1. Microsoft Citizen Service Platform
Empowering Governments to Serve Citizens
Contoso Personas

2. LRG Personas - Introduction
Microsoft’s vision for “People-Ready Local Government” is that people drive the key things that make local government work and enable it to deliver high quality, value-for-money services to its citizens.
This presentation provides a series of twelve “customer personas” for local and regional government (LRG) organisations. These have been developed to help Microsoft field and sales teams to engage more easily with the LRG marketplace and to support the development of marketing materials.
In order to put each persona into context, simplified structure charts are included that show where these personas fit into an LRG organisation.
A more detailed report that includes an introductory profile of a typical LRG (Contoso City Council) has also been developed to complement this presentation.

3. LRG Personas – Examples
The following personas are included:
Mayor
Elected Representative (Councillor)
Chief Executive
Director of Finance/ Treasurer
Service Manager (Generic)
Social Worker
Building Inspector
Building Maintenance officer
Economic Regeneration Manager
Contact Centre Agent
Contact Centre Manager
Auditor

4. Allan - the Mayor & Council Leader
Personal Profile
Allan is in his early 40s and has a background in business. He has been involved in local politics for about ten years and was elected Mayor three years ago. He has very strong communication skills and a vision for a modern dynamic Contoso. He is popular with most staff and many citizens, but his forceful style and high public profile has upset some of the older member of staff and an influential group in his own political party. His immediate aim is to get re-elected in twelve months time.
Key Responsibilities
Political leadership of the City Council
Public accountability for the delivery of services
Setting the “vision” for future development
Balancing service level against the taxation citizens are willing to pay.
Determining priorities
Working with partner organisations in the public and private sectors.
Key Challenges
Make a visible difference within the 4 years between elections.
Deliver better services without increasing costs.
Improve standards in education, social care, housing and transport
Provide a safe environment in which people want to live and work.
Persuade businesses to move to Contoso and expand economy
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Regular high-level performance management information; details of “emerging issues”; latest press coverage; significant programme variances; and rapid answers to questions from the press and public.
Work Patterns
He is effectively “on call” 24x7. A PA manages his diary and ensures that he has the right papers. He travels widely and seems to be constantly in meetings, on the telephone, or travelling between meetings.
Perform-ance Metrics
Major budget variances.
Complaints
Compliance with governmenttargets.
Press coverage
Progress on key projects
Other Useful Information
Allan is a relatively young and technology savvy mayor. Not all mayors are as advanced in their understanding of the potential for using technology.
Typical application Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
and calendar on laptop, office desktop and windows mobile phone. Corporate information systems. Allan has also recently started a Mayor’s blog.
Allan wants to communicate better with voters and get more citizens “engaged” with the council. He sees that potentially Web 2.0 and wants more advice on how these can help. He is also looking for better ways to manage his time and information needs.

5. Typical application Used Today Likely Future applications Needed
Margot – the Elected Representative (Councilor)
Personal Profile
Margot was elected as a councillor 3 years ago. During the day she teaches modern languages at a private college. She describes local politics as her “hobby.” She became a councillor because she is concerned about the local environment. She shops and banks online, and regularly uses social networking sites. She has her own website and produces a monthly e-newsletter for her constituents
Key Responsibilities
Representing the people in her local area.
Responding to constituents enquiries.
Holding “drop-in surgeries” for constituents
Participating in the governance and management of the council.
Explaining council policy to local people.
Key Challenges
Finding the time to listen to local people, their needs and views.
Understanding and keeping track of all that the council is doing.
Fitting in all the meetings and finding time to read all of the reports
Keeping up-to-date on local issues.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Access to the council’s intranet to for policies and reports.
Maps of the local area.
Information on local schools and services.
Regular updates from her political group on key issues in the news.
Work Patterns
Covers her duties as a councillor mainly during evenings and weekends, with occasional day time meetings, if she can get time-off work to attend. She estimates that she spends about 25 hours a week working as a councillor.
Performance Metrics
Number of surgeries conducted
Number of constituent enquiries
Other Useful Information
Typical application Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
Word processing and on home PC. Uses a laptop and mobile phone to keep in touch and pick-up information when away from home.
An elected member’s blog; E-petitions; Online line surgeries – effectively “web chats” with one or more constituents; E-Consultation and e-surveys; Web casting and pod casting; E-voting.

