The Canada SiteBringing it TogetherThe Canadian Way

January 2003

The Formative Years1995-1999

The Government of Canada’s first official Web presence– a central access point to a variety of Government web sites

featuring programs and service information– facts and fun quizzes about Canada and its government– focused on being a content driven site

Continued evolution always a priorityLinks to new government sites grew exponentially as did the number of sites that linked to the Canada Site as the common point of accessDirect interaction with the public and learning from their feedback

A Reliable Site1995-1999

Information organized by:– subjects – programs and services– About Canada– About Government– departments– directories

Service - User Support– e-mail is answered– toll-free support

available on the site in 1998

The Government’sCommitment

“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 ThroneOctober 12, 1999

The New MillenniumA Focus on Citizens

Government On-line Initiative (1999)– Speech from the Throne – commitment for on-line service delivery (inter-

jurisdictional)Service Canada Initiative (1999)– introduction of service and channel integration (channel

of choice) using existing services (Canada Site, 1 800 O-Canada) and establishing in-person access centres

Service Improvement Initiative (2000)– policy on quality and standards for service delivery

¼ citizens did not know how to find government servicesOf the rest, ½ experienced various access problems:

*Erin Research 1998

Users couldn’t get the services they needed

– Telephone lines were busy– I got bounced from one person to another – I got conflicting information – Trouble with voice mail or answering systems – 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

Through ongoing public opinion research, Canadians tell us how they like our services and make suggestions for improvements.

What Canadians Want

Canadians want:

Easy choicesEasy access to informationEasy access to servicesEasy means to provide input

Common Look & FeelJune 2000 Version

First full implementation of Common Look & Feel

Features:– common navigation

elements• button placement,

terminology, colours

– new search engine– on-line brochures/surveys– featured announcements

Common Look & FeelJune 2000 Version

New feature: Advanced search capabilities

Able to search Canada Site and all other Government of Canada sitesSearch Help featuresLink to other Government of Canada search engines

Common Look & FeelJune 2000 Version

New feature: On-line brochures and services

Programs and services organized by topics (InfoCentre)Publications available by DepartmentAccess to Government of Canada forms

Client-Centred Service Delivery

Client-centred service delivery is the core principle guiding the development of the Government of Canada’s service delivery strategy.

This means bringing together information and services across organizational boundaries into groupings that make sense to clients.

The Canada SiteThe Canada Site

Department & Agency SitesDepartment & Agency Sites

Clustering information and services around clients

Clustering: bringing together relevant information and services across organizational boundaries into groupings that make sense to clients - one-stop electronic access

How should information & services be clustered?

Life Event? Client Group? Subject?

First Step

Business Canadians Non-Canadians

Cluster Blueprint

Start-upFinancingTaxationRegulationsHROthers

The Canada SiteThe Canada Site

JobsHealthTaxesYouthSeniorsOthers

Going to Canada

Canada & the World

Doing business with Canada

Others

Government On-lineJanuary 2001 Version

First official GOL version of the Canada SiteIncorporated citizen feedback from the Cluster Blueprint

Government On-lineJanuary 2001 Version

New features:Customization – Users can create pages of favourite links listed by sectionGateways and Clusters – Three gateways:

– Canadians– Non-Canadians– Canadian Business

Enhanced Features:E-Services and FormsNew toll free service for navigation and technical help“How do I” section

Success Factors

Keep it simple

Keep it Canadian

Keep it non- partisan

Canada Site Main Page

Harmonization with Services for Canadians

Consistent navigation bar

Multiple ways to find information (based on qualitative research results):

– subject– audience– department– A to Z Index– search engine

The Citizens’ Perspective March 2002 Version

Canada Site Main Page (continued)

Reordered list of gateways

Reference to “services” rather than “gateways”

Simplified text and description

Short survey

Accessibility features

The Citizens’ Perspective March 2002 Version

New feature: Enhanced e-formsand services

User has a choice of how to find e-forms and services; E-forms organized by subject, audience and alphabeticallyE-services include subscription/e-mail notificationNew Quick Links Search feature allows user to enter a keyword or phrase and return results specific to the E-Forms and Services section of the Canada Site

The Citizens’ Perspective March 2002 Version

New features: Quick TipsEmpowering users by providing knowledge to gain more from their web experienceTeaching users how to make the best use of the Canada Site and the built-in features of their browserKeyboard shortcuts (browser specific & as per availability)A very first, tiny step in our work to begin to bridge the “digital literacy” divide

The Citizens’ Perspective March 2002 Version

New feature: E-mail notificationAllows users to choose sections of the Canada Site that are of interest to them, and receive updates via e-mail when new links are added to these sectionsUsers can add, remove or modify their choices at any timeUsers can choose to unsubscribe at any time

The Citizens’ Perspective March 2002 Version

On-line Publications 2002 and Beyond

New feature: GoC PublicationsComprehensive database of all GOC publications– free and priced– print, electronic, and alternate

formatDevelopment of common shopping cart

On-line Consultation/ E-Democracy

2002 and BeyondGrowing expectation for on-line consultation in GovernmentThe Canada Site will be a central portal for citizens to voice their opinions once on-line consultation is accepted in Government

Secure Channel2002 and Beyond

E-pass– obtain unique electronic

credential - permitting you to access on line government programs and services that require enhanced security measures, including secure electronic signatures

– check or change your home address, your mailing address, and your phone number(s) online

New Technologies-Innovation 2002 and Beyond

Drivers for the future– Wireless

– GoC Wireless Portal– distinct and specific needs– key services and

information– 3G– Voice/IP

Challenges2002 and Beyond

Understanding and meeting public expectations (more content, faster) Content management strategyEnsuring inter-operability across Technology Infrastructure (i.e.. Secure Channel)Service Integration within GovernmentComprehensive search Multi-language environment, availability, bandwidth Consistency in service standards and user support Ensuring channel of choiceCustomization AccessibilityMaintaining human resource capacityEnsuring channel of choice

Canada: Leading the WayOn-line Information and Services

Since its beginning seven years ago, the Canada Site has evolved from a collection of simple links to being acknowledged as a world class portal and being recognized, internationally, as an innovative example of being truly citizen centric.