A Scottish Services List, Scottish Navigation List and Scottish A-Z are now available to download as the Scottish A-Z and Knowledge Base projects pushes forward.
The project, led by the Improvement Service's Customer First programme with lead authorities Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire, set out to build a framework for the development of a common A-Z of Scottish council and other public services, a user friendly Scottish navigation structure to help citizens find what they are looking for, and a Knowledge Base - a database of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and interactive forms. The products will be used by councils to help improve the way they interact with citizens across a range of channels, and to support broader organisational change.
The latest developments mean that the Scottish Services List (SSL) can be downloaded and personalised in esd-toolkit to reflect what each council delivers, and the Scottish Navigation List (SNL) is available to help build an accessible front end to a council's website. These lists are all linked to the mandated list IPSV (Integrated Public Sector Voluntary) so that councils can achieve compliance with minimum effort. A minimum A-Z that can be added to through consultation can also be downloaded.
Councils can also gain access to the Scottish Local Authorities FAQ database, which has just under 1,700 questions and answers. These are accessible from your own esd-toolkit pages (under local tree) to add to, browse, search and download as csv, html or xml schemas. The FAQ database consists of "core" generic FAQs that are designed to be used by council website users, i.e. citizens, as well as by contact centre staff. Local FAQs can be added to the core data set.
The products also include a forms collation tool, which enables you to view and add forms for consideration and compilation into a model of best practice. The best of these will be the basis for providing building blocks for e-Forms.
The first set will link to the 46 core electronic service delivery standards but there will be more.
Unlocking added value
Councils and public service are under no obligation to use all products available, but can mix and match. For example, Transport Scotland sees the lists supporting better travel information to customers. "As the travel information manager within Transport Scotland, I have a direct interest in wanting to see travel information occupy a more prominent position on local authority websites," explains Peter Cullen from Transport Scotland. "Often local authorities use such information to help direct people to their offices or leisure/community facilities, or perhaps suppliers of services who might be unfamiliar with the local area.
"As things stand, the location of information on travel and transport within local authority websites varies considerably. The web links to services such as Traveline Scotland/Traffic Scotland are often not easily accessible without an effort. This is a lost opportunity. Such information can make an important contribution to the delivery of wider government and local authority objectives in delivering efficient and high quality services to communities by keeping them well informed.
"Proportionately less car use and greater uptake of public transport journeys can deliver on the following policy objectives:
- improved air quality (less single occupancy cars on the road, less congestion);
- social inclusion (encouraging greater mobility);
- economic development (more productive use of travel time, reduced stress etc);
- community development;
- corporate social responsibility;
- sustainable development/climate change (reduced emissions);
- reduction in transport fatalities through the reduced risks associated with public transport.
"If the SSL and the SNL was widely adopted by all Scottish local authorities, this would help unlock this added value for better travel information. From the user's viewpoint, it could make it much easier to navigate these websites no matter what part of Scotland you come from, but still accommodate local variations. This is a chance to join up and unlock the value of information that has been paid for by the government."
Further information
For more information on any of the products mentioned in this article, please email Martin Brown or call 01506 775558.