6. Typical application Used Today Likely Future applications Needed
Oliver – the Chief Executive
Personal Profile
Oliver has a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm which those around him find infectious. He is quick to see the potential for using technology but insists on a clear “business case” before agreeing to investment decisions. He wants to develop a long term strategic partnerships with a major IT supplier as he sees this as a way of bringing in extra skills and expertise, and helping to build a reputation for Contoso as a World Class City. He is a tough negotiator who drives a hard bargain and expects a lot from his “partners.” He believes that technology should be quick to implement, simple to learn, fast to operate and self financing.
Key Responsibilities
To work with the Mayor and council to develop a vision for the future .
To provide the leadership, drive and management necessary to achieve the City’s plans, pledges, policies and priorities.
To ensure that the Council is organized efficiently and effectively to deliver excellent customer focused services.
A budget of over $1.8 billion and 7000 employees.
An advocate and ambassador locally, nationally and internationally.
Key Challenges
Meeting statutory obligations across all services.
Balancing longer term strategic planning against shorter term pressures.
Monitoring and driving a wide range of different projects.
Working closely with and supporting the Mayor and politicians, whilst remaining politically impartial.
Being constantly highly contactable to the right people.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Constant access to diary, which is continuously changing.
Access to key council wide metrics and alerts to any changes
Regular financial and non financial reports on key projects, services and performance indicators.
Work Patterns
The working day is very variable and he is highly mobile. He will travel around the city and makes frequent visits to the capital.
Lots of meetings and networking. His PA screens and prioritizes communications and activities.
Performance Metrics
FKPIs on key projects and services,
Details of major variances, reasons for variances, remedial actions taken and likely impact on planned performance for the year.
Other Useful Information
Most chief executives considered their skills to be political impartiality and the capacity to manage complex institutions and projects.
Typical application Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
Uses a mobile phone and PDA. Needs constant access to s. He is in almost continuous contact with his PA and will dictate letters notes and s while travelling, or will pass hand written notes to type up and action. Uses a laptop sometimes review bulky documents and to access the corporate intranet.
A digital dashboard with key performance data and automatic alerts that can be accessed via a SMART phone as well as a PC. Simple but powerful BI tools to rapidly access information anywhere in the council’s systems.

7. Typical application Used Today Likely Future applications Needed
Sue – the Director of Finance & Resources
Personal Profile
Sue is a qualified accountant and runs a directorate of over 350 staff. She is ultimately responsible for balancing the budgets and ensuring that expenditure is properly authorized and accounted. To do this well she needs to be tough, resilient, creative and to work well with the Mayor, the politicians and her colleagues. She thinks of technology in terms “tools”; she doesn’t want to know “how” they work, she just want to understand the benefits that are available and the savings that can be achieved in terms of time and money.
Key Responsibilities
Advising the City Council on financial matters.
Directing and coordinating budgeting.
Supervising accounting, billing and revenue collection.
Responsibilities include HR, ICT and Property Management.
Compliance with legal and good practice accounting requirements.
Key Challenges
Risk management and monitoring
To deliver more services, to a higher quality, without increasing taxes
Performance management of the organisation, staff and resources.
Reducing the costs and time taken to procure goods and services.
Making HR, ICT, Finance and Property more customer focused.
Working with the Head of ICT to develop and agree the ICT strategy.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Timely information on expenditure, budgets, variances, & forecasts.
Benchmarking data and key performance indicators.
Reviewing council reports to advise on financial consequences.
Work Patterns
Mainly office based, spends a lot of time in meetings and monitoring projects. Some travel between offices and regular visits to the capital city to meet advisers, central government officials and professional associates.
Perform-ance Metrics
Performance against budgets.
Cash flow
Key performance
Progress reports on key projects
Efficiency Savings achieved
Other Useful Information
Typical application Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
Financial management/ERP system; , Word & Excel; BI tools;
Smart phone and laptop.
Full integration of finance, HR, CRM, procurement and performance management systems across the whole organisation. Powerful BI tools to assist planning, data mining, monitoring and improved performance management.

