https://dataingovernment.blog.gov.uk/rod-catch-returns-self-certification/
Rod Catch Returns – Self Certification
Self Certifications are run internally by each department, organised through their responsible Digital Leader. The Digital Leader will certify the service meets the Digital by Default service standard criteria. The Self Certification process is currently in Alpha, and will continue to be iterated on. Services with over 100,000 transactions a year will continue to be assessed by GDS.
Anglers are required by law to complete salmon and sea trout catch returns by 31 December each year; if they fished, how much fishing they did and what they caught. 35,000 rod licence owners will be eligible to use the service.
25,000 rod catch returns are currently returned annually. The online service will aim to increase number of returns received up to 80%, improve data accuracy and reduce the costs of managing the existing service, although the online service will only partly replace the current paper returns form.
Department / Agency:
DEFRA / EA
Date of Submission:
26/03/2014
Moving to:
Beta
Lead Assessor:
S. Lang
Service Manager:
A. Sadler
Digital Leader:
I. Trenholm
Assessors Summary:
The Rod Catch Return (RCR) team provided very good responses to the questions on the 26 GDS Digital by Default criteria and were able to demonstrate that they had followed Agile methodology.
However the assessment team noted that user centred design was introduced late into the project, and early iterations were only tested with internal staff. Only during later sprints were a wider external group engaged to test prototypes remotely, although the team have made very good progress with these users.
A number of bugs and usability issues were noted when the Alpha service was demonstrated during the assessment. The RCR team have since responded quickly to deal with priority actions. The updated service will be demonstrated to the assessment team again on 25/03/14. The other issues identified should not be considered show stoppers and therefore wouldn’t prevent the service going live, as long as the RCR team remain committed to addressing them.
There are minor concerns over the clarity of a plan for continuous improvement, especially as there are now a number of items in the project backlog. Although the assessment team have passed the criteria for CI and there is a budget allocated, the RCR Service Manager will need to demonstrate clearly how CI is working in practice when the service applies to move into Live. They have also agreed to provide a statement to the assessment team on their CI plan.
The assessment team recommend to the Digital Leader that the RCR service moves to Live Beta.
Digital by Default Service Standard criteria
| Criteria | Passed | Criteria | Passed |
| 1 | Yes | 2 | Yes |
| 3 | Yes | 4 | Yes |
| 5 | Yes | 6 | Yes |
| 7 | Yes | 8 | Yes |
| 9 | Yes | 10 | Yes |
| 11 | Yes | 12 | Yes |
| 13 | Yes | 14 | Yes |
| 15 | No | 16 | Yes |
| 17 | Yes | 18 | Yes |
| 19 | Yes | 20 | Yes |
| 21 | N/A | 22 | N/A |
| 23 | N/A | 24 | Yes |
| 25 | Yes | 26 | Yes |
| Details of criteria that are not applicable to this service |
| 15 – No. Publishing Environment Agency source code is an outstanding issue with the EA and waiting on a Corporate decision |
