The e-envoy has shaken up the government's online services
to make them more user-friendly, accessible and
useful.
Directgov, a new service launched last week, brings together
information from across a series of government departments to
create "packaged information" targeted at specific groups.
The move builds on the concept of "life episodes", such as having a
baby or taxing a car, that were at the heart of the government's
first efforts to deliver online services through the UK Online
site.
"Despite initial interest in life episodes, take-up was low and
there has been difficulty attracting long-term interest," said
e-envoy Andrew Pinder.
The first three target groups for Directgov will be parents,
motorists and the disabled and their carers, with the information
pooled from various departments. A lead department will have the
franchise for all information on each life event.
The idea is to save users from having to navigate their way across
a series of sites, such as those of the Department for Education
and Skills or the Department of Work and Pensions.
Introducing the service, Pinder said, "This is a major step forward
in joining up online government services. Directgov addresses how
people use the internet and has been designed around the needs of
the consumer."
The government hopes the revamp will increase usage of the UK
Online portal, which currently attracts 800,000 regular users. At
the same time it will rationalise the UK Online and government
websites, of which there are now more than 2,500, and help to
overcome the problem of some sites carrying out-of-date or
inaccurate content.
Pinder indicated that there would be a strict management regime to
ensure that departments charged with leading the franchises make
updating the content a priority.