256:(for businesses). It was reported at the launch of the strategy that of 951 websites, only 26 would definitely stay, 551 would definitely close and hundreds more were expected to follow. About £9 million a year was expected to be saved over three years by cutting back on sites that did not serve a useful purpose.
503:
To me the making is not that direct.gov should be licensing Google's search... it is that direct.gov should not exist at all - in practice everybody types what they want to do into Google. With the budget saved... instead optimise text and titles on government websites i.e. do some Search Engine
478:
In April 2010 Directgov launched a "Comment on this
Article" feature on each page allowing users to give articles one of five ratings ranging from "Very useful" to "Not at all useful". Users could also leave comments of up to 500 characters about how a page could be improved, but were asked not to
251:
strategy, an annual report was published in
January 2007 stating that hundreds of government websites would be shut down "to make access to information easier" for people. In future, most government information would be streamlined through two main "supersites" – either Directgov (for citizens) or
369:
From 2006, users in
England were able to find out about a wide range of services provided by local councils in their area, from reporting illegally dumped rubbish to renewing a library book. Direct links to each type of service were collected from every local authority through the Local Directgov
336:
The website was primarily an information resource, providing users with officially written advice and information targeted to specific topics (e.g. motoring, money) and audiences (e.g. disabled people, parents). It also provided directories of government departments, agencies and local councils.
320:, would replace Directgov as the primary website of the UK government on 17 October 2012. The Directgov portal was closed and redirected to the new website from that date. Services provided by Directgov were not fully replaced for a number of years: for example, in 2018 the
524:
Directionless does work a lot of the time. But it misses the point that
Directgov joins up information for the citizen in a way that they understand. If you do a Google search you will get the information from a number of places and the citizen has to do the linking up for
29:
817:
216:
portal. Rather than just providing links to government departments as UKonline had done, Directgov carried its own material, designed around users' needs. The first three sections were for motorists, disabled people and parents.
401:
Directgov ceased hosting documents for the Budget from 23 March 2011, with HM Treasury becoming the sole government host. Directgov focused instead on providing information for the public on how the Budget could affect them.
198:
Directgov received more than fifteen million visits a month in 2008, from around eight million unique users. In
September 2007, the site received its one hundred millionth visitor since its launch in April 2004.
809:
1138:
410:
A separate website branded as
DirectgovKids was designed to help children aged 5 to 11 find out about the world around them, by exploring the places and people in their local community. The
390:
documents in March 2010 and June 2010. On Budget Day
Directgov also provided real time updates from the Chancellor's speech on Twitter with the account @Directgov and using a custom Twitter
499:
search engine. Directionlessgov was later upgraded to compare the results of
Directgov's own search engine with the Google results side by side. In discussion, one of the authors wrote:
195:
The content was developed by government departments, working with a central
Directgov team. The main outlet was the website, though content and services were also delivered via mobile.
847:
349:
Over time, access to online government transactions and public services was added to the site. The site linked to a number of online transactions and forms such as applying for a
1153:
787:
1148:
1133:
1143:
483:. Directgov collected the data from the comments feature for use in customer insight and product improvement, and published an overview of monthly ratings online.
664:
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83:
645:
766:
504:
Optimisation. Run user tests to find the terms that people search for when wanting to do things that government can help them with. Arrange that Google,
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742:
721:
270:
By the end of the fourth quarter of 2009 Directgov reported traffic statistics of circa 20 million hits a month from over 8 million unique users.
1072:
495:
wrote
Directionlessgov.com to demonstrate that they could build something better in under an hour, by using a simple web page that linked to the
839:
480:
455:
holders, In addition to council policies, this service also would pinpoint the location of features specific to the disabled community.
783:
43:
164:
296:, overseen by the Public Expenditure Executive (Efficiency & Reform) which was co-chaired by Minister for the Cabinet Office,
895:
543:
414:
animated site was based around a cartoon globe, with interactive buildings including a police station, a town hall and a school.
289:
260:
73:
1045:"Like Sign In or Sign Up now! GCSE results 2010 - advice on sixth form, A levels, NVQ, BTEC, diplomas, apprenticeships and jobs"
705:
686:
623:
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395:
237:
869:
1111:
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358:
273:
A national TV and radio advertising campaign was launched in January 2010 featuring a number of celebrities including
248:
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website on 17 October 2012, although migration of all services to GOV.UK branding took several years.
