However, building a website for public institutions has a number of specifics. Some are generally known, others less so. At AITOM, we only discovered the most important things when implementing specific orders. Smaller ones for the Prague City Museum or the Prague Exhibition Center, as well as really robust ones for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute .
These are 3 key things you need to consider before filling out a withdrawal application for a large publicly funded institution:
1/ You can’t do it without a thorough initial study
This is true for every website. However, in the case of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Czech Meteorological Institute, the initial study was even the main goal of our cooperation.
Both institutions made a good decision to hire analysis and process experts first , followed by a separate tender for the website developer.
Our initial study always lasted several months of intensive collaboration.
Its goal was to find thorough answers to the questions :
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What are the target groups of the website?
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how to prioritize content on the website
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What are the client’s requirements gcash database for the website content – what are the requirements of the individual departments that work with the website or need it for their work?
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what content to keep from the old website and what not to put on the new website at all
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what are the requirements for any new content that is yet to be created
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what the structure of the new website will look like, taking into account all requirements
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What will be the scope and appearance of the wireframes?
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What will the graphic design of the future website look like?
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who will help with the preparation of relevant and concise texts
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what technical parameters the website must meet (functional and non-functional website requirements)
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accessibility requirements according to law and availability
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SLA requirements – i.e. for follow-up service
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What requirements must suppliers meet and is it possible to invite subcontractors?
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expert estimate of the complexity of the development (estimate of price and implementation schedule)
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how to work with existing third-party applications, if they will access the website
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how to handle cybersecurity – in cooperation with a specialist on the client’s side and with regard to their specific requirements
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what criteria to set in the selection process
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what support the client will need during the selection process for a website supplier
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What additional supervision will be required from our side during the development of the website?
2/ It will be a long time
This probably comes to mind for everyone. We really mean it for the long term. Even if you have a firm grip on the project, have fine-tuned processes, and are available on call, it pays to have some time to spare. A typical public institution is simply a bit cumbersome. That’s neither good nor bad, but it’s how it is.
For example: when it comes to a large website, such as that of large authorities, it probably contains a large amount of content packed with time. In a corporation, someone from marketing would probably come in, have one, two, three singapore data meetings, and it would be clear what to delete and what to keep. With a state institution, nothing usually happens that quickly. For example, at the Czech Meteorological Institute, it was necessary to actually go through the old website page by page. So that nothing important would disappear. It requires calm and… that time reserve.
And that’s just the content. Which is only after you start taking the next steps.
3/ Prepare for a slightly different communication
All you need is a few departments that contribute regularly to the website, a few experts who have something to say about the new pages… a slightly less energetic marketing department than you are used to with a commercial client… and communication nodes are in place. In short, communication is a bit different in a public institution and it can take a while to figure out who is who and who decides what. Or in which places it is not entirely clear who makes the decisions.