Challenge
The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) makes recommendations to the Federal Government about law reform, the majority of which are substantially or partially implemented. The ALRC publishes its recommendations, as well as submissions made to it, on its website. When the ALRC decided to renew its online presence and incorporate aspects of what is commonly referred to as “Government 2.0” functionality - actively engaging with the public online and being more transparent in its processes - it turned to PreviousNext for help.
Solution
To maximise public engagement PreviousNext used Drupal as the platform for the new website, incorporating social media tools such as blogs, online submissions, secure collaboration areas, Twitter feeds, RSS and forums. We configured these tools to facilitate a three-way information flow between the ALRC, its primary stakeholders and the general public.
Outcome
Since launching in late August 2010, the new ALRC website has averaged 100,000 page views per month – a 60% increase from the old site, with a tenfold increase in user engagement. The new site is now highly compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) for sight, hearing and mobility-impaired users. The huge volume of content is also more easily browsed and searched, and the Web 2.0 collaboration features ensure the ALRC is playing a greater role in open government every day. Internal maintenance of the website has been greatly simplified through the use of Drupal, with many complex functions now automated, and an e-commerce feature now enables the ALRC to sell its reports online.
Website: http://www.alrc.gov.au