The Orb

1. The Orb The City of Edinburgh Council’s Intranet site Sally Kerr: Web and New Media Team

2. Council Web Content Management Project: • Begun 2003/4 • Hyperwave selected as cms • Wordmap provided taxonomy solution • Internet site delivered 2006 • Intranet site delivered 2008

3. Main drivers for overall Web Content Management Project: • Provide robust platform to become the main communication and business tool for the Council • Upgrade technology to meet web requirements • Review content structure and content to meet user needs • Conform with Government web standards including accessibility

4. Main objectives for overall Web Content Management Project: • Re-design and improve corporate sites • Provide consistent design and functionality • Establish new publishing and maintenance responsibilities and protocols • Provide one content management system - easier to use and avoids duplication of content • Put in place new management processes for web in the Council

5. Delivered with the new Internet site: • A new robust platform • New content layout (template based) • New user and group structure • LGCL for site structure, linked to IPSV • New editorial structure • Aim of ‘AA’ standard • Better content quality and management

6. Main reasons for the new Intranet site: • it was very difficult to find information through the structure or the search • the majority of content was out of date • there was a great deal of duplication (For example, the site contained fifteen different versions of the flexitime form) • the technology behind the old site needed replaced due to its age

13. What would the new Intranet deliver? • A new branding and design to attract users • A new structure with a strong corporate focus • An already established structure of editors and authors who could manage and develop content • A key internal communication tool for the Council: • Improving communication – across the Council, within departments, and divisional areas • Facilitating collaborative work for projects • Allowing staff to find what they need for their work quickly and easily • Providing the key source for Council strategies, policies and plans • Offering the ability to learn about Council initiatives, news and activities • Sharing relevant documents across the Council and reduce email use for this function • Becoming a knowledge base for the Council

14. Milestones for the Intranet project: • Final content development, audit and migration • Taxonomy – linking of site structure headings to IPSV • Site and system testing • Marketing of the site • Site roll out programme

15. Key issues and challenges for the project: • Ensuring content was current, and new content was developed for site launch • Last minute re-branding of the site • Marketing of the site identity to create a positive buzz for the site launch • Resolving system issues • Carrying out a phased roll out for the launch rather than a ‘big bang’ approach • Radical new site structure, centralising content in one place

28. How did we roll out these structural changes? • Conducted workshops with key editors • Produced guidelines on where to publish types of content • Conducted usability testing • Guidance on structure included in web publishing training • Responded to feedback – this is ongoing

29. Marketing activities • Pre launch – article in Staff magazine, fortnightly web newsletter, trailer week before, ‘how to’ guide, generic presentation for dept use, pre launch emails • Marketing already in place – default to Intranet homepage on all PCs • Post launch – series of road shows, statement of support from Chief Executive, emails to each department for roll out, emails encouraging publishing to Orb and changing perceptions, competition to improve early usage;

30. Testing and roll out • Performance testing • Roll out programme

31. What makes staff happy with their intranet? • What they didn’t want • Complex structure • Out Of Date Content • Content duplication • A lack of useful content

32. Background research • Better connected Intranets SOCITM report (2007) highlights: • Usability • Access • Useful content – directories, notice board, council papers • Top ten applications – phone directory, bulletin boards, HR applications, Job vacancies, Room Bookings, Catering, GIS, Committee info system, Leader’s monthly briefings, Employee discounts • Inter-active applications

33. SOCITM Top Ten • Phone directory – Global Address List (GAL) available to staff • Staff Bulletin Board – using YABB software • HR – system available through the Orb with relevant support and advice on the site • Job Vacancies – posted each week, will change to Scottish Recruitment Portal feed before Christmas • Room Bookings – Rendez vous system available to staff for bookings in multiple locations • Catering – menus for main Council locations and catering booking available • GIS – partially available with plans to develop further • Council Papers Online (CPOL) – available to staff and the public • Leader’s briefings – available monthly (‘Team Talk’) online plus homepage messages when appropriate • Staff Benefits – a wide range of discounts available to CEC staff online and through a quarterly publication • eFinance system (oracle) available

39. Factors that contributed to the success of the project: • Stakeholders for the 4 main areas of the site • Providing department homepages for depts to develop and manage themselves • Pre and Post site marketing using appropriate online tools and road-shows leading to successful buy-in from staff • The site’s name – the Orb – proved a positive influence at the launch as it was already accepted into the Council culture • Surprise factor – repeated testing for issues/performance produced a positive response from staff, not a negative one • New ideas - such as the Photo gallery - have proved successful

40. The next six months…

41. Any questions? Sally Kerr, Council Websites Manager 0131 529 4899sally.kerr@edinburgh.gov.uk