The project resulted in four practical tools to assist other public organizations in their efforts to provide Web-based services to their customers. Each of these tools is available on the CTG Web site and is discussed below.

• Developing & Delivering Government Services on the World Wide Web: Recommended Practices for New York State
• World Wide Web Starter Kit
• Cost/Performance Model for Assessing WWW Service Investments
• Online Seminar on Internet Security Topics

Like the Testbed agencies, many government organizations that only a year ago had no knowledge of or experience with the Internet have suddenly been faced with demands to make their information and services available online. Their ability to respond has been made very difficult by the fact that the technologies of the Internet, including the WWW, are evolving very rapidly in terms of availability, functionality, and compatibility. As a result, agencies struggle with high expectations, new and unfamiliar tools, accelerating rates of technological change, and a need to combine skills and resources in unusual ways in order succeed. These conditions led to one of the key deliverables of the Internet Services Testbed — a set of practical guidelines to help agencies negotiate this new territory.

The guidelines are based directly on the experiences of the Testbed agencies. The agencies used, evaluated, and refined all of the tools that are included and contributed many insights and suggestions that are incorporated in the final document. The guide is not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of all Internet services, tools, or technologies. Instead, it presents principles, planning tools, and good practice guidelines to help government managers decide how best to use the World Wide Web as a mode of service delivery. Each chapter outlines a key decision or action a government organization will face in designing or delivering a Web-based service. The guide covers such topics as how to define a service that is relevant to customers, how to identify likely costs and benefits, how to assemble the right professional team, and how to manage information effectively in this new environment. Technology topics include how to decide whether to “make or buy” services, what are good design principles, and how to assess infrastructure needs. Appendices give examples and references.

The handbook emphasizes that the process of designing, developing, and then managing a Web Service is not linear. The document is organized around Figure 3, which helps to illustrate the iterative nature of the enterprise.

 

The guide is available as a 94-page printed document and as an electronic file downloadable from CTG’s Web site. The introductory chapter is available as a hypertext document on the CTG Web site. The remaining chapters cover the following topics:

• Assembling the right project team discusses staffing-related topics such as understanding the unique characteristics of Web services, building a cross-functional team, clarifying team member roles, and providing specialized training.
• Gathering ideas: technology awareness and best practice reviews suggests ways to understand the basics and explore the potential of the WWW by becoming familiar with the Web itself and by tapping the experiences of others.
• Setting objectives: Why should your organization have a Web service? presents some practical tools for setting objectives, identifying stakeholders, setting priorities, specifying resources, and defining costs, benefits, and performance measures.
• Design considerations presents guidance on selecting, structuring, and inter-linking the information content of a Web site.
• Implementing your Web site covers several aspects of the very challenging, time-consuming, and detail-oriented process of implementation including prototyping, technical infrastructure, testing, and marketing.
• Managing your Web service offers guidance for managing the impact of Web services on an organization and its customers.
• Evaluating the impact of your service recommends ways to answer the important bottom-line question: is the Web service effective?
• Appendices include definitions of commonly used terms, a NYS-specific Web page style guide, contact information for New York State organizations who can be resources on WWW topics, and a list of useful WWW sites and reference books.