eContact
Walk-though And Discussion
with PSCIOC-PSSDC
May 19, 2004
Joint PSCIOC-PSSDC Meeting
1
Version 1.0 Approved by PSCIOCPSSDC Coordinating Committee
Background
2

eContact responds to citizens needs by
directing them to the appropriate
contact/information, regardless of jurisdiction or
location.

Efficiencies in redirection costs across the call
center network can be achieved at the same
time as the citizen is better served.
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Background
3

eContact will look at multi-channel access beginning
with the telephone where an agent provides the link
between the citizen and the required information or
services, and will evolve to a citizen direct web access.

eContact is exploring the use of a Natural Language
Processing (NLP) engine to interpret the citizen’s query
and then locate a similar question from a database of
questions and contact data provided by jurisdictions
across Canada.
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Background


Vision endorsed by PSSDC, Sept 2002
Presented to PSSDC/PSCIOC Feb 2003
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Project Launched April 2003
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Unanimous endorsement by provinces to proceed to pilot
Prioritized project pilot as 1 of 3 projects in 2003-04.
Project governed by inter-jurisdictional SCOM, PSSDC-PSCIOC
Search Engine Analysis Gate, passed Sept 2003
Federal/Provincial/Municipal Funding secured, Oct 2003 (PPA to Mar
2005)
Development of a prototype for pilot implementation June 2004
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
The Challenge
Key aspects include:
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The critical mass that is necessary to make the solution effective
and viable within a geographical area, within and/or across a
jurisdiction;
The degree to which questions from citizens are common across
Canada and to leverage from reuse, regardless of jurisdiction;
The level of complex queries that eContact can resolve to provide
accurate contact information;
The degree to which the NLP can help to close the gap between
government terminology and citizens; and
Understanding effective business models to manage and maintain
the questions and contact information.
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Critical Path
Aprl
Jun
1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Aug
2
Oct
3
Dec
4
5
First Pilot - Manitoba (MB) – Release 1
Second Pilot – Release 1A
Third Pilot – Release 2
•
Data Gate
•
Begin EPA / COTS RFP Development
•
Evolve Bus. Case and Sustainability Model
Fourth Pilot – Citizen Interface – Release 3
Governance
Effective Project Approval
COTS RFP May ’05 Contract Award
September ’05 Operational System
6
Feb
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
6 7
Evolving Intermediation (EI)
Apr
Jun
1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7
Aug
2
Oct
3
4
Dec
5
Feb
6
Cogilex Contribution to EI - Release 1A
RFP - 3 Intermediation Engine Proof of Concept (POC)
Evaluation of POCs using pilot data capture experience
EI - Release 2
Intermediation engine RFP – with Citizen Web Access Specs
Evaluation using Pilot data capture experience
Gate - No Go: Define different approach
Go: EI Release 3
Include Specifications in COTS RFP
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Pilot project

Winnipeg Pilot Scope
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Yukon Pilot Scope
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8
City of Winnipeg
C/MBSC
City of Whitehorse
Service Yukon
HRSDC
Ontario and New Brunswick Pilots
Exploring Federal pilot
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Other Key Activities
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Communications
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Engagement Strategy
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Stakeholders
Organization Structure to Manage Assets
Document Control and Management
Communication Tools
Call Center Targets
Call Center Profiles
Candidates Guide
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Other Key Activities
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Information Management
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Policy review and strategy as they apply across levels of
government.
Preliminary Privacy Impact Assessment
Collect existing FAQs, Contact, and Meta models
Leveraging From FAQs
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Create questions with common language and colloquialism
Subject Matter Expert
Increases data sets
Potential to facilitate data gathering
Comparative Analysis
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10
Engine response
Cost evaluation
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Steering Committee Key Decision Points
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Data Collection and Maintenance Gate - Sept 2004
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Project Go-No Go Gate - Mar 2005
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Pilot Assessment results, sustainability and final go-no go
decision made.
Effective Project Approval Gate - Mar 2005
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11
Review of costs and benefits – basis for a business case
Treasury Board Submission is developed and approved
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Data Collection and Maintenance Gate
• Development of a cost assessment model that
will be populated as a result of pilot activities
• Defining testing models to validate results
• Call Center spectrum of environment
assessment
12
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Evolving the Business Case
Approach:
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
Documentation Review

