Tellmescotland Apps Launch
Tom McHugh, Programme Manager, Improvement Service
tellmescotland.gov.uk is Scotland’s portal for Public Information Notices. It is the first in the UK and Europe in terms of scope and scale and has proved a major success since its launch in December 2010. The portal has been delivered through a collaborative partnership under the auspices the Improvement Service, with all 32 Scottish Councils and other Scottish Public Sector organisations, endorsed by SOLACE (Scotland) and COSLA, and supported by The Scottish Government. Spider Online, a local digital software company based in Glasgow, has been the development partner.
We have recently launched two stand-alone mobile Apps on iPhone and Android platforms to help citizens search for Public Information Notices in Scotland, at their convenience, whilst on the move. These Apps were formally launched at the latest meeting of the Improvement Service Board by the Chair of the Board, Councillor David O'Neill, and Dr Jane Morgan, Deputy Director, Digital Public Services Division, The Scottish Government, who have welcomed this new added-value service. A full marketing campaign is now being rolled out to promote the Apps to communities across Scotland.
With more people visiting the site via mobile devices, and iOS devices (Apple products such as the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad) and Android devices making up over 25% of this traffic currently, this exciting development further enhances the accessibility and flexibility of the portal.
The tellmescotland Apps via the clear simple layout of the homepage allows people to:
The free iOS App can be downloaded from https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/tellmescotland/id672719878?mt=8 and the free Android App from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tellmescotland&hl=en_GB.
I am delighted to release these Apps as they enhance the convenience and choices of how citizens and communities access public information, and at the same time improves their experience of engaging with the Scottish Public Sector. Recent research indicates that more and more people are using smartphones, mobile devices and downloading Apps, and that these are increasingly becoming a key channel of contact for many citizens.
The new iPhone and Android Apps are an innovative but simple way for local people to search for local information, as well as accessing wider public information across Scotland. The Apps provide citizens and communities with improved choice, and demonstrates the commitment to continuous service improvement by The Scottish Government, Scottish Councils and the wider Scottish Public Sector.
Spider Online, a Glasgow based digital agency and development partner of tellmescotland, has collaborated with the Improvement Service and the Public Information Notices Steering Group on the development of the Apps. John Campbell, Managing Director said “We’re delighted to be a partner in the successful delivery of the tellmescotland portal, and the release of these Apps. All over the world, organisations are exploring how best to use smartphones and other mobile technologies in order to engage more closely with citizens, local communities and improve service experience”.
For more information please contact myself at tom.mchugh@improvementservice.org.uk or my colleague tina.mclelland@improvementservice.org.uk
