The Federal Public Service Policy & Support (FPS BOSA) is working on the digital user experience of tomorrow. The FPS espouses accessible, digital government services that put citizens first. To this end, it has established the Digital Open network. Using this network, people can learn from each other’s experiences, get ideas from inspiring cases and share knowledge about useful tools. Untranslate was responsible for the multilingual content strategy and creation for Digital Open.
More and more people are making intensive use of internet services. This raises citizens’ expectations for digital provision via various channels. And the federal authorities need to make sure they keep pace with this evolutionary process. Some public services are already aligned with the new digital standard but other services are either completely inaccessible in digital form or only available in that way through a few channels.
Tailored and sustainable digitisation
In order to progress this evolution, FPS BOSA’s Digital Transformation Office is supporting the government’s digitalisation programme. Digital Open is one of the driving forces behind the federal government’s evolution and digital reforms, with attention focusing on citizens and companies. For digitisation to be sustainable and meaningful, it really has to work in a user-oriented way. What is more, user-oriented methods make a contribution to innovative and agile government.
Compelling content via fixed procedures
FPS BOSA engaged Untranslate to accomplish the objectives of Digital Open and to assemble inspiring content in the Digital Playbook. By working in a transparent and structured fashion, the copywriters created compelling content that enables the target group to engage with the principles of Digital Open. A fully documented approach is employed which adheres to a fixed workflow. Every step of the content creation process was kept fully up to date in an online collaboration platform, allowing all stakeholders to follow the status of the project in real time. Key agreements and guidelines were set out in a style guide, so that other project staff could add texts to the Digital Open website in keeping with the chosen tone of voice and terminology. The style guide was regularly updated and supplemented with new terminology.
User-centered design as essential principal
User-centered design is an essential principal for Digital Open. Untranslate wanted to support this not just by reflecting the citizen’s central position in the content, but also in the writing style. The Digital Playbook is an active tool, so the use of language had to be active too. Untranslate’s accessible use of language helps to increase the public’s sense of involvement. By telling a story with energy and in a way that was to the point, the copywriters activated the citizen to play an active role in the community. The Playbook does not have a monopoly on the truth, so its tone could not be seen as lecturing. By keeping this in mind while writing the web content, Untranslate incorporated the principles of user-centered design.
A range of services
Not only did Untranslate take care of the content strategy, but it also supported FPS BOSA from A to Z, doing everything from creating the content to managing and maintaining the website. A lot is involved in this kind of all-encompassing project. Untranslate’s copywriters were not only responsible for writing the cases, but they also collected the input themselves. This involved interviewing the stakeholders and keeping directly in touch with them during the writing process. They scheduled the interviews, digested the material gathered by them and conjured it into inspiring content. The translators then set about making the texts available in both Dutch and French. Finally, Untranslate itself published the texts on the website and was responsible for the website management. The copywriters provided customised texts for distribution via newsletters and social media so that the general public could be kept informed about new web content.
Tomorrow’s public services
Today, the various communication channels of Digital Open (website, social media, newsletters, webinars, etc.) are uniting the people who are building tomorrow’s public services. The Playbook abounds with inspiration for making government services smoother and more user-friendly. You too can learn about the tools available, exchange expertise through cases and testimonies or take part in lunchtime talks. With Untranslate’s help, Digital Open developed into an active community.
Accessible, comprehensible and inclusive content
This project was a contribution by Untranslate towards accessible, comprehensible and inclusive content. The copywriters enhanced the Digital Open website with video and pictorial material and custom-designed visuals such as infographics. They always provided the visuals with a caption and an alt-text, so that they are accessible to everyone. Where necessary, videos were provided with subtitles and transcriptions.
That this approach is bearing fruit is borne out by the raft of projects that have been started since the launch of Digital Open, and by the wealth of positive reactions to the lunchtime talks, the website and the Playbook
– Iason Foscolos, project manager for Digital Transformation at FPS BOSA.
Are you looking for a partner for your company’s or organisation’s content creation and strategy? Untranslate’s copywriters can look after your content from A to Z. Please contact us so we can schedule a meeting.