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DESE WEBSITE MODERNIZATION - CURRENT PROCESS
A. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this document is to capture the current end-to-end process for creating, reviewing, approving, and publishing content on the DESE website. As part of the DESE Website Modernization (DWM) initiative, this effort supports the broader capital-funded K–12 Public Information Modernization project by establishing a clear understanding of the existing process.
This document will provide a foundation for future design and implementation by:
· Capturing the current end-to-end content publishing process.
· Defining the current roles, responsibilities, and governance involved in publishing website content.
· Identifying process improvement opportunities points related to search functionality, translation quality, accessibility compliance, content readiness, and ongoing website maintenance.
· Highlighting key opportunities to improve efficiency, streamline workflows, and enhance the overall content publishing experience. Bidders are expected to use their expertise to advise regarding additional opportunities.
· Defining the future-state content publishing and governance model, including self-service capabilities, roles, responsibilities, approvals, and how the future role of the Web Services Team will be transformed from current state.
Terminology Note: The HRiA Final Report uses “Web Team.” In this document, “Web Services Team” refers to the team previously known as the “Web Team,” responsible for delivering website services to DESE users.
B. CURRENT STATE
The DESE website currently consists of approximately 3,000 webpages and 12,000 downloadable documents. More than 54 designated Content Providers across the organization submit content publishing requests to the Web Services Team. While Content Providers are responsible for coordinating requests, triaging work, and ensuring accessibility requirements are met, they are not the final decision-makers for business content. The future-state process and solution should address these pain points relating to the Web Services team capacity. Refer to Attachment A – Background, Goals and Scope of Work for applicable future-state goals and scope.
As part of ongoing content governance efforts, DESE worked with EOE to complete a Redundant, Outdated or Trivial (ROT) analysis, reducing the number of downloadable files from approximately 30,000 to about 12,000. The current content publishing process is primarily driven by 54 Content Providers (CP) designated by DESE to submit content for posting to the Web Services Team. Content authors or program teams are responsible for developing the content, while Content Providers ensure that the content is accurate, current, approved, web-ready, accessible, and aligned with standards before submitting a request through the ServiceNow Web request system.
For standard content updates and routine web requests, the Web Services Team reviews each request for completeness and publishability. The team performs any required web production activities including the HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) updates, validates the accessibility of downloadable files using automated and manual testing methods, and publishes the approved content to the DESE website.
In addition to standard routine requests, the Web Services Team also handles larger content restructures and design projects, and new sub-site requests. These are treated more like projects because they require additional planning, requirements discussion, availability and timeframe review, regular cadence meetings with the business area, and coordination before completion.
When a new sub-site is created, the business manager selects a Content Provider before the sub-site is completed. The Web Services Team then provides orientation and training, grants the Content Provider ServiceNow permissions to access the Web Request catalog task form, and updates the Content Provider list on the SharePoint site.
After publication, Content Providers continue to monitor and maintain their assigned content area. This includes reviewing content for accuracy, identifying ROT content, checking external links, and submitting updates or corrections when needed.
External websites are not allowed. Note: EOTSS (Executive Office of Technology Services and Security) must approve any external applications before linking to it on the DESE website. See EOTSS Domain Policy.
C. EOE IT WEB SERVICES TEAM OVERVIEW
The EOE IT Web Services team supports and manages the DESE website across key areas including UI/UX design, accessibility compliance, digital services (search, translation, forms, analytics, and video), website architecture, and front-end development. The team includes, UIUX Digital Media Program Manager, IT Project Manager, HTML Developer, UI/UX Designers, Front-end developer and a full stack Drupal Developer.
D. CONTENT PROVIDER OPERATIONS
EOE Web Services partners with designated Content Providers across DESE offices and centers to manage website updates. Managers appoint Content Providers to serve as the authorized points of contact for submitting web posting requests (Includes senior manager/director request, EOE Web Services approval, eligibility criteria, and mandatory training). Each Content Provider is assigned responsibility for one or more sub-sites and coordinates with program staff to keep that content accurate, current, approved, and ready for publication. When a change, addition, correction, or removal is needed, the business manager submits the request to EOE Web Services through Email eoewebservices@mass.gov. For questions about the information on a specific sub-site, stakeholders (office or center) should contact the associated Content Provider.
