Website Planning Guide

Website Governance Framework

Website Planning Guide Introduction

WA Public Sector agencies are required to complete a business plan (website planning
document) for new and redeveloped websites to ensure website objectives are met, and
designed to meet the needs of citizens in an effective and efficient manner.
The Website Planning Guide forms part of the Website Governance Framework (WGF) 1 and
is designed to assist agencies plan their requirements and adopt best practice when
developing or redeveloping a website.
The Guide has been designed to ensure that agencies fully consider issues relevant to
website initiatives. The Guide will assist agencies to:
ensure strategic alignment to government and agency policies, standards, guidelines
or other related initiatives
ensure business owners and agency executives understand the objectives and
requirements of the website and their roles and responsibilities
define the project scope and how it will be managed and maintained.
The Guide is set out as a criteria checklist for agencies to assess if the information
documented as part of their own planning processes meets that WGF website planning
requirements. Agencies are therefore required to ensure their website planning document
(website business plan) addresses the criteria listed in this Website Planning Guide.
Section 1 of the business planning guide is a tool for obtaining approval and funding from
agency executives. Appendix A provides further information and explanation in some key areas.

Instructions
The website business plan must be completed before the commencement of any
website development work.
Agencies should develop the website business plan during the planning and analysis
stage of the project.
Agencies are required to ensure their website business plan addresses ALL the
criteria identified in this Guide.
There is no requirement for WA Public Sector agencies to submit their website
business plan to the Department of Finance for review or approval.
The Department of Finance can provide clarification or assistance in the completion of
the Website Business Plan and assistance with determining a new domain name
where one is required. For assistance email
websitegovframework@finance.wa.gov.au

Contact Details
Email: websitegovframework@finance.wa.gov.au
Web: http://www.finance.wa.gov.au

WA public sector agencies are required to adhere to the Website Governance Framework as
outlined in the Public Sector Commissioners Circular 2009-02.

Table of Contents
Website Planning Guide......................................................................................................... 1
Website Planning Guide Introduction.....................................................................................2
Instructions......................................................................................................................... 2
Contact Details................................................................................................................... 2
Website Planning Guide......................................................................................................... 4
Section 1 Project Concept and Objectives.......................................................................4
Section 2 Project Scope...................................................................................................5
Section 3 Website Implementation and Management......................................................7
Appendix A Further Information...........................................................................................8
Content Management.......................................................................................................... 8
Cost..................................................................................................................................... 8
Identifying risk and developing a risk management plan.....................................................8
Scope.................................................................................................................................. 9
Usability............................................................................................................................... 9
Website Monitoring and Evaluation.....................................................................................9
Appendix B - Risk Management Plan...................................................................................10
Other useful resource on Risk Management:....................................................................12
Further Information............................................................................................................... 12

Website Planning Guide

Section 1 Project Concept and Objectives
This section identifies how the website initiative fits within the organisations goals, functions
and existing business strategies. It should clearly demonstrate the value and achievability of
the initiative against existing and future needs of the organisation. It is important to identify
the total cost required for the life of the project. Key risks and mitigation strategies
associated with the project should also be documented2. This section should be used as a
tool for obtaining approval and funding from agency executives.

1.Strategic Alignment
State the roles and deliverables of the agency
What type of website is being proposed (e.g. primary agency website, program /
initiative website, event website)
How will the proposed website assist in the agencys role and deliverables?

2. Business Objectives and Benefits

What are the key business objectives expected to be achieved by the proposed
website (or which the website will contribute towards)? Each objective should be
explicit, specific and measurable.
Describe the benefits the website is intended to deliver.
Describe what effect the proposed website will have on existing services or
communication channels within the agency or across Government.

3. Governance and Accountability

Have stakeholders committed to the project?
Has a project governance framework been considered for the development project
and ongoing management of the website?
Document the accountability mechanisms and processes planned and/or established
to ensure that what was originally proposed and funded is achieved for this project.

