Adur & Worthing councils are implementing a platform-based approach to address fragmented user journeys and outdated systems, aiming for better management of transactions involving citizens, businesses, and places. This strategy includes the use of case management to facilitate interactions across various communication channels and improve service delivery. By selecting the right tools, the councils hope to centralize data, streamline processes, and reduce costs while enhancing overall service efficiency.

1. Local Government-
as-a-Platform
In partnership with A&W

2. Local Government-as-a-Platform
Like many other Local Authorities, Adur & Worthing (A&W) Councils, were struggling with disjointed
user journeys due to department silos, vertically focused business processes and inflexible,
outdated systems. This has left them with a complex, fragmented and expensive architecture that
cannot respond to evolving user and business needs.
We have been working with A&W to design and deliver a platform-based approach to building new
end-to-end digital services in the context of their complex legacy environment.
Like many other Local Authorities, Adur & Worthing (A&W) Councils were struggling with disjointed user
journeys caused by department silos, vertically focused business processes and inflexible, out-dated
systems. This has left them with a complex, fragmented and expensive architecture was unable to
respond to evolving user or business needs.
Methods Digital have been working with A&W to design and deliver a platform-based approach to
building new end-to-end digital services in the context of their complex legacy environment.

3. Local Governmennt IT
There are a number of issues with the legacy technology
Data Silos High Cost
Excessive External Support Resource Intensive &
Specialist Knowledge
Long Contracts Onsite Infrastructure Inflexible Processes
Outdated TechDifficult to Integrate
Limited Access Complex Upgrades &
Change Management

4. Legacy Architecture Landscape

5. Any Device, Any Time,
Any Where
Simplified Upgrades &
Change Management
Interoperable
(E.g. Open APIs)
Latest Tech
Cloud Infrastructure Configurable Processes
Shared Data Lower Costs
Ecosystems Built on Open Standards
Secure Flexible ‘as-a-service’
Contracts
Digital Technology Opportunities

6. Platform Architecture Landscape

7. There are 3 core building blocks for managing transactions across a Local Authority.
Getting these right is integral to the platform approach.
Core Components
Platform Approach
People Businesses Places
I.e. Citizens, Internal Staff,
External Staff etc.
I.e. Commercial, 3rd Sector,
Public Bodies etc.
I.e. Address, GIS Coordinate
or GIS Polygon
iii
There are three core building blocks for managing transactions across a local authority.
Getting these right is integral to the platform

8. Cases
I.e. Complaint, Green Bin
Request, Information Enquiry
etc.
Platform Approach
The complex array of interactions between
various types of People, Businesses and
Places need to be managed centrally on
the platform. This is achieved by using
Cases to record interactions between each
component.
E.g. A Green Bin Request Case is raised by
John Smith for his house, 10 Highstreet Rd.
This is delivered by Tony Marsh who works
for Green Bin Ltd.
i
e
Managing Interactions
a

9. Using Cases to manage interactions
between People, Businesses and
Places means that everyone with
access to a platform can interact and
collaborate on delivering services for
citizens and businesses.
Managing interactions
Platform Approach
Managing Interactions

10. Web Social Email Text Phone Letters
Interaction Channels
Platform Approach
Interactions with People and Businesses can be conducted across a variety of channels
throughout the lifecycle of a Case. It is important that a platform fully supports the
required capabilities to centrally manage interactions across these channels
ManualAutomated
.

11. Request
Information
Report
Issues
Book
Services
Submit
Applications
Pay for
Services
Transactions with People and Businesses can be roughly categorised into these Case
types. It is important that a platform fully supports the required capabilities to centrally
manage these types of transactions.
Platform Approach
Types of Transactions

12. Core Citizen Platform Capabilities
Types of Transactions
To support these centralised interactions and various transaction types, Local Government
will need the flowing core capabilities.
Online Booking
Information
Publishing
Automated
Notifications
Case
Management
Service
Catalogue
Reports
& Dashboards
Application
Forms
Citizen
Portal
Document
Creation
SLA
Management Payments Audit History
Customer
Selfsevice
Open Data
Publishing
Workflow
Management
Inspection
Assessment
Performance
Management Intergration
To support these centralised interactions and various transactions types,
Local Government will need the following core capabilities.

13. Platform Technology
Picking the right tools
Councils need to pick a tool that can manage these interactions, centralise
communication channels and support service transactions by using core
capabilities.
Core
Capabilities
Manage
Transactions
Manage
Channels
Manage
Interactions
Councils need to pick a tool that can manage these interactions, centralise
communication channels and support service transactions by using core
capabilities.
Picking The Right Tools

14. Platform Technology
Salesforce & MatsSoft
Councils need to pick a tool that can manage
these interactions, centralise communication
channels and support service transactions by
using core capabilities.

15. Digital Technology
Salesforce Benefits
Centralised
Shared Data
Model
Best of Breed Contact
Centre Functionality
Built on Open StandardsMature Ecosystem
Software-as-a-Service
Contracts
Cloud Infrastructure
Latest TechInteroperable
(E.g. Open APIs)
User Interface
Designed for
Telephone
Interactions
Managed Quarterly
Upgrades

16. Shared Data Affordable
Platform Tool
Rapid Development
Timescales
Affordable
Internal Skill Set
(I.e. Low
developer skills
needed)
Software-as-a-Service
Contracts
Secure Cloud
Infrastructure
Interoperable
(E.g. Open APIs)
Mobile Responsive
Design
(I.e. Any Device, Any
Time, Any Where)
Simplified Upgrades &
Change Management
Latest Tech
Configurable Processes
Digital Technology
MatsSoft Benefits

17. methodsdigital.co.uk
info@methods.co.uk
020 7240 1121
16 St. Martin’s Le Grand
London EC1A 4EN
Local Government-as-a-Platform by James Herbert, Sean Tubbs (Methods Digital) and Paul Brewer (Adur & Worthing Council) is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Local Government-as-a-Platform by James Herbert, Sean Tubbs (Methods digital) and Paul Brewer (Adur & Worthing Councils) is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.