8. Typical applications Used Today Likely Future applications Needed
Tom – the Service Manager (generic)
Personal Profile
Tom has a relaxed and friendly style. He has managed a lot of different council functions and regards himself as a generic service manager. He is constantly looking for better and more cost effective ways of delivering services He starts by reviewing what the services are trying to achieve and the processes used. Then, working with his team, he tries to improve productivity, reduce the time taken to complete tasks and to cut out any wastage. He is open to using technology to support new ways of working.
Key Responsibilities
Ensure effective management arrangements to achieve the council’s objectives and plans.
Ensure services are customer-focused and meet needs of local people.
Provide high level guidance to elected members and Directors.
Lead, manage, motivate and empower staff.
Ensure information is managed effectively to achieve key objectives
Key Challenges
Improving the quality of services whilst reducing costs.
Motivating staff when they are asked to do more and different tasks.
Understanding what customers and citizens want and expect.
Experimenting with new ideas without disrupting existing services.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Details of availability, scheduling and productivity of staff.
Feedback from service users and citizens on needs and satisfaction.
Costing and benchmarking data.
Work Patterns
Spends about 60% of his time office based and the remainder of the time is spent meeting up with his teams of workers, monitoring performance and reviewing existing working practices.
Perform-ance Metrics
Performance compared to SLAs
Expenditure v budget.
Staffing and sickness levels.
Complaints
Variances
Other Useful Information
This is a generic service manager which could cover services like highways, planning, leisure, street cleaning, pest control, parks and open spaces.
Typical applications Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
Word, , excel, time recording, Finance and HR systems, Desk top, cell phone and PDA.
Integrated time recording, appraisal, budgeting and performance management tools. Linking tasks, service locations, and resources (vans and plant) to GIS to see work patterns and track resource usage. More support for mobile and flexible working. RFID tagging of materials and plant to track utilization and automate stores ordering.

9. Typical applications Used Today Likely Future applications Needed
Natasha – the Social worker
Personal Profile
Natasha’s is in her mid thirties, she is part of team providing social care for adults. She is people-focused, caring, unflappable, resilient and diligent. She can “do the basics on the computer”, but is not an IT enthusiast. Her job is to provide social care for some of the most vulnerable people in society, including the elderly and those with mental health problems. Her role is to assess the needs of “clients” and to agree “care packages” to support them in both the community and in hospital. She has to agree programmes of care that meet the needs of individual clients within the overall budget provided by the council.
Key Responsibilities
Arranging and conducting initial client assessments.
Preparing “care plans” for individual clients based upon their needs.
Monitoring individual care packages and adjusting them as necessary.
Reporting any unmet needs to the Team Manager
Providing ongoing advice and support to clients and carers.
Key Challenges
Managing an increasing workload with limited time and resources.
Increasing the time spent with service users (currently only 23%)
Working collaboratively with other agencies.
Creating innovative care packages for clients with complex needs.
Avoiding “service failures”, these result in hardship and suffering for clients and adverse publicity for the council.
Security of client data.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Client details; Supplier details; prices and availability of services; Monitoring information on progress and quality of care packages agreed with clients and suppliers; Budgetary control information.
Work Patterns
Office based, but spends about 50% of her time visiting clients, travelling, monitoring care arrangements and in meetings.
Perform-ance Metrics
Number of clients being managed.
Number of referrals completed.
Actual spend v Budget.
Other Useful Information
Contoso operates a system where it purchases and combines care services to form “packages of care.” Not all councils and countries operate with this level of sophistication.
Typical applications Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
Case Management ; and calendar; Procurement, Finance, HR and other corporate information systems. Laptop, office desktop and windows mobile phone.
The new Social Care Portal needs to be extended to allow collaborative working with “partner organisations” in health, criminal justice, education and housing. This will greatly improve productivity.