4. Rationale
What prompted the initiation of the website project? Include where applicable, any
internal, external or whole-of-government initiatives or priorities the proposed website
is intended to contribute toward.
Is the website needed at all? Has a wide range of options been explored including
the use of existing websites, systems or facilities to meet the needs and demands
required?
Have you explored opportunities for collaboration with other agencies with similar
interests or to deliver a more complete view of the information and services available
for a particular service / topic area?

5. Risk3
Identify potential risks associated with the proposed option.

It is good management practice to have a systematic approach to managing risk. A detailed risk
management plan should be developed to further expand and develop your risk strategy. Refer
Section 2 Project Scope.

 Define strategies to mitigate the identified risk.

6. Cost4
Identify the total funding requirements, for both development and ongoing
maintenance, including IT and business personnel (e.g.: website development,
content development), technology and marketing.
Identify sources of funding to be used.

Section 2 Project Scope

This section explores the business and technical requirements for the website. Clearly
identify what the website intends to deliver as this will define the project boundaries.
Security, privacy and technical aspects of the website should be identified to ensure your
agency is capable of delivering the services and achieving objectives identified in Section 1
Project Concept and Objectives. All procurement must comply with Government
purchasing and tendering requirements.

7. Mandatory Requirements
The proposed website must comply with the following mandatory requirements:
o Website Policies for the Western Australian Public Sector5
o Domain Name Policy for the Western Australian Public Sector6 agencies are
required to apply to the Department of Finance for all new domain names by
completing the Domain Name Application Form.
o Website Standards as per Public Sector Commissioners Circular 2009-02
Website Governance Framework7
o Web Accessibility requirements8 as per Public Sector Commissioners Circular
2011-03 Website Accessibility and associated Website Accessibility Policy
o Common Website Elements (CWE)9 requirements as specified in the CWE
standard.
8. Scope10
State the scope of the proposed website.

9. Procurement
Identify if any procurement is required for this web project.
Show that any procurement process is in compliance with Government purchasing
and tendering requirements, and other relevant policies and procedures.

10. Security
Is the proposed website residing on infrastructure that is adequately protected against
intruder activity and other security-related problems?

Refer to Appendix A for more information on identifying risk and developing a risk management plan.
Refer Appendix A for more information on how to define project cost.
5
Website Policy for the WA public sector, Department of Finance,
6
Domain Name Policy for the WA Public Sector, Department of Finance 2011,
7
Website standards and guidelines, Department of Finance 2011
8
Website Accessibility, Department of Finance 2011,
9
Common Website Elements, Department of Finance 2009,
10
Refer Appendix A for more information on how to define the project scope.
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 Detail what measures have been taken to ensure that the public can have confidence
in the security and authentication processes of any electronic transactions they have
with the government.

11. Privacy
Will the proposed website handle any personal information provided by its customer
base?
If so what measures have been taken to ensure that the website effectively manages
the handling of personal information provided by its customer base.

12. Technical Environment

Does the proposed website comply with your agencys technical standards?
Will the proposed website include any technology or functionality not previously used
by the agency?
Does the agency have the skill sets and resources required to manage the website for
the duration of its lifespan?
Identify the planned hosting approach for the proposed website, including any
required service levels.

13. Risk Management

What are the major business, website and procurement risks? Develop a risk
management plan including mitigation strategies or a contingency plan.

14. Project Plan

Define realistic timeframe for all aspects of project implementation.
Define key milestones and due dates, major dependencies and key roles with
resources assigned to it.

Section 3 Website Implementation and Management

This section describes the implementation phase of the website development project, as
well as the ongoing management of the website after its launch. Agencies need to
consider the website policies established by the WA Government. These standards and
guidelines based on best practice will improve on website quality and usability, and generate
a more consistent user experience for users of public sector websites.

15. Website Usability

Identify how the website will be designed to meet user expectation. Areas to consider
include but are not limited to:

page layout (consistency across the website)

navigation (information architecture)

web content (content structure and how it is written)

search (include different search formats)

Identify how the website will be tested for usability

16. Content Management

Identify how the website will be designed to ensure users can find information and
services easily. Areas to consider include:

effective information architecture

correct content

search engine optimisation

use of keywords (metadata)

accessibility

17. Website Monitoring and Evaluation

Measure the success of the website. Detail the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to
be used to ensure that the business objectives of the website are being achieved. It
is important to measure both the effectiveness (web statistics) and performance
(measures on achieving business objectives) of the website.
For each objective stated above show one or more measures that will be used to
determine if the objective is being met.
Define the measurement methodology how often (e.g.: six monthly, annually) and
how it will be conducted (e.g.: online surveys, focus groups, user testing, website
statistics).