28:
411:
354:
321:
220:
By 2006 the site had over ten million visits per month, and involved 18 government departments.
229:
312:
On 13 September 2012, through a notice on the Directgov homepage, it was announced that the
241:
1095:
1076:
709:
690:
668:
649:
627:
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newspaper in August 2007, the Chief Executive of Directgov, Jayne Nickalls, responded:
422:
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274:
233:
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547:
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437:
297:
253:
185:
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451:
Directgov also provided a service that covered country-wide customised maps for
379:
282:
42:
180:'s digital service portal which from 2004 provided a single point of access to
577:
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325:
492:
468:
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350:
288:
On 20 July 2010, Directgov was moved back to the Cabinet Office from the
213:
184:
information and services. The site's portal was replaced (along with the
472:
464:
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505:
496:
313:
189:
328:
application form were still provided from direct.gov.uk webpages.
1018:
970:
992:
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was available by typing direct.gov.uk/mobile into the phone's
383:
259:
On 1 April 2008, Directgov moved again, from the COI to the
643:"Transformational Government 2006: Enabled by Technology"
512:
searches for those terms take them to the correct site.
394:. This strategic partnership was extended to cover the
357:, car licensing, registering to vote, and completing a
1089:
Interview:Jayne Nickalls, chief executive of Directgov
638:
636:
1139:
Government services web portals in the United Kingdom
764:"Directgov joins the Cabinet Office efficiency drive"
491:
In 2005, several internet activists affiliated with
212:
Directgov was launched in April 2004, replacing the
153:
135:
117:
109:
101:
89:
79:
69:
61:
51:
1019:"This is the official Facebook page for Directgov"
810:"Universal Jobmatch, archived on 11 March 2018"
784:"GOV.UK set to replace Directgov on 17 October"
652:Chief Information Officer Council, January 2007
522:
501:
292:. On 1 April 2011 Directgov became part of the
428:Directgov was also available through analogue
8:
1154:2012 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
923:"Directgov launches site for young citizens"
21:
1098:Michael Cross; The Guardian. 22 August 2007
993:"Get short, timely messages from Directgov"
679:
677:
611:Michael Cross; guardian.co.uk. 4 March 2004
1149:Internet properties disestablished in 2012
20:
1134:2004 establishments in the United Kingdom
1112:Archived website at the National Archives
941:"Directgov shuts Sky interactive service"
570:"Directgov hits one hundred million mark"
300:and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury,
228:In April 2006, Directgov moved from the
1144:Internet properties established in 2004
597:
595:
535:
943:. Broadband TV News. 8 December 2010.
790:from the original on 14 September 2012
1051:from the original on 10 November 2010
1025:from the original on 25 November 2010
947:from the original on 13 December 2010
850:from the original on 18 November 2021
820:from the original on 12 November 2021
7:
1079:e-Government@large, 24 November 2005
745:from the original on 10 January 2016
481:personally identifiable information
999:from the original on 9 August 2010
14:
735:"Suggs fronts Directgov campaign"
621:"Big changes for government site"
459:Social media and article comments
16:Former British government website
733:Mark Sweney (31 December 2009).
684:Government to close 551 websites
576:. 2 October 2007. Archived from
378:In a strategic partnership with
290:Department for Work and Pensions
261:Department for Work and Pensions
41:
27:
440:channel 106 until 1 July 2010,
921:Ian Williams (26 March 2007).
858:– via National Archives.
828:– via National Archives.
703:The doomed government websites
434:digital interactive television
1:
1070:Directionless.gov rides again
671:Cabinet Office, 27 March 2006
574:Central Office of Information
396:Comprehensive Spending Review
238:Central Office of Information
925:. VNuNet.com. Archived from
773:Cabinet Office, 20 July 2010
139:Offline 17 October 2012
1047:. YouTube. 24 August 2010.
969:. Directgov. Archived from
898:. Directgov. Archived from
872:. Directgov. Archived from
546:. Directgov. Archived from
444:until 22 December 2010 and
417:A version of Directgov for
249:Transformational Government
224:Departmental responsibility
1170:
1120:, archived in October 2007
896:"Directgov Twitter Widget"
722:Directgov Site Information
602:Direct to your destination
318:Government Digital Service
294:Government Digital Service
167:for licencing information.
