The Challenge
Information Victoria is the service delivery organisation for Victorian Government information, and ‘Victoria Online’ is the Victorian Government’s portal for finding and learning about Government services. As the use and applicability of mobile technologies has expanded, Information Victoria was keen to use mobile devices as an additional channel to support the delivery of information and services.
The Solution
Deloitte and the Victorian Government identified and prototyped a number of mobile ideas using the Deloitte Innovation framework. Two of the most popular online services were selected for development – VicEvents (an events calendar) and the Contacts & Services Directory.
Key considerations that helped shape the overall solution were:
• Reach the maximum number of users/widest possible audience (cross-platform mobile device delivery)
• Mobile users should have access to the same content available to online users (consume existing content but enhance with native mobile device capability)
• Leverage the strengths and usage patterns of mobile devices (intuitive and engaging design with a task focus)
• Speedy delivery in line with the Victorian Government's strategic mobile delivery goals (select appropriate technology solutions that can sit side-by-side the existing online delivery).
Tailoring our approach for each service, ‘VicEvents’ was delivered as a cross-platform native application for IOS and Android users while ‘Contacts & Services Directory’ was delivered as a mobile web site.
VicEvents
VicEvents provides a convenient way to browse and locate events to be held throughout the state of Victoria in one simple app. Events are listed in categories such as community events, food and wine, festivals and sport.
Key features
• search for an event, browse an event or shake phone to view a ‘random event’
• filter by date, location and category
• share events via email, Twitter and Facebook
• integration with the phone’s map, GPS and schedule
• submit events
Technology
With APIs being available from the Victorian Online website, a mobile app was considered the best approach and we focused on iPhone, iPad and Android as the supported devices. Typically, developing an app for three devices translates into three separate app builds. To minimise the development effort, we used the Appcelerator Titanium Development Platform which allowed re-use of the code base.
Design
To leverage the Appcelerator Titanium cross-platform, we designed an interface that would translate across the three devices but took advantage of the inherent capabilities of each. As such, the iPad design ensured we could utilise the split-screen format with fixed left hand navigation while the Android design required modification to accommodate the physical ‘back’ button.
Contacts & Services Directory
The Contacts & Services Directory mobile website provides convenient access to important and useful Victorian Government contact and services.
Key features
• streamlined design of contact and service information for the Governor of Victoria, government departments, Victorian Parliament, and courts and tribunals
• tailored for mobile devices
• integration with mobile device map functionality
• delivery of mobile website upon auto-detection of mobile device
Technology
As the Contacts & Services Directory data was not available for publication via APIs, a mobile website was the best option. Deloitte worked closely with the providers of the Directory Services solution powering the existing Contacts & Services Directory website. Deloitte were able to provide a design specifically tailored for mobile devices and the Directory Services provider was able to implement an auto-detection for mobile visitors to the site.
Design
Critical to our design was simplification of the content presentation. The mobile website version focused on the task of searching and browsing the directory and eliminated any supporting content to maximise screen real estate.
The Benefits
This has been an innovative step in Government Services. It provides additional channels to access government information whenever and wherever it is needed. The already popular Contacts & Services Directory is now even more accessible to all Victorians, with the added convenience of access on the run.
Tourists to Victoria will immediately recognise the benefits of searching for what is going on in their current location for any given day. Event organisers can submit their events to be included, thereby increasing attendance at local and community events.
With these two implementations, the Victorian Governmnet has now well and truly commenced its mobile delivery program. Deloitte was able to identify appropriate mobile opportunities, select the appropriate technology solution and delivery two engaging and useful mobile solutions.
The VicEvents app is available as a free download from Apple’s App Store and Android Market
To access the Contacts & Services Directory mobile website, simply use your mobile to visit http://www.vic.gov.au/contactsandservices/directory/
Media:
The AustralianIT article
