kent connects: harnessing open source for shared services and partnership working
DESCRIPTION
Debbie Wisdom, Strategic Director, Kent Connects and Matt Hamilton, Technical Director, Netsight Internet Solutions and international board director of the Plone Foundation.Kent Connects, the lead technology partnership in Kent & Medway, are using Plone Content Management System to provide partners from different public sector organisations with a flexible, virtual online space to collaborate and share information and knowledge via the internet in a secure way. Learn how Kent Connects came to be using Plone and what the benefits, issues and lessons learnt have been in adopting OSS for the partnership. Find out more about Plone, its community of practice and the opportunities it can offer the public sector.TRANSCRIPT
Kent Connects
Harnessing Open Source for Shared Services and Partnership
Working
Debbie WisdomStrategic DirectorKent Connectswww.kentconnects.gov.uk
Matt HamiltonTechnical DirectorNetsight Internet Solutionswww.netsight.co.uk
Presentation Content
Background to Kent
Connects
Our open source journey Requirements Initial development Growing pains Engaging with Netsight The Plone community
Current situation
Kent Connects
Established in 2002
The lead technology partnership in Kent and Medway
Achieving transformation through technology by tackling the barriers to joining up and sharing services
Removing technology as the excuse for not transforming
Kent & Medway
• Partners16
• Population1.6M
• Employees55K
• ICT Staff719
• ICT Budget£64M
•
Internal Dev V1
Nov 06
•
Go Live V1
Feb 07
•
Current Situation
Apr 09
Our Open Source Journey …
COLLABORATE SHARE INFORM LEARN 29
1
Start of the journey …Requirements
a secure
central
informatio
n
store, accessed
via the internet
daily email alerts with links directly to content
powerful search tool
easy and intuitive self-publishing tool
discussion forum
for virtual
conversations
meetings calendar
holding agendas,
minutes and
related information
Plone Content Management System
KCC developed
Tonbridge & Malling BC hosted
Live with 1 portal in Feb 07
Internal Development V1
Our Open Source Journey …
COLLABORATE SHARE INFORM LEARN 29
1
•
Internal Dev V1
Nov 06
•
Go Live V1
Feb 07
•
Current Situation
Apr 09
Growth of the PortalsWho’s benefiting?
Responsibility to portal partners
grew
Development requirements grew
Support arrangements grew
Need for formal hosting grew
Growing pains
Our Open Source Journey …
5
•
Internal Dev V1
Nov 06
•
Go Live V1
Feb 07
•
Current Situation
Apr 09
COLLABORATE SHARE INFORM LEARN 29
10 person Web Development company
Specialising in Plone content management
system
Heavily involved in the Plone Community Director of the Plone Foundation Organise development events Aware of Plone future roadmap
Engaging with NetsightWho are Netsight?
Right ‘fit’ for Kent Connects
Bespoke development
High level of support
Able to handle hosting requirements
Worked with other public sector clients
Engaging with NetsightWhat Netsight offers the public
sector
The Plone Community
Our Open Source Journey …
15
•
Internal Dev V1
Nov 06
•
Go Live V1
Feb 07
•
Current Situation
Apr 09
COLLABORATE SHARE INFORM LEARN 29
By now the number of portals had grown to 15Original architecture had been exceededNeeded a way to roll out ever more portals
quicker (lower admin support) and manage across all portals
New version of Plone (version 3) with newer features, and additional 3rd party add-ons
Better membership management as number of users grew
Portal V2 Development
Open Source is extendable in the way you want, not just in the way the vendor has envisaged
Often requirements surface long after the procurement process e.g. the Software Audit Application to allow the
monitoring of software use throughout the partnership
Bespoke Development
Our Open Source Journey …
29
•
Internal Dev V1
Nov 06
•
Go Live V1
Feb 07
•
Current Situation
Apr 09
COLLABORATE SHARE INFORM LEARN
Current Situation
Portal Partner Costs
Set-up fee: £500-£1000
Administrator training: £0
Annual support: £0
Annual hosting: £0
Kent Connects Costs
Income: £500-£1000 per
portal
Annual support: £1800
Annual hosting: £650
Support: £75 per hour
Development: £750 per day29 Portals 1150 Members 545 Events458 News Items 981 Discussions3800 Files
Current SituationSpin-off Benefit
Portal of Portals
Bird’s eye of meetings across Kent & Medway
A strategic view of partnership and collaborative activities for Chief Executives and senior officers
Our Open Source Journey …
29
•
Internal Dev V1
Nov 06
•
Go Live V1
Feb 07
•
Current Situation
Apr 09
COLLABORATE SHARE INFORM LEARN
Debbie WisdomStrategic DirectorKent Connects01622 221929www.kentconnects.gov.uk
Matt HamiltonTechnical DirectorNetsight Internet Solutions0117 909 0901www.netsight.co.uk
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