Learn how to help customers avoid calling councils unnecessarily through the use of chatbots and AI

Tender description

Why the Work is Being Done This project aims to deliver; • a methodology for evaluating the suitability or otherwise of a particular application for developing into a chatbot or AI product • a research base to assist local authorities developing their individual business cases to save time and resource rather than duplicating research • a summary of the potential technology solutions that are available with their individual advantages and disadvantages of each • a set of case studies drawn from participating councils user research Problem to Be Solved There are problems for local authorities looking to adopt chatbot and AI solutions; • There is no shared understanding of the technology and its advantages/disadvantages as a solution to key issues. • There are a variety of products and platforms that already exist on the market, but no objective evaluation of each to identify the most appropriate to use. • Without a sound evidence base, there is a risk of inappropriate chatbot/AI projects being pursued that have poor prospects of meeting their objectives, wasting further time and resource Full information at https://localdigitalchatbots.github.io/full-application/ Who Are the Users The work will cover four service areas; planning advice, highways defect reporting, waste and recycling enquiries, revenues and benefits enquiries; As a resident I need to make a report easily so that I can have the council resolve the issue As a resident I need to enquire about a service and if