Develop Evaluation Framework & Plan

Data Collection, Consolidation & Analysis

Improve and repeat with eye on Gate 5
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Evolving the Business Case
eContact Steering Committee
Business Case
EPA
Sustainable
Model
SCOPING
Cost
Technology
Ops/
Bus Plan
Prototype
Function
Bus.
Process
Citizen
Centric
Service
Interface
Usability
COTS
Solution
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Manitoba
Service
Levels
Knowledge
Capture
Yukon
Whitehorse
Service YK
HRSDC
N.B.
Service NB
Ont.
Federal
Province
City
Citizen
Satisfaction
InterJurisdic
tional
From the Perspective
of each Stakeholder
PPA
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Winnipeg
CMBSC
Prototype
Evolving the Business Case
From the Perspective of each Stakeholder
A
1.
Principle Objectives for each
Performance Indicators
2.
What To Measure/Evaluate
3.
How To Measure/Evaluate
C
Cost
Technology
Prototype
Function
Bus.
Process
T
Service
Levels
I
V
Citizen
Centric
Service
Interface
Usability
Knowledge
Capture
Citizen
Satisfaction
InterJurisdic
tional
I
T
I
E
•
•
•
•
S
Pilot/Extrapolation/Estimation
Other (e.g.. Research, Others’
experience)
Quantitative/Anecdotal/
Qualitative
Sometimes even Notional
(e.g. Citizen Experience)
CSF – Active Participation
From Pilot Participants
15
Outcomes: - Efficiency, Effectiveness, - New Outcomes
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Performance Indicators Sample
What to Measure
Accessibility
Accuracy of contact info
Quality Monitoring of Calls
Client Satisfaction
1
How to Measure
Client Complaints Logs
Call Escalation Logs
First Call Resolution
Outcomes
Improved experience
Client satisfaction
1
16
Client means the Enquirer
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Performance Indicators Sample
What to Measure
Service Levels
How to
Measure
Call Duration / Speed of Answer
Number of Calls Handled / Answered
Average after call work time
Agent utilization rate
Accuracy
First Call Resolution
Abandon Rate
Span of Control
Training Time
Changes over up to 4 iterations of pilot
Comparison with national/call centre
Standards and targets
Surveys
Customer Call Backs
Cost per call
Agent Cost
Call Monitoring Scorecard
Outcomes
Tracked through internal systems
17
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Performance Indicators Sample
Cycle Times
Error Rates
What to Measure
Inspection Points
Standards
Other
Data Maintenance
Arbitration
Processes Impacted
Authoritative Source
Query Handling
Data Gathering
Business Processes
How to
Measure
Outcomes
18
Internet based
Intranet based
Paper based
FAQ
Citizen Questions
Baseline data or current process maps
New / changed Process Maps
Structured Interviews
Comparison of old & new
Up to 4 iterations (Measure, improve, repeat)
Changes in Effort
Changes in Responsiveness
Changes in Accuracy
Changes in Client Satisfaction
Lessons Learned
Streamlined Processes
Impact on Direct Costs
Impact on Quality
New Outcomes
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Performance Indicators Sample
Service Improvement Suggestions
What to Measure
Overlap and Redundancy of Services
Knowledge Capture
How to Measure
Interviews
Surveys
Outcomes
Improve Service Delivery
Improve Citizen Satisfaction
19
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
Evolving the Business Case Timeline
Aprl
Jun
1
2
Aug
3 4 4
Oct
4
4
Dec
4
Feb
4
Start Draft Evaluation Framework & Plan
Finalize with Manitoba Pilot Participants
Update Framework & Plan for Release 1A
•
Implement for Release 1A Pilot
•
Data Collection
•
Data Consolidation & Analysis
4.
Report, review Refine Assessment
•
With focus on Gate 5 (Sept)
•
Repeat for Release 2 and 3 with Pilots
5.
Business and operational plan
6.
Effective Project Approval
1.
2.
3.
20
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
56
Project Go/No Go Gate – Mar 2005
Sound Business Case
 Sustainable
 Business and Operational Plan
 Governance

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21
Crossing Boundaries National Council
Organizational options (e.g. Not-for-profit
organization)
Version 1.0 Approved by
PSCIOC-PSSDC Coordinating
Committee
END
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Version 1.0 Approved by PSCIOCPSSDC Coordinating Committee