Web service management - Effective website operation

The website strategy should also determine the management, communications and security regimes that will drive the service. These objectives are also the criteria against which service level agreements (under formal contract where external commercial suppliers are party to service provision) are set.

The web management team should:

• manage the day-to-day operational interface with the Internet Service Provider (ISP)/hosting service in line with the agreed standards of service;

• ensure the security and reliability of the ISP/hosting service;

• determine the most appropriate technologies to be used for the production and availability of the information and/or goods and services;

• manage the procurement and subsequent contracts or Service Level Agreements with Internet Service Providers /hosting services;

• ensure that staffing levels are maintained for website content provision, in line with agreed standards of service;

• keep key stakeholders within the organisation informed of service performance against agreed targets and objectives;

• co-ordinate publishing of Internet information;

• set and maintain the organisation’s design and editorial specifications for the Web (commonly called style guidelines);

• ensure that all information held on the website conforms to frameworks and standards set by the Cabinet Office, including the Government Web Guidelines and legislation, eg, copyright and data protection;

• ensure the website continues to work in a range of browsers and keep checking page links as they are easily broken;

• in partnership with the ISP, maintain the integrity of a website’s structure, content and availability to agreed standards;

• monitor website activity including bandwidth usage, analyse usage statistics, review the regularity of updating information and report the findings to the relevant personnel.

The web management team can contribute towards effective transactions by ensuring that the website effectively exchanges data between the user and the organisation. They contribute to ensuring that transactions and authentication are secure. Effective transactions are likely to also require reform of other operational systems in order to accept electronic applications.