Second release of GOV.UK beta
The Government Digital Service (GDS) today launched phase two of the GOV.UK beta: ‘Inside government’.
The Government Digital Service (GDS) today launched phase two of the GOV.UK beta: ‘Inside government’.
The new area of the site is a space for people who are personally or professionally interested in the business of government to research how government works and what it is doing. It will be live for six weeks to test a shared publishing system, with the initial participation of 10 government departments.
All departmental homepages are presented in the same way on the site, with common navigation and formats. This makes it simpler and clearer for users who need to find information from one or about multiple departments.
There is also a consistent and clear way to describe government policy, making it simpler for those not immersed in the intricacies of how government works. Links to all the news, speeches and publications that relate to each policy area appear on pages automatically as they are added to the system.
Commenting on the launch, Minister for Cabinet Office Francis Maude said:
Martha Lane-Fox was clear in her review that people shouldn’t have to wade through the complex structure of Government to find what they need and today we move another step closer to a single government domain.
“This will not only make it easier for the public to find what they want but it will also be better value for taxpayers. We have radically reduced the number of existing websites and introduced strict rules for those that remain. We believe that Government use of the web must not only be useful, it must be cost-effective.”
The team responsible for building the site are looking for feedback during the next six weeks. Members of the public can submit their comments and suggestions to getsatisfaction.com/govuk or by emailing govuk-feedback@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk.
For more information, please go to the GDS blog.
Visit the ‘Inside Government’ area of GOV.UK here.