Directgov

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Directgov is the UK government's website providing public service information and access to public sector services. It was launched in April 2004.

Currently the website is primarily an information resource, providing users with officially written advice and information which is targeted to specific topics (e.g. motoring) and audiences (e.g. disabled people). It also provides directories of government departments, agencies and local councils. Over time, access to online government transactions and public services will be added to the site. The site currently links to a number of online transactions such as applying for a passport, buying a television licence, car licensing, registering to vote, and completing a Tax Self Assessment form. Since 2006, users have been able to find out about a wide range of services provided by local councils in their area.

In January 2007, a government report was produced stating that hundreds of government websites are to be shut down "to make access to information easier" for people. Of 951 sites, only 26 will definitely stay, 551 will definitely close and hundreds more are expected to follow. Future government information will be streamlined through either Directgov and Business Link. About £9m a year was expected to be saved over three years by cutting back on these sites.[1]

A Directgov service is also available on digital interactive television (DiTV) through Sky Digital, and Virgin Media.

Directgov is a project led by the e-Government Unit in the Cabinet Office and is managed and developed by representatives drawn from the government departments that contribute to the project. It replaces the Ukonline portal.

[edit] Detractors

In 2005, several internet activists affiliated with mySociety wrote www.directionlessgov.com to demonstrate that they could build something better in under an hour, by using a simple webpage that linked to the google search engine.

Directionlessgov was later upgraded to compare the results of the site's own search engine to the google results side-by-side. In discussion, one of the authors wrote:

“

To me the [point we are] making is not that direct.gov should be licensing Google's search... it is that direct.gov should not exist at all - in practice everybody types what they want to do into Google. With the budget saved... instead optimise text and titles on government websites [and] Do some Search Engine Optimisation. Run user tests to find the terms that people search for when wanting to do things that government can help them with. Arrange that Google, Yahoo and MSN searches for those terms take them to the correct site.[2]”