simply.limerick.ieJames Sweeney
Mihai Bilauca
Limerick City Council, MWRA
IRELAND
Limerick, 26th of April 2012
Introduction
simply.limerick.ie
Limerick City CouncilCommitted to Accessible Digital Services
2005 – Accessibility audit by NCBI-CFIT
2006 - All websites must be at least WCAG – AA
2007 – Full redesign of main council website
2008 – access.limerick.ie in collaboration with MWRA and EU
support
2009 – Additional websites designed WCAG-AA
2010 - DIEGO
What is DIEGO?An EU pilot project with partners from 6 EU Countries: Spain, the U.K., Italy, Greece, Cyprus and IrelandIreland represented by MWRA and Limerick City Co
A simplified web based interface;
An integration platform for delivering accessible services;
Project started in 2010 and it will be completed in 2012
NO CITIZEN LEFT BEHIND
DIEGO Services in Limerick
Main Services
Live Limerick.ie content: Daily Events & Amenities in Limerick City & County;
Public Complaints: Roads, Water, Housing, Environment;
Book meeting rooms in Watch House Cross Library
Multimedia: Videos from Limerick.ie Insider
DIEGO simply.limerick.ie
Other services
Public Announcements, Road Closures, Art Events;
Limerick Municipal Museum - Latest Additions
Boards.ie – popular public comments in Ireland;
Daft.ie – national property listing;
Maps and Photo Gallery
Contact your Councillor
DIEGO simply.limerick.ie
DIEGO availability
Public Libraries (3 main libraries in Limerick City)City Hall Information PointCommunity Centres: King Island, MILES, St Mary's Adult Education Centre
Demonstrations have been made to:Southill Disability GroupHeadway IrelandLimerick Institute of Technology
DIEGO simply.limerick.ie
Kings Island Community Centre
Cllr. John Gilligan presents DIEGO
Cllr. John Gilligan enjoys using DIEGO
Kings Island Centre – Where people meet...
DIEGO - Training Session
DIEGO - Another Training Session
DIEGO – Southill Disability Group
DIEGO – Limerick Institute of Technology
DIEGO – Limerick Institute of Technology
Community Centres are essential!
LIMERICK COMMUNITY CONNECT
BenefIT3 Training Program funded by The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Over 300 people trained so far
DIEGO used as a stepping point
In a first phase, 10 computers from Limerick City Co, to be re-used
and provided FREE;
Limerick Community Connect helps setting-up PCs;
IT Support for Community Centres
Limerick Community Connect
DIEGO is made available in Limerick City Libraries
Watch House Cross Library
Watch House Cross and the Regeneration
City Librarians using DIEGO for room bookings
PROsSimple and easy to use web based interface;Easy to integrate existing and new services;A new channel to address the needs of people that otherwise would be marginalized;Usable in areas where literacy is a challenge;
CONsLong term maintenance of infrastructure;Accessible access to information is already provided;Digital exclusion is a product of social exclusion;
Overview
Improved ServicesOngoing evaluation of current set of services;More services to be added based on demand;Ineffective services to be dropped;Long term sustainability to be determined based on overall evaluation;
Improved AvailabilityMILES and St.Mary's Adult Education Centres to be enabled with:
– Touch-screen capabilities;– Open Source technologies for virtual desktops– Long term IT support contracts;
NEXT
Realistic projects for Digital Inclusion are not easy!
1.Technology must be functional
2.Content is critical
3.Public Services need to be modified and simplified
4.Services to be made available in the community;
5.Engagement of Community and Voluntary groups;
6.IT Support in community centres must be ensured;
7.Inter-agency Co-operation is essential;
Lessons learned
simply.limerick.ie
DEMO
James Sweeney