10. David – the Building Inspector
Personal Profile
David spends a lot of his time working on his own visiting building sites. This includes climbing ladders, riding on an open platform hoist, crawling around in tight spaces, and working many stories above the ground. Building sites are often dirty and cluttered with tools, materials, or debris. Since much of their time is spent outdoors. He spends a lot of time working outside in all types of weather. He is analytical and focuses on “getting the details right.” He is very comfortable using computers and technology. In the past he has written his own computer programmes and built his own PCs.
Key Responsibilities
Inspection of domestic and commercial building projects to ensure compliance with Building Regulations.
Enforcement of Building Regulations.
Inspection of potentially dangerous structures.
Dealing with technical enquiries from architects, builders and the public.
Recording inspection findings and actions taken.
Key Challenges
Balancing the workload between completing inspections, giving advice and completing admin tasks.
Having the right information available on site to complete inspections and verify compliance with current building regulations.
Using and managing plans, reports and notes on site.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Reviewing building plans, site maps and regulations
Verifying complex calculations , e.g. "load factors”
Background information on builders and sites.
Details of previous visits and actions taken.
Work Patterns
Office based, but spends about 70% of time visiting building sites and attending meetings with architects and builders. Picks up a schedule of visits and relevant plans/reports at the start of the day. Returns to office at completion to write up reports and return files.
Perform-ance Metrics
Number of inspections completed.
Number of enforcement notices issued.
Time take to complete inspections.
Other Useful Information
Typical applications Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
Case Management ; and calendar
Laptop, office desktop and windows mobile phone.
A fully integrated building inspection system that allows for online applications by citizens; connects to workflow and document management to schedule site visits; records findings; captures plans and photographs; logs authorizations; and records correspondence.

11. Typical applications Used Today Likely Future applications Needed
Len – the Building Maintenance Officer
Personal Profile
Len is one of a team responsible for maintaining council properties including schools, concert hall, offices and houses. This includes both planned and reactive maintenance. He originally started working as a builder and later qualified as a surveyor. He works mainly from his van.
The scheduling, ordering and reporting of maintenance jobs is also held on council’s computer systems, but Len works mainly from hardcopy printouts. He then hand writes reports that are subsequently input to the systems by a clerical assistant.
Key Responsibilities
Responsible for the preparation, design and supervision of projects to refurbish, repair and adapt buildings.
Undertaking property condition surveys.
Undertaking or commissioning minor repairs.
Preparing feasibility studies, design work and technical reports .
Monitoring the performance of contractors.
Certifying accounts and producing certificates for payments
Key Challenges
The building maintenance department has been slow to introduce technology and much of the work is handled via hardcopy.
There is a need to bring together the planning, record keeping and monitoring information.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Property condition information, maintenance records and plans to develop future maintenance programs and respond to requests for repairs.
Availability and costs of contractors for ad hoc repairs.
Records of orders placed, invoices received and invoices paid
Work Patterns
Part of the work is office based, but most of the time is spent on building sites. Also as part of the emergency cover provided, he can be called out to any site at any time, night and day, and in all kinds of weather.
Perform-ance Metrics
Performance against plan
Expenditure against budget
Contracts let.
Fees charged for services provided.
Other Useful Information
Increasingly, these types of services are being operated on a quasi commercial basis, where the surveyors have to market and “sell” their services to schools and public bodies and recover their costs through fees.
Typical applications Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
Uses an office based PC but mainly relies on a clerical assistant to use the following applications on his behalf: Time recording; Word & Excel; Planned maintenance; Finance & procurement systems; and
CAD
Software to support computerized property condition surveys using mobile devices. Integration of procurement, finance, payment and time keeping systems. Access to building and site plans using mobile devices/laptops whilst on site. Collaboration tools to support joint working with service departments, engineers and contractors

