ABCe to Run COI Web Site Audit

The UK government is embarking on a major ROI assessment of its web presence, led by the COI (Central Office of Information). Industry-owned not for profit body ABCe has been appointed to run the programme, which is billed as 'the largest project of its kind to date'.

ABCe, which is part of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), will independently validate the figures produced by the government's own audit, and 'comprehensive figures on the cost quality and use of government websites' will be published by the COI by June 2010.

The COI will use a recently-created common framework for government departments to measure the cost effectiveness, use and performance of their web sites; and has also developed a usability tool kit (www.coi.gov.uk/usability ) for departments who are developing new, or refreshing existing government sites. The framework uses a consistent set of measurements for unique users/browsers, page impressions, visits and time spent on sites.

COI Board Director for Interactive Services Alex Butler comments: 'We are determined to drive up the quality of government websites to ensure they offer excellent value for money for the taxpayer, and a better user experience.

COI has been managing ongoing work with the Cabinet Office to reduce the number of government sites, after criticisms of their disorderly growth in 2005. At the time, 1,649 web sites belonging to central government were listed for closure - 762 of these had been closed by the end of March 2009.

The two main stimuli for the latest audit are a Public Accounts Committee recommendation for reliable data on the volume and use of central government sites; and a drive for the COI to provide greater accountability for its own investment in digital media.

The framework can be found at www.coi.gov.uk/webguidelines .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.