18. Website Management

Identify the anticipated life of the website.
Describe plans and processes for content update and management over the life of the
website including review and approval processes, expiry and archival processes.
Identify how the website will be promoted over its lifetime.
Identify any trigger for the retirement or redevelopment of the website.

Appendix A Further Information

Content Management
Content management plays a critical role in ensuring that the information and services you
provide through your website can be easily found, and is meaningful and useful to the user.

Finding Content, Australian Government Department of Finance and Deregulation,

http://webguide.gov.au/finding-content/
HowTo.gov Managing Content, US Government, http://www.howto.gov/webcontent/manage
Search engine optimisation, UK Government Central Office of Information,
http://www.coi.gov.uk/guidance.php?page=331

Cost
It is important to include all cost associated with the development or redevelopment of the
website project, regardless of whether it will be developed internally or externally. Ongoing
maintenance cost including staff resources in terms of content updates, website planning
and technical support must be included in the budget as well, to ensure there are sufficient
funds for ongoing management for the life of the website.
It is recommended that a detailed record of the cost associated with the development and
maintenance of the website is kept to enable WGF reporting requirements to be met. WGF
reporting requires website costs to be reported for each financial year. Five categories of
expenditure are provided to ensure consistency in reporting across agencies. Further
information on website cost reporting Website Cost Reporting Worksheet
(http://www.publicsector.wa.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Website%20Cost%20Reporting
%20Worksheet.xls)

Identifying risk and developing a risk management plan

A risk can be defined as any internal or external situation or event that has the potential to
impact upon an agency, preventing the agency from successfully achieving its objectives,
delivering its services or carrying out its projects or events.
Risk management is the practice of systematically identifying and understanding these risks
and the controls that are in place to manage them. A risk management plan can be as
simple as identifying the risks and mitigation strategies. A more specific plan involving
consequence and likelihood ratings may be necessary if your website project is complex.

Appendix B provides a summary of Risk Management derived from Riskcover. It

is recommended that you read the Risk Management Guidelines11 so that you are
able to undertake a more comprehensive approach to risk management.
Project Management Fact Sheet: Developing a Risk Management Plan
November 2008, Office of e-Government, Tasmanian Government,

Scope
11

WA Risk Management Guidelines, RiskCover, Insurance Commission of WA.

The scope defines what the project will contain or deliver. It provides a common
understanding for project stakeholders of what is included and excluded from the project.
Identifying what is out of scope can also help to define the project boundaries.
-

Project Management Guidelines, Office of e-Government Tasmanian Government,

Usability
Usability can be defined by how easy it is for your visitors to use your website12. If users
cannot find what they want easily and quickly, it will lead to frustration and loss of user trust.
Usability covers a range of things including user-centered design, web accessibility, web
content and navigation.
-

Accessibility and Usability, Australian Government Department of Finance and

Deregulation,
Usability.gov Your guide for developing usable and useful websites, US Department
of Health & Human Services
Usability Toolkit, UK Government Central Office of Information,
Usability and Web Design, Jakob Nielsen,

Website Monitoring and Evaluation

It is important to ascertain whether or not the objectives of the website have been met. Use
both quantitative measures and other Key Performance Indicators to measure how the
website supports the business of the agency.
-

Website Usage Monitoring and Evaluation, Australian Government Department of

Finance and Deregulation
Web Analytics Toolkit, Victorian Government
Web Analytics, US Government,

12

Usability 101: Introduction to Usability, Jakob Nielsens Alertbox

(http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html)

Appendix B - Risk Management Plan

The following information is derived from Riskcover and is summarised here for your
convenience. It is recommended that you read the Risk Management Guidelines so that you
are able to undertake a more comprehensive approach to risk management.
a) Introduction
There are a number of steps to follow in implementing a Risk Management Plan for your
website project. These are:

establish the context

identification of the risks
analysis and evaluation of the risks
where necessary, treatment of the risks

b) Establish the Context

Depending on the nature of the website project, planning a risk management strategy should
take into consideration the following:

Agency strategic objectives

Operational plans and objectives at the division or branch level
Overall risk management plan for the agency (if applicable)
Overall risk management plan at the divisional or branch level (if applicable)

c) Identify the Risks

Risk is measured in terms of consequence and likelihood. Identifying risks involves looking
at what is critical to the success of the website project and then consider what could go
wrong. For example:
Critical Success
Factors

Risks

Website provides ability

for users to complete
online forms for electronic
submission.

Security of system

Insecure system

Website provides up-todate and accurate

information

Accuracy of information

Incomplete or inaccurate
information provided to web
users.

Key Activity

Hint: Do not mistake risks with the consequences. Breach of online security and reputation
damage for example are not risks but consequences of a risk i.e if your risk was to
eventuate, it could result in a breach of security and/or reputation damage if the information
provided on the website is not accurate.

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For each risk, you should identify possible causes of the risk event. Identifying the range of
causes will help you to better understand the risk, evaluate the adequacy of existing controls
and design effective risk treatments.
d) Assessing Risks
In general, agencies already have a broad range of public sector procedures and systems in
place that act as risk controls. As a result, the assessment process used by most State
Government agencies takes into account the effectiveness of these existing controls. In this
context, risk assessment involves:
Identifying and evaluating any existing controls
Analysing the risk in terms of Consequences and Likelihood
Evaluating the level of risk against a pre-defined acceptance criteria
e) Controls
Controls are the measures that are currently in place i.e at the time of risk assessment, that
reduce the likelihood and/or consequences of the risk. To determine if your controls are
adequate, ask yourself: are you doing what is reasonable under the circumstances to
prevent or minimise the impacts of risk?
The recommended rating scale is as follows:
Rating

Description

Excellent
Adequate

Doing more than what is reasonable under the circumstances

Doing what is reasonable under the circumstances
Not doing some or all of the thing that would be reasonable under the
circumstances.

Inadequate

f) Risk Analysis
This is the process of considering the consequences and likelihood of a particular risk
scenario to determine the level of risk.
Consequence rating

Likelihood Rating

Level of Risk

A risk that eventuates may

impact on agency across a
number of different areas, to a
greater or lesser extent. When
analysing the consequences
of a risk event, an agency
needs to consider the level of
impact (1 to 5) in relation to
each of the consequence
categories defined in the
Consequence Table.

This describes how likely it is that

a risk will eventuate with the
defined consequences. Likelihood
can be defined in terms of
probability or frequency,
depending on what is most
convenient for the agencys
purposes.

The Level of Risk, or Risk Rating, is

calculated by multiplying the
Consequence and Likelihood ratings.
For any risk, there may be a number
of different likelihood/consequence
scenarios across the different risk
categories and within each
category ranging from likely but not
serious to less likely but more
serious. It is important to rate the
realistic worst-case scenario, which is
the worst-case level of risk
considering both consequences and
likelihood.

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Ratings
1 Insignificant

Ratings
1 Rare

Ratings
1 to 3 Acceptable

2 Minor

2 Unlikely

4 to 5 Monitor

3 Moderate

3 Moderate

6 to 9 - Management control required

4 Major

4 Likely

10 to 14- Urgent management

attention

5 Catastrophic

5 Almost certain
15 to 25 Unacceptable

For more explanation regarding the above ratings, see the Risk Implementation Guidelines at
http://www.riskcover.wa.gov.au/riskmanagement.

g) Monitor and Review

Monitoring and review is an ongoing part of risk management that is integral to every step of
the web planning process. It is also the part of risk management that is most often given
inadequate focus. Monitoring and review ensures that the important information generated
by the risk management process is captured, used and maintained.

Other useful resource on Risk Management:

Project Management Fact Sheet: Developing a Risk Management Plan (Tasmanian

Government, November 2008).

Further Information
Department of Finance
Email: websitegovframework@finance.wa.gov.au

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