GovCMS is an open source (free to use) content management system (CMS) which provides users the ability to create, host and publish digital content. It was designed to
- Be accessible to all levels of Australian government organisations.
- Make it easier and more affordable for Australian government organisations to create high quality and compliant websites.
- Remove the barriers that prevented different government digital teams from working collaboratively together.
- Streamline government digital service delivery.
Users
Individuals or organisations who use GovCMS to create websites and digital content.
Why GovCMS?
Before GovCMS was created, there were many content management systems in use across all levels of government. This resulted in an ineffective use of resources and duplication of activities. For example, if one agency made a security improvement to the underlying system of their website, this would need to be replicated across the websites of all other related agencies.
Now with GovCMS, all agencies have access to the same robust system – meaning more efficient delivery and management of online content. If one agency creates a particular style of website, other agencies won’t need to start from scratch to replicate it. Instead, they can extend what already exists or reuse what another agency has built.
Another benefit to having the same access to one platform is the overall reduction of cost in terms of time and money. Being open source, GovCMS is free to use and modify. Users therefore don’t need to pay a licensing fees for this software. Furthermore, being able to use previously built or existing web templates helps users avoid spending more time than necessary building their digital experiences.
The Components of GovCMS
The term “GovCMS’ can be used interchangeably to mean the whole solution or its separate elements. That is,
- The GovCMS Software
- The GovCMS Platform
- The GovCMS Lead Government Agency
It’s important to be aware of these different elements, and to clarify the context when discussing GovCMS with colleagues and clients.
Software
GovCMS is a distribution of a powerful software called Drupal. It was built using Drupal Core along with additional features specific to Australian government website requirements. For example, themes, modules, libraries and installation profiles.
Drupal
A commonly used CMS which is used to build and maintain websites. It was chosen by the Australian Government as the foundation for GovCMS as it is open source (free to use), extremely customisable and provides a high degree of security. Being based off Drupal, the GovCMS application therefore carries these same features. Consequentially, users who have previously used Drupal would intuitively know how to use GovCMS.
The GovCMS software can be downloaded from GitHub by any public user. However, only government agencies can register to use the GovCMS platform.
Platform
The GovCMS platform is what is used to host websites. It delivers the user’s web content and makes it available on the internet. The GovCMS platform includes tools to maintain and customise the underlying GovCMS application as well as 24/7 technical support.
Government agencies need to register with the GovCMS platform in order to have their website hosted. They do not need to register with the platform to use the GovCMS software or to access hosted websites.
Lead Government Agency
The GovCMS Lead Government Agency sits within the Department of Finance. This team is responsible for developing and maintaining the distribution of GovCMS in Australia. Importantly, this team also provides technical support as required by users who have registered to the GovCMS platform. For example, onboarding users to the platform, managing web protection and security accreditation, and compliance against the relevant standards.
In short, the aim of the GovCMS team is to take all the hard work out of using a CMS and assist users. Note, that the GovCMS does not actually build and maintain the website for users. If they don’t already have this skillset, users can seek developers externally or they can put in a request through the Drupal Services Panel – a collection of GovCMS approved specialists with the skills to work with Drupal and GovCMS.
Need a developer?
With over 5 years experience working with GovCMS, Interserv can help you. The diagram below illustrates how the components of GovCMS work together and how we can assist.
Interserv works with government agencies to build their website and maintain it on the GovCMS platform. The website is created using the GovCMS software, which can be accessed externally outside of the GovCMS platform.
In addition, government agencies (and subsequently their developers such as Interserv) who have registered their website on the GovCMS platform can access technical support from the GovCMS team.
