https://dataingovernment.blog.gov.uk/the-queens-awards-for-enterprise-self-certification-2/
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise - Self Certification
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is a replacement service for an existing 100% digital service that enables UK businesses, including those based in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, to apply for a corporate award recognising their outstanding achievement in:
- Innovation
- International Trade
- Sustainable Development
There is also an award for individuals, The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion, which individuals are nominated for to recognise their outstanding role in promoting the growth of business enterprise and/or entrepreneurial skills in others.
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise competition is run annually and applications and nominations can be made from April to September. Following this, entrants are assessed and shortlisted, with recommendations made by the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee. Winners are decided by Her Majesty the Queen and announced each April.
Department / Agency:
BIS
Date of Assessment:
1/4/2015
Assessment Stage:
Beta
Lead Assessor:
J. Jones
Service Manager:
L. Stephens
Digital Leader:
T. Knighton
Assessors Summary
After consideration the assessment panel have concluded that the service has sufficiently met the Digital by Default Service Standard to launch as a Beta service.
The panel recognise that the service is low volume, expecting around 500 applications to be made during the time limited period of April to September 2015.
The panel was impressed by the service team’s thorough preparation and their presentation, and by the progress made since the alpha assessment in December.
Particular areas of strong performance against the standard included:
- Frequent and ongoing user research, testing used to good effect to improve the service, and examples given of how this has challenged and changed the design. For example, inclusion of the eligibility checker at the start of the application, the option to include a collaborator and the ability of users to edit applications, even those submitted, right up to the deadline.
- Use of open standards and open source code; the team have made use of open source code and contributed their own.
- Collaborative working across the team and different locations (using Podio).
- Although not a mobile first service, the service is responsive, and BrowserStack has been used to test on a variety of devices (Blackberry to be investigated).
- Substantial development in the areas of data analytics and performance analytics, with robust plans for use of the Performance Platform.
However, the panel also identified a number of areas for further development:
- Content requires further review to ensure it is clear and succinct, and that terminology is easily understood by the user. For example, the consent and declaration appears very text heavy and consideration should be given to shortening this section. More use of collapsible text should also be considered.
- Confirm with the Data Protection Officer the sensitivity of the personal data held.
- Service Manager to further develop her skills and experience by completing the GDS training course, and to consider more widely promoting the service through show and tells as there is a good story to tell.
- Further consideration should be given to how identity assurance might be incorporated into the application process rather than later at the assessment stage, and how sharing of data could further remove some current process steps.
- Consider further how changes will be made during beta, and work with BIS and GDS to develop a plan for progression to Live, given that the end-to-end service (application and assessment) will not be completed until April 2016.
- Develop a more formal process / journey for assisted digital.
In particular the following should be completed prior to beta launch:
- Review guidance on cookie policy and ensure compliance.
- Carry out additional penetration on receipt of SSL certification.
- Finalise GOV.UK start and end pages.
Results Against the Digital by Default 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 | Yes | 16 | Yes |
| 17 | Yes | 18 | Yes |
| 19 | Yes | 20 | Yes |
| 21 | Yes | 22 | Yes |
| 23 | Yes | 24 | Yes |
| 25 | Yes | 26 | N/A |
| Details of criteria that are not applicable to this service |
| 26 - not applicable to service with fewer than 100k transactions p.a. |
