Technical Consolidation Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure you have addressed as many issues of technical better practice as possible when consolidating websites.

• Have you undertaken a technology audit?

  This should include an audit of existing technology and infrastructure (eg online hosting arrangements, web content management systems, servers) and will help identify opportunities for consolidation and efficiency (eg duplication of resources such as software licences).

• Have you completed a contract and vendor review?

  Web site consolidation may involve changes to contractual arrangements, so it is important to be aware of the current contracts that may be affected and to develop options for change (eg it may be financially beneficial to delay some aspects of consolidation until a particular contract expires).

• Have you reviewed processes?

  A review of current processes to develop, maintain and manage the website will help identify areas which are not properly resourced or have inadequate management controls. This will lead to the establishment of consistent processes agency-wide.

• Have you completed a risk analysis?

  The results of the technology audit and process review enable an assessment of the risks involved in running each website. For example, some websites may be hosted on insecure servers and be vulnerable to hackers, while other websites may have no technical back up. The risks of each website are also measured in relation to overall importance to the agency: a ‘mission critical’ agency website should require greater levels of security and management than a website focused on minor administrative functions with a small audience.

  The risk analysis helps prioritise websites and activities for consolidation, so that the overall risk to the agency is managed.

  Note: risk analysis and management is an ongoing activity.

• Do you have a formal technology plan?

  The technology plan will provide a short-term and long-term plan for consolidating the website technical infrastructure. This usually involves mandating a particular technology and set of processes for all websites, and setting a timeframe for migrating existing websites onto the common platform.

• Do you require new processes and standards development?

  Consolidation usually involves the development and implementation of consistent website standards across the agency.

  The starting point for standards is the Web Publishing Guide that sets the base requirements across government. These standards should then be complemented by any agency-specific standards covering technology, content and management processes.

  Successful implementation of standards requires that:

  • Standards are clearly written and communicated
  • Standards are achievable and can be reasonably met by agency websites within a set timeframe
  • Support is available for the implementation of the standards

  Compliance with the standards is measured and reported on regularly.

• Have you formulated a technology implementation and testing plan?

  The implementation of the technology must allow for adequate testing before websites are switched over so that there is no disruption to service.

• Are you auditing and constraining technical requirements?

  Once a common technical infrastructure has been adopted it is vital to ensure that all websites stay within the infrastructure. Business units may argue that their situation or need is unique and that they should be allowed to go their own way. However for the greater good of the agency, creative solutions to their problems need to be found within the existing infrastructure or through a program of planned enhancements that benefits the agency as a whole.

• Are you able to re-purpose any of the technology?

  The consolidation process could result in some equipment and software licenses becoming redundant. These could be sold-off or re-purposed to ensure that the benefits of consolidation are realised.

• Are any of the sites involved in the consolidation to be decommissioned?

  Consolidation of websites usually results in some websites being decommissioned. This involves:

  • Managing website owners and website staff
  • Communication with stakeholders
  • Impact on existing and new contracts / vendors
  • Archiving and migrating content
  • Managing linked sites
  • Decommissioning/redeployment of software and hardware
  • Decommissioning of the domain name.