The SDS blog

Our Voice Discovery Research explores the current uses of smart speakers and the potential benefits of using smart speakers to access council services.

SDS has compiled a list of useful applications for SMS notifications in local government.

Website accessibility regulations came into force on 23 September 2018. This means that public sector bodies have a legal obligation to meet accessibility requirements for their websites.

We have been busy converting our workshops and training sessions into bitesize videos. These videos are freely available to all our partners and can be tailored to meet your specific training needs.

Three local authorities share with us some of their digital responses to COVID-19 followed by a discussion of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

We have researched the key market leaders in payment solutions and found that GOV.UK pay meets many of the user needs we have identified.

SDS are exploring the viability of voice technology within local government. The first phase of the project focused on discovery research, outlining current market trends, uses and demographics.

SDS have completed a book and pay project on behalf on the London Borough of Bexley. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, SDS used a new online tool to enable the team to facilitate process capture workshops virtually. Using this tool,...

Here is a quick summary of the recent public webinar we delivered on mastering online documents.

Ashford Borough Council commissioned SDS to work on their existing IVR system to ensure that users were getting the best experience from the service provided.

We are working with lots of our partners to help them prepare for the accessibility deadline by carrying high-level audits, assessing current PDFs for accessibility and training staff.

SDS recently caught up with Paul Shepherd, CEO of We Build Bots, to find out how they are supporting Local Authorities and the wider Public Sector with their COVID 19 bot.

SDS have collated a list of the top Skype for Business tips to ensure effective remote working, business continuity and staff wellbeing. With more people remote working during the coronavirus crisis, take a look at our top tips to explore...

JAWS reads aloud what's on the PC screen and gives the user a unique set of intelligent tools for navigating and accesses Web pages and all screen content.

SDS hope you are all keeping well and staying safe. Here at SDS we are doing our best to progress with all our projects whilst working from home. We can be contacted over Skype, email or telephone. The team is...

Waverley Borough Council (WBC) is currently reviewing how they respond to customer enquiries and rebuilding processes, putting the customer at the heart.

SDS recently attended the first meeting of the Smart Kent and Medway working group. We discussed some potential pilot projects we could work together on, all of which utilise information and technology to improve outcomes for residents.

The LGA Behavioural Insights Programme has just announced the 8 councils who were granted £20,000 to develop behavioural insights and new ways to nudge residents’ behaviour. A positive change in residents’ behaviour can reduce the pressure on strained councils. The...

You may recently have seen a report issued by automated accessibility checker Sitemorse on Accessibility across local authority websites. The report sets out the position as at Q4/2019 across the sector and examines how local authorities are managing the timeline...

As 2019 comes to an end, we have been reflecting on our busy year. Catherine returned from maternity leave, we gained a new project administration assistant, Rebecca, built our new website, attended round-tables and conferences and we have continued to...