Universal design informs high-usability, accessible eGovernment service
Can you build an eGovernment website in about four months to collect millions of euros from the public? Yes you can, and you can make it highly usable and accessible at the same time… and bilingual too.
That was the message from Claire Gilligan, Assistant Director of the Local Government Computer Services Board (LGCSB), at the “Universal Design in Legislation, Policy and Practice” event on 3 June. AMAS Director Fiachra Ó Marcaigh also spoke at the Universal Design event.
Non Principal Private Residence online payment website
Ms Gilligan was presenting a case study on the Non Principal Private Residence (widely known as the “holiday home tax”) payment site, www.nppr.ie. She had some striking statistics relating to the efficiencies involved in building a single central payment site for the 34 local authorities. They included:
- The site cost €450,000 to develop, or €13,000 per local authority
- Estimated costs of each local authority developing its own, at €50,000 per site, would have been €1.7 million
- Ongoing costs for support of 34 individual installations would also be much higher
- It was projected to collect €40 million in payments – in fact it collected €62 million
The site was developed by the LGCSB, but the project required support from many stakeholders, including the Revenue Commissioners, county and city managers, the Department of the Environment and local authorities. The project board first met in March 2009 and the site began accepting payments at the beginning of August.
Simplicity
In additional to careful planning (with a Universal Design approach), excellent project management and very rigorous testing, the site needed something else – simplicity. In this it was helped by the legislation establishing the charge. The legislation provided for:
- Self-declaration by property owners
- No waivers
- Very limited refunds
- No part-payments
- No cash payments
This paved the way for a streamlined, efficient online service. The local authorities did provide an office-based service, and did accept paper forms, but almost three-quarters of payments are expected to be made online this year.
The Universal Design in Legislation, Policy and Practice event was organised by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority.
