A first for local government

A new community website launched on 21 February 2005, that was developed using GOSS' industry leading iCM technology, is to achieve a first for local government.

The groundbreaking 'Dorsetforyou' portal was created by the Dorset For You Partnership to provide the county's tourists and 390,000 citizens with an effective central point of access to accessible local government information and services.

When each of the five councils in the partnership switches off their individual websites to provide the single online portal, they will achieve a first for local government.

The Dorset For You Partnership required the provision of a portal, which would integrate or replace existing systems, as well as give the flexibility to provide additional functionality when needed in the future. The project also required a content management system, which would provide a consistent interface enabling citizens to successfully interact with each of the Councils, accommodate authentication and provide a secure framework that would allow full electronic transactions with partners.

Working in partnership with the project's prime contractor and Europe's largest systems software company and leading supplier of XML-based solutions, Software AG, GOSS provided its industry leading iCM technology to supply the portal and its users with a robust/secure content management foundation to the portal and a plethora of intelligent features and functions, including: an incredibly simple user-interface, unlimited users and integrated K2 search capability.

"The dorsetforyou site is a great achievement.  Bringing together multiple partners in an enterprise content management deployment is not just a clever technical accomplishment but one that brings us closer to the panacea of joined up government. The integrated services on offer will directly benefit the citizen and that is what drives these projects and the teams behind them."  Robert McCarthy, Technical Director, GOSS 

Software AG's Tamino XML Server and EntireX products provide the underlying XML data subsystem and interoperability to the back-office applications, whilst their Integrated Electronic Service Delivery (IESD) framework provides the transactional A-Z services. The CRM element of the IESD will also ensure that transactions with citizens can be fully tracked across all access channels (email, phone and web).