In Digital Transformation, we’re on a mission to make our digital services clear, helpful, and easy to use. Not all webpages need moving elements or images to engage people; in fact, this can often be distracting, especially if you use a mobile (as most of our users do!). For the majority of our services, residents just want to do what they need to do and move on with their day, satisfied that they have checked one more thing off their list.
To make this happen, we match each service with the digital approach that fits it best. This is generally done in the kick-off or Discovery phase. Below are some examples of the different criteria we use.
- Core
- Behaviour change
- Lead Partner
- Unique functionality
- Campaign
- Partnership
Our Core Offer – Our standard
Think of this as our “classic recipe”. The bread and butter of what we do as a Council. For example: Bins, recycling and waste
Our core offer is designed for services where people need things like:
- information or advice
- to report something
- to make a payment
- to trust that they are dealing with their Council
Our core offer is designed for services that:
- are an internal service (e.g. Council Tax)
- are the responsible authority (e.g. Adult Social Care)
- do not have their own branding (not everything needs its own identity!)
We build these using our standard service template – tested, iterated, and shaped by real users.
Change Behaviours – Inspiring people to engage with something
Maybe we’re encouraging healthier lifestyles, supporting greener living, or spreading awareness as part of a wider campaign.
For these moments, we bring out different components that help us tell a story, all while keeping the journey familiar and accessible. This often does not require its own microsite, but is better off sitting within our core offer as a subsite. For example: Climate and Ecological Emergency
Great for:
- encouraging behaviour change
- inspiring or energising users
- internal services
- when we are the responsible authority
Lead Partner – Working together
Sometimes, Somerset Council isn’t working alone – we’re sometimes a lead partner or part of a wider board. e.g. with the NHS or other authorities.
In these cases, we mix and match components from our core and behaviour‑change offers.
If needed, we can also adjust branding and styling so the service feels like a true shared effort. For example: Somerset’s SEND Local Offer
Perfect for:
- users or services with specific or unique needs
- users who want confidence that they are dealing with Somerset Council and/or partners
- Services that do have their own branding (This needs to be approved by the communications team)
- partnerships or boards
Lead Partner (Unique Functionality)
Occasionally, a project needs something extra special, and it is not suitable to sit on the main Somerset website because it requires:
- unique features
- bespoke components
- a different kind of user journey
- its own domain and hosting
This usually comes out of Discovery, where users’ needs guide us toward something more custom. It’s a bigger build and will require proper user research, analysis and time to develop something that works. For example: Somerset Domestic Abuse
Campaign Sites – When you want to capture attention – long term
Campaign sites are all about grabbing attention – bold visual design, compelling calls to action, and layouts to explore.
We still use our design components, but we loosen the styling so the site can show some personality. For example: Smokefree Somerset.
Ideal for services that want to:
- reach specific or hard‑to‑engage groups
- have a marketing strategy
- have their own branding
- drive behaviour change or awareness
Partnership or Traded Services
When Somerset Council is not the lead partner, the approach changes slightly.
These services often:
- have their own brand
- need their own domain and hosting (budget must be considered)
- operate as traded or enterprise services
We still ensure consistency, accessibility, and good design – we just do it in a way that supports a shared identity rather than a council‑first one.
“Can I commission design independently?”
Short answer: No
Somerset Council can bring in external designers – but everything must go through the Digital and Communications Teams first. That means:
- brand consistency
- accessibility as a standard
- no rogue colour palettes
We are not here to say “no” – we are here to help make sure everything we produce is attractive, usable and compliant.
In short
Whether it’s a simple information page or a fully blown campaign website, we will make it work for services and residents of Somerset in a cost-effective, accessible, appealing and sustainable way
If you’ve got a project or you’re not sure which offer your service sits in, submit a request via Request support from the Digital Transformation Team – Somerset Council
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