Since reading Gerry McGovern’s book The Caring Economy when it came out ten years ago (doesn’t time fly), I’ve been a fan. I don’t always agree with everything he has to say but about web publishing in general he’s frequently correct, although not always on the specifics relating to government.
His latest email newsletter concludes as follows:
“Websites fail when they focus on the content or the technology. We must instead focus relentlessly on our customers’ top tasks. We must measure success based on our customers’ ability to quickly and easily complete these top tasks.”
I’d extend this to all service delivery mechanisms, whether ‘phone, face-to-face or via the Internet. His newsletter describes how the Microsoft Office team improved their site by focusing on the customer and culled a great deal of useless content in the process.
Take a look and subscribe yourself, it only arrives once a week:
http://www.gerrymcgovern.com
The Great E-mancipator 