The Orb

The City of Edinburgh Council’s Intranet site

Sally Kerr: Web and New Media Team

• Council Web Content Management Project:

– Begun 2003/4

– Hyperwave selected as cms

– Wordmap provided taxonomy solution

– Internet site delivered 2006

– Intranet site delivered 2008

Main drivers for overall Web Content ManagementProject:

• 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

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

• 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

• 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• the majority of content was out of date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

• 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

• 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

• 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

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

• 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;

• Testing and roll out

– Performance testing– Roll out programme

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• The next six months…

• Any questions?

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