12. Typical applications Used Today Likely Future applications Needed
Ed – the Economic Regeneration Manager
Personal Profile
Ed is an enthusiastic and energetic ambassador for Contoso. He is responsible for encouraging new businesses to locate and invest in Contoso; regenerating old industrial sites; and advising the Council on policy matters like housing, education and planning that will help to support regeneration. He worked for a global software company before joining Contoso and he is keen to see the City develop a reputation as centre of excellence for the way that it and local businesses use technology. He is also very keen to built links with technology and biotech companies.
Key Responsibilities
Creating, and monitoring the Council’s economic development strategy;
Carrying out surveys, research and consultations;
Seeking and bidding for external funding;
Project managing economic development and regeneration schemes;
Working closely in partnership with other agencies.
Providing advice for local entrepreneurs and business start-ups;
Key Challenges
Knowing where to invest limited resources to get maximum return on time and monies invested.
Managing and making optimum use of the database of contacts and partners.
Putting together persuasive and informative marketing materials.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Identifying companies that might relocate
Keeping track of available land and buildings
Knowing what other cities are offering in competition with Contoso.
Tracking the progress of regeneration and relocation projects
Work Patterns
Constantly networking by , meetings and telephone. Travels a lot locally, nationally and internationally. Has two fairly junior assistants who do most of the administration. He uses a PC but is most comfortable with a smart phone for and calls.
Perform-ance Metrics
Pipeline of companies relocating; external funds raised; Progress with redevelopment projects; Land availability; Jobs created/lost; Tourist numbers; Enquiries received;
Other Useful Information
Ed is one of the more experienced and proficient economic regeneration managers. In some councils these can be relatively junior individual with much more limited terms of reference.
Typical applications Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
CRM
, excel, word, publisher,
Database & BI tools
An integrated Economic Development solution that brings together CRM, Records Management and GIS to give a complete picture of the development plans and progress.

13. Jasmine – the Customer Services Assistant
Personal Profile
Jasmine is very calm as she takes telephone calls, s and handles face-to face enquiries. She has great interpersonal skills and she likes dealing with people. She sees her self as a “problem solver” as she helps citizens to resolve their queries. She takes a pride in ensuring that she deals with people in a professional manner. She is good with technology at work and in her private life. She feels that the Councils systems could be better, faster and should be able to help her do her job better.
Key Responsibilities
Assess and resolve enquiries, requests and complaints received face to face, by or via the telephone.
Develop an in-depth knowledge of the different council departments to be able to answer queries correctly and consistently.
Refer more complex matters to service departments.
Record, on the CRM system, the advice given, services requested and compliments/complaints received.
Key Challenges
Finding the right information, as quickly as possible.
Keeping up to date on changes with the council and its services.
Avoiding getting bored during quiet periods.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Up to date information on all council services and activities in order to resolve customer enquiries.
Access to back office information including names, addresses, payments, orders and previous contacts in order to quickly resolve enquiries and avoid continually re-entering information.
Work Patterns
8 hour shifts, 5 days per week, working in the contact centre.
Perform-ance Metrics
Resolve 80% of enquiries personally.
Ensure that all unresolved enquiries are properly “handed-on” to service departments or escalated to team leader, or contact centre manager.
Customer satisfaction
Other Useful Information
Typical applications Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
CRM
Back office systems.
The ability to handle and respond to additional customer channels like SMS and instant messenger.

14. Maria – the Contact Center Manager
Personal Profile
Maria has worked in contact centres and customer services for the last ten years. She is unflappable as she manages a team of 30+ contact centre staff. She keeps the team motivated and seems to know what is going on in every area. She always busy but still has time to take over the most difficult enquiries or give advice to her team leaders when they have a problem. She helped Contoso to implement their CRM system and so she knows its strengths and weaknesses. She is constantly helping to improve the way the system is used and pushing for greater integration with back office systems.
Key Responsibilities
Motivate and manage the contact centre teams including task allocation, ongoing assessment, training, and development.
Ensure compliance with Security/Data Protection standards.
Ensure that staff meet all service and contractual standards .
Deal with more difficult, “escalated” enquiries.
Maintain knowledge and expertise by regularly manning enquiry points.
In liaison with the Council’s IT department, ensure that hardware, software and network systems deliver the full range of customer services in a reliable and timely manner.
Key Challenges
Balancing the number of staff needed with peaks and troughs in activity.
Keeping up to date – see information needs.
Managing time and personal workload.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
Keeping track of what is going on in the Contact Centre in terms of the volume of calls, response times, utilization of staff and types of enquiries.
Keeping up to date on developments within service areas and the types of enquiries that they will generate.
Work Patterns
100% office based, usually working 9 to 5, but occasionally covering for team leaders on shifts and handling out of hours problems.
Performance Metrics
90% resolution of enquiries by contact centre staff.
100% successful resolution of all enquiries.
Other Useful Information
Typical applications Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
CRM; Time recording; Word, & Excel
Various back office systems.
Greater integration of CRM and back office systems using common processes

15. Other Useful Information
Jacques – the Auditor
Personal Profile
Jacques has been an auditor for about ten year. He is a qualified accountant and leads a team of auditors. He enjoys the flexibility and variety of work as his team covers most of the major services in Contoso, plus fraud investigations. He also has a specialist computer auditor attached to his team. He is very IT savvy and is good at extracting and manipulating data for audit assignments. He is a good manager and communicator. His specialism is risk management.
Key Responsibilities
The preparation of audit plans and audit reports.
Scoping and conducting audit investigations
Supervising staff engaged on audits and investigations.
Devising audit programmes for planned areas of work.
Undertaking research prior to audits to collect background information.
Attending council committee meetings to present findings.
Setting and monitor team targets
Key Challenges
Ensuring that he has assembling all the necessary and available information before starting an audit.
Extracting, manipulating and analyzing large amount of data to support and test the risk management processes.
Keeping in touch with and sharing information with his team.
Typical Information Needs & Usages
 Access to all information on all services across the council .
Details of audit plans and audit files.
Outstanding enquiries raised
Staff availability, skill profiles and utilization reports.
Work Patterns
Office based, but spends about 90% of his time out of the office on audit assignments and at meetings.
Performance Metrics
Number of audit days completed.
Utilisation of staff
Compliance with Audit Plan
Saving identified as a result of value-for-money (vfm) reviews.
Other Useful Information
Typical applications Used Today
Likely Future applications Needed
BI tools; Case Management; and calendar; Finance, HR and other corporate information systems
Laptop, office desktop and windows mobile phone.
An audit planning and management package that helps him to assess and prioritize risks using limited audit resources.
More powerful and intuitive BI tools.

16. Contoso – Simplified Officer Structure Chart
Chief Executive
Director of Learning & Care
City Secretary
Director of Community Services
Director of Finance & Resources
Planning
Finance
Children & Schools
Economic Regeneration Manager
Environmental Services
ICT
Housing
Head of Democratic Services
Service Manager (generic)
Human Resources
Adult Care
Customer Services
Building Control
Property
Social Worker
Contact Centre Manager
Building Inspector
Audit
Customer Services Assistant
Auditor
Buildings Maintenance Officer
= Personas included

17. Contoso – Simplified Political Structure Chart
Mayor
Council
(50 Councillors)
Councillor
Councillor
Councillor
Councillor
= Personas included

18. Windows Embedded Design Review April 8-9 2004
© 2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.
© 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This presentation is for informational purposes only. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, in this summary. 18