News

Compuware, NetShift working on community portal

October 13, 2003

TORFAEN BOROUGH, South Wales -- Software and services provider Compuware Corp. has chosen NetShift as one of its strategic partners for a project with Torfaen Borough Council. The £1.1M ($1.8-million U.S.) contract won by Compuware is for the development and deployment of a community portal.

According to a news release, the portal is launching January 2004 as part of a pilot project in the area. It will provide information and services under the headings of Public Service, The Community, and Business. The portal, branded "Webster," is being funded by the European Regional Development Fund, The Welsh National Assembly, The Welsh Development Agency and the borough Council.

Thirty Internet kiosks will be installed across the borough. NetShift will design the user interface, which aims to attract citizens and encourage them to use the kiosk. NetShift will also provide remote-management technology, enabling continual monitoring, fault diagnosis, problem management, content management and reporting.

The portal will operate as a trial for 18 months. The release said the council is already exploring funding opportunities to sustain the portal beyond the trial.

Public-sector organizations will be able to provide and maintain content and interactive services via an easy-to-use content management interface.

These groups will receive at least one PC, a broadband Internet connection where available, an e-mail account, access to two community outreach workers and a training program free of charge.

Businesses will have similar incentives to provide content for the portal, the release said. Chat rooms and discussion boards will also be formed to encourage community groups and business to share ideas. A teaching and learning section will deliver information of interest to teachers, students, parents and training organizations.

"Being in the position of prime contractor for this project meant that we needed to be sure that not only the price of the kiosk solution was competitive, but it also had to be of the highest quality and reliability," said Steve Jobson, vice president for the UK and Ireland at Compuware Ltd.

"NetShift demonstrated a thorough understanding of how to build, deploy and run kiosks in a local government environment."