712:BBC News, 11 January 2007
693:BBC News, 11 January 2007
84:UK government departments
35:
26:
840:"Apply for a Blue Badge"
708:24 February 2009 at the
689:19 February 2007 at the
463:Directgov was active on
844:bluebadge.direct.gov.uk
814:jobsearch.direct.gov.uk
626:27 October 2006 at the
386:, Directgov hosted the
265:machinery of government
244:of the Cabinet Office.
95:direct.gov.uk (archive)
1094:28 August 2007 at the
630:BBC News; 1 March 2004
527:
514:
316:project, built by the
236:to become part of the
141:; 11 years ago
123:; 20 years ago
57:Government information
662:Directgov move to COI
516:In an interview with
448:until 31 March 2011.
345:Document applications
341:version of the site.
1075:14 June 2006 at the
607:7 March 2016 at the
406:Alternative versions
398:on 20 October 2010.
929:on 13 October 2008.
786:. ComputerworldUK.
254:Businesslink.gov.uk
188:portal) by the new
136:Current status
23:
876:on 6 December 2012
667:2006-11-14 at the
648:2009-03-28 at the
580:on 2 November 2010
550:on 12 October 2008
355:television licence
322:Universal Jobmatch
178:British government
432:pages as well as
337:There was also a
232:(eGU) within the
230:e-Government Unit
171:
170:
121:1 April 2004
65:English and Welsh
62:Available in
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973:on 18 April 2010
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544:"Web statistics"
540:
374:Budget documents
324:service and the
242:executive agency
149:
147:
142:
131:
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124:
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1096:Wayback Machine
1087:
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1077:Wayback Machine
1068:
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1038:
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902:on 20 June 2010
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359:Self Assessment
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302:Danny Alexander
247:As part of the
226:
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162:
160:Crown copyright
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155:Content license
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1107:
1106:External links
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279:Honor Blackman
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165:copyright page
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768:
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298:Francis Maude
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1053:. Retrieved
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1021:. Facebook.
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1001:. Retrieved
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975:. Retrieved
971:the original
967:"Blue Badge"
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949:. Retrieved
935:
927:the original
916:
904:. Retrieved
900:the original
890:
878:. Retrieved
874:the original
864:
852:. Retrieved
843:
834:
822:. Retrieved
813:
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794:13 September
792:. Retrieved
778:
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747:. Retrieved
739:The Guardian
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582:. Retrieved
578:the original
564:
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548:the original
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523:
518:The Guardian
517:
515:
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479:include any
477:
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446:Virgin Media
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269:
263:(DWP), in a
258:
246:
227:
219:
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197:
194:
173:
172:
110:Registration
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995:. Twitter.
951:23 December
854:18 November
824:18 November
380:HM Treasury
370:programme.
353:, buying a
308:Replacement
283:Kelly Brook
1128:Categories
749:13 January
530:References
453:blue badge
388:Budget Day
326:blue badge
240:(COI), an
146:2012-10-17
128:2004-04-01
102:Commercial
38:Screenshot
1055:27 August
1029:7 January
1003:27 August
977:28 August
906:27 August
880:27 August
525:themself.
493:mySociety
487:Criticism
174:Directgov
22:Directgov
1092:Archived
1073:Archived
1049:Archived
1023:Archived
997:Archived
945:Archived
870:"Budget"
848:Archived
818:Archived
788:Archived
767:Archived
743:Archived
706:Archived
687:Archived
665:Archived
646:Archived
624:Archived
605:Archived
584:13 April
554:13 April
469:Facebook
438:Freeview
430:teletext
382:and the
351:passport
332:Services
267:change.
214:Ukonline
176:was the
118:Launched
473:YouTube
465:Twitter
423:browser
203:History
144: (
126: (
506:Yahoo!
497:Google
392:widget
314:GOV.UK
208:Launch
190:GOV.UK
412:Flash
275:Suggs
70:Owner
1057:2010
1031:2011
1005:2010
979:2010
953:2010
908:2010
882:2010
856:2021
826:2021
796:2012
751:2012
586:2008
556:2008
508:and
471:and
281:and
163:See
510:MSN
442:Sky
436:on
384:BBC
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148:)
130:)
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