Semantic analysis

Automated tools to understand the meaning of web content including user generated content.

A semantic analysis service should be provided to not only extract meaning from content in order to improve the search facility, but to improve content categorisation and tagging to suggest related reading for content creators.

This service should accept the content in the request or as a URL and return a list of topics in a machine readable format (e.g. XML, JSON, etc)  The topic list should include matches to the Local Authority taxonomy as well as other topics that have been derived through natural language analysis.

Mapping/geo-coding

Being able to see how all sorts of content relates to local area.

The ability to see content according to related locations on a map can not only reveal understanding about information that was previously hidden, but it can also help people related to that information.

A mapping tools service should be provided that allows structured and unstructured data to be analysed and plotted on maps.  The service should be able to take data in various formats (spreadsheets, XML, text, URLs) and return the locations in that data as a list or as a map.

This service should also be integrated into the content creation toolset to allow content creators to insert an interactive map into the content.

Common navigation tool

Joining up many websites with a consistent way to find your way around them.

In order to present the many different Local Authority web properties as a coherent family of sites, a common set of navigation tools should be provided.  These tools should provide: some element of common branding; a link to the main Local Authority website; a set of top level navigation links to other websites and commonly used facilities; links to timely information; and a common search tool.

The tool should be managed centrally in order that changes to the links can be kept up to date and to reduce the cost of making any changes across the entire family of sites.

Content creation and management tools

Making the content creation and management process simple. 

Content creation tools must be provided that suit the many different ways that content is produced, whether that is via a web browser-based editor, a mobile device or an export process from existing content production tools.

In addition, it is essential that content can be managed using tools that provide appropriate and useful interfaces and present management information in ways that are easy to consume.  Such tools will include: dashboards for content update queues, content usage information at the point of management (rather than hidden within an analytics tool), workflow integration and categorisation and linking suggestion facilities.