-level Focus Testing - Cluster Content & Design • Cluster champions to test each cluster with specific clients

11.  Focus test 1: organizing principles Life Events Citizens Subjects • Test 1: Organizing Principles • Subjects are the primary organizing principle • Tested subject clusters work well for citizens • Some citizen clusters (I.e., who you are) are useful, • e.g., Seniors, Youth • Business representatives want a separate set of subjects

12.  Focus test 2 : specific clusters Subjects for non-Canadians Subjects for Canadians Subjects for Business • Test 2: Set of Clusters • Concept of International cluster included • Three cluster streams work well - minor labeling issues • Specific Citizen & Business clusters intuitive & obvious • International cluster not tested beyond this • Participants prefer some redundancy - some content • should appear in more than one cluster

13. GoC cluster blueprint Government of Canada Portal Business Canadians Non-Canadians Start-up Financing Taxation Regulations HR Others Jobs Health Taxes Youth Seniors Others Going to Canada Canada & the World Doing business with Canada Others

14. Different approaches to clustering ... Partners Develop Whole-of Group links Single WindowGovernment ... lead to different ends

15. Group links Characteristics • One-stop access to • information & services • Partnerships not required • Clients required to assemble the • components without guidance • Conflicts, gaps, duplication • Different look & functionality • behind the links

16. Partners develop Single Window Characteristics • One-stop access to • information & services • Partnerships required • Components assembled for • clients • Navigation, technology & content • guidance • Conflicts, gaps, duplications • resolved • Standard look & functionality • behind the links • Integration within the cluster

17. Whole of Government Characteristics • Full set of partnership sites • providing one-stop access • Sites add up to a client-centred • government • Common experience across sites • Navigation, technology & content • guidance across sites • Conflicts, gaps, duplications • resolved across sites • Standard metrics, service • standards, shared user support • Integration of common systems • & processes across clusters

18. Blueprint on-line in December 2000: what does it mean? • Simple, clean, quick-to-load • Focused on client needs & expectations • Multiple modes of access • clusters • department/agencies • search • alphabetical subjects • One click to: • 30+ clusters • most popular services • department & agencies sites • government contacts • FAQs / What’s New • GoC Features, Publications • available E-Services • Towards a whole-of-government system • coordinated user support • some family look and functionality • starting set of common metrics

19. Among the challenges • Partnerships • Individual brands • Accountability • Integration / rationalizing content & service delivery • Keeping focus on evolving & growing client expectations • Corporate Management of Clusters • Common metrics & standards • Family look • Creating content once • Similar functionality across single windows • Operations • Common communications strategy • Shared lessons / solutions