Aboriginal Housing Office website goes live on shared platform.

Agencies seeking to update their websites are now able to use a hosted service (Shared Platform) through the Government Chief Information Office’s (GCIO) OneGov.NSW program. 

The Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) participated in the delivery mid 2009 and saved over 60% of their website budget in the process.

The OneGov.NSW program provides policy, governance and practical technology solutions for agencies wanting consistent multi-channel service delivery across;

• Websites
• Counters and
• Phones.

When the AHO sought to re-develop their website, their primary objective was that staff could maintain the content and update information efficiently, thus removing the need for third parties that often caused delays in publishing and created needless cost. 

The GCIO managed “Shared Platform” saves agencies money and time, empowering staff with the ability to change content without cost.

Together in partnership, AHO and GCIO:

• Identified a suitable open source platform (Plone 3.0)
• Hosted the platform on GCIO’s servers at ac3
• “Spring cleaned” content and structure to suit AHO’s role
• Trained AHO staff in the use of the platform and set workflow for delivery of regular content
• Implemented new web structure and migrated relevant content into “blank” website
• Worked with the Strategic Communications and Government Advertising unit of the Department of Services, Technology & Administration, to mentor AHO staff in the provision of audio and video content for the website.  On launch, two slideshows were produced including the first AHO YouTube channel.
• Created theme for look and feel which was then implemented onto content-ready site by a supplier from ICT 2020 contract.
• The re-developed website www.aho.nsw.gov.au was launched within months of AHO first approaching GCIO to be engaged on the shared platform.

The quadruple bottom line result was:

•  Financial – The OneGov.NSW program’s shared platform saved AHO $63,000 relative to a lowest quote received in 2008/09 from a private sector organisation for an upgrade to their website.
• Environmental – shares hosting/maintenance costs
• Social – for the first time AHO staff across the state can contribute to content including videos developed and produced entirely by staff showing the homes built by the AHO.
• Community - threefold increase in use due to plain English, easy navigation and abundance of relevant content. “the new website is rather impressive and has a lot more information on it and is much easier to access." RAHC Member October 2009

10 agencies currently host their websites on the GCIO shared platform with more joining each week.

For more information on how your agency can benefit and be involved please contact: sue.shallis@services.nsw.gov.au or ken.bullock@services.nsw.gov.au