[kent-equality] KCC website awarded a 4-star raiting for the third year running

From: <Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <kent-equality@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2015 14:54:20 +0000

For info:
[KCC logo]Our we
Kent.gov.uk has been awarded a top four star rating for the third year running!

[BC2015-4-Star.png]
Every year the Society of Information Technology Management (SOCITM) publishes
'Better Connected' - a survey of local authority websites that assesses the
quality of the customer experience.

<http://www.kent.gov.uk/>
Kent.gov.uk:<http://www.kent.gov.uk/>

* achieved the highest rating (four stars) for a third year running. 35
(out of 407) councils were awarded four stars this year but we were one of only
18 to retain a four star rating from last year. This shows our consistent focus
on our customers' needs.
* is listed in the 'top 20 best developed' sites. The top 20 list provides
a benchmark to other councils and suggests where they might look for best
practice.
* is one of 28 councils meeting all usability criteria that together, make
a consistent and good experience for website users.
* is one of three councils rated as excellent for navigation and search,
despite the absence of A-Z, and the only council achieving four stars without
one. We took the decision last year not to re-create the A-Z from the old site
to the new one based on customer research. This speaks volumes for our
approach, the simplicity of our navigation and importance we've placed on
user-focused language. The assessor said: "[kent.gov] follows GOV.uk in design
- one route via home page, so it's very quick to look through all the options.
Excellent."
* is the only county council website to pass all eight 'top task'
requirements, plus navigation, search, accessibility and mobile experience. The
assessor described our content as "good clear information, simply explained"
and "well written and blissfully jargon free"

From the above, it's clear that accessibility and usability are high among the
priorities of the 'Better Connected' assessors. Using speech screenreaders as I
do, I have found our site to be among the easiest of all the sites I regularly
use at home and at work to navigate and make good use of. I would still say
that, even if I didn't work here. So, if there's still anyone out there reading
this, it's worth looking at the sites to which Better Connected directs us to
see how to follow best practice. If your council received a good rating from
'Better Connected', particularly if the commended it for accessibility and
usability, please let us know.

Best regards,
Clive

Clive Lever
Diversity and Equality Officer
Kent County Council

Office: 03000 416388
Email: clive.lever@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:clive.lever@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Kent County Council
Room G37
Sessions House
Maidstone, Kent.
ME14 1XQ

[kent-equality] KCC website awarded a 4-star raiting for the third year running

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