E. HIGH-LEVEL PROCESS STEPS
Becoming an eligible Content Provider
| # |
| Process Step |
| Responsible Role |
| Description |
| 1 |
| Content Provider identified |
| Stakeholder/Program |
| New or replacement Content Provider is identified for an existing or new sub-site. |
| 2 |
| Content Provider change request submitted |
| Senior Manager/Director |
| If this is a replacement, change request is submitted by email to EOE Web Services and must come from a senior manager or director. |
| 3 |
| EOE Web Services reviews Content Provider request |
| EOE Web Services |
| For existing sub-sites, new providers are generally added only if replacing an existing provider. For new sub-sites, approval is case-by-case. |
| 4 |
| Eligibility confirmed |
| EOE Web Services |
| Employees should have worked within the office/program for at least six months; low-activity sub-sites may be grouped under one content provider. |
| 5 |
| Training completed |
| Content Provider Training |
| Approved new Content Provider must attend training before submitting web update requests. |
1) CURRENT AS-IS PROCESS
| # |
| Process Step |
| Responsible Role |
| Description |
| 1 |
| Content need identified |
| Content Provider / Program |
| Program team, content author, Content Provider or Web Services Team (rarely) identifies need for a new page, update, correction, file/media upload, link update, or content removal. |
| 2 |
| Content drafted or updated |
| Content Author/ Content Provider / Program |
| Content author or program area prepares the content/update. |
| 3 |
| Content Provider review |
| Content Provider / Program |
| Content Provider reviews the content and coordinates with the relevant program/content authors if any. |
| 4 |
| Accuracy and currency check |
| Content Provider / Program |
| Content Provider ensures information is accurate, current, relevant, and that outdated content is removed or updated. |
| 5 |
| Web-ready check |
| Content Provider / Program |
| Content Provider verifies format, file size, accessibility basics, style/look-and-feel, and readiness for web publishing. |
| 6 |
| Files/media accessibility review if applicable |
| Content Provider / Program |
| If the request includes PDFs, PowerPoints, images, tables, or other documents, accessibility compliance is confirmed before submission. |
| 7 |
| Agency approvals secured |
| Content Provider / Program |
| Content Provider secures required agency/program approvals before submission. EOE Web Services does not manage the business approvals workflow. |
| 8 |
| Content Provider Initial inquiries/Question/etc. |
| Content Provider/Program |
| If the content provider changes, they can email eoewebservices@mass.gov this is how they could also send other inquiries |
| 9 |
| Request Submitted |
| Content Provider |
| Approved Content Provider submits the posting request via the EOE Web Services Web Request Form in ServiceNow. |
| 10 |
| Request reviewed |
| EOE Web Services |
| EOE Web Service reviews the request for completeness, web-readiness, and publishability. Incomplete requests may be returned for clarification or correction. |
| 11 |
| Priority/Service Level Agreement (SLA) assigned |
| EOE Web Services |
| Requests are prioritized by urgency/type, including emergency, Commissioner’s Office requests typical postings, large attachments/page requests, and new sub-site/reorganization requests. |
| 12 |
| Publish/update/delete content |
| EOE Web Services |
| EOE Web Services performs HTML production and publishes, updates, uploads, or delete content on the DESE Website |
| 13 |
| Confirm live updates |
| Stakeholder/Content Provider |
| Requestor, Content Provider, or program area confirms the live website update is correct. |
2) MAINTENANCE
Content Provider monitors assigned sub-sites monthly, and is responsible for applying the ROT guidelines
| # |
| Process Step |
| Responsible Role |
| Description |
| 1 |
| Maintain live content |
| Production / DESE website |
| Content is live on the DESE website |
| 2 |
| Monthly review |
| Content Provider / Program |
| Content Provider performs monthly content review on assigned content or sub-site monthly. |
| 3 |
| Check content quality |
| Content Provider |
| Content provider checks for accuracy, relevance, ROT, and external links. |
| 4 |
| Identify ROT content |
| Content Provider |
| Content Provider determines whether content is redundant, outdated, or trivial. Note: In some cases, the Web Services Team will also identify these, make corrections and notify the related business managers. |
Work with the Web Services Team to update/remove the content.
| 5 |
| Identify external link issues |
| Content Provider |
| Content Provider determines whether the links are broken, outdated, inappropriate, or non-compliant. |
| 6 |
| Continue monitoring if no issues |
| Content Provider |
| If no ROT or link issue is found, Content Provider continues regular monitoring. |
F. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
| Stakeholder/ Senior Manager / Director |
| Identifies a business need for new content, updates, corrections, removals, or related posting requests. Provides subject matter input and confirms published updates when appropriate. |
Submits Content Provider change requests by email when a new or replacement Content Provider is needed.
| Content Provider |
| Works with program staff to prepare content; ensures accuracy, completeness, approvals, web-readiness, accessibility basics, and ongoing maintenance. Submit requests only after approval/training requirements are met. |
| Agency / Program Approver |
| Approves content before submission when approval is required. |
| EOE Web Services Team |
| The Web Services Team is responsible for approving Content Provider requests, providing orientation and mandatory training, reviewing web requests, tracking requests through completion, maintaining website standards and conventions, supporting layout, design, and user experience consistency, writing HTML, and publishing or updating public-facing DESE website content. |
The Web Services Team may also require retraining when a Content Provider repeatedly submits requests that are incomplete, inaccessible, unclear, or not web ready.
G. KEY CONTROLS
| Approved Content Providers only |
| Permission to initiate posting requests is limited to trained and approved Content Providers. |
| Senior manager/director request |
| Request to add/change Content Provider must come from leadership only |
| Mandatory training |
| New approved Content Providers must attend training before submitting updates. Note: EOE Web services may require existing Content Providers to repeat training if requests are repeatedly not web ready. |
| Accuracy and currency review |
| Ensures DESE website content remains accurate, current, and relevant. |
| Monthly content review |
| Supports removal or correction of outdated or irrelevant content. |
| Agency approval before submission |
| Reduces risk of publishing unapproved public-facing information. |
| Accessibility compliance |
| Ensures PDFs, PowerPoints, images, tables, and other files/media meet Commonwealth accessibility expectations. |
| Central HTML production |
| Only EOE Web Services writes HTML code to ensure conformity with standards and conventions. |
| SLA prioritization |
| Requests are prioritized by type and urgency before processing |
| ServiceNow Request System |
| Provides a formal intake channel for content publishing requests. |
| ROT maintenance |
| Content Providers inspect sites monthly and request to delete/update redundant, outdated, or trivial information. |
| Off-site link monitoring |
| Helps prevent broken, outdated, or irrelevant external links. |
H. VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE AS-IS PROCESS FLOWS
See Attachment C1 - DESE_Current_Process_Diagrams.pdf