We’ve just revamped the website for the Common Web Platform (CWP), a platform as a service for NZ government sites. The new Wātea theme is used and there are major changes to the information architecture and design of the website.
Milestones
Since the launch in 2013, CWP has truly become the web platform of choice for New Zealand’s public sector. Both central and local government agencies have enjoyed many benefits of the shared open source software and secure hosting. The platform has provided them with an excellent tool to build accessible, secure and feature-rich sites. Whether it’s a website, an intranet, or an open data system, CWP has proved to be a robust platform to develop on.
After 3 years, there are now over 200 sites running on CWP and more than 50 participating agencies. So far, cost savings in security and certification from the platform for the NZ government are estimated at over $4 million. CWP has also won the best tech solution for the public sector in the high-tech awards 2016.
The new CWP website homepage.
Site changes
A new theme
The new CWP website uses the Wātea theme. This theme has recently been developed to include many design elements that help smaller agencies get their sites up and running quickly. It is ideal for agencies with smaller sites and smaller budgets because it requires minimal developer involvement.
New features
We’ve reorganised the features section of the website. Now you can see the main software features, as well as service features – the ones that agencies really care about whilst maintaining their sites on a day-to-day basis.
Plans
A plans section has been added to assist agencies in deciding what suits them best. Details of each plan are provided in one single view. Also included on the page is information on building a financial case for site development and how to request pricing.
Showcases
CWP users have told us that they wanted to know who is using CWP and what the sites may look like. We have taken this feedback into account and added a range of showcases that are built on CWP. You can now see what agencies are using CWP and what types of sites are running on this platform.
The new CWP showcases page.
What’s next for CWP and its website?
The next phase of this rebuild will see some enhancements in the ‘working with CWP’ section. We are planning to redesign it into a ‘CWP journey’ section where you can get all the information and guidance on using the platform – from building a business case to maintaining a live site.
CWP is constantly improving and growing with a dedicated open source product team now delivering new features as part of the co-fund development pool.
We are also working on meeting the Web Accessibility Standard over the next couple of months.
If you are an NZ government agency and want to enjoy the benefits that the platform has to offer, do not hesitate to contact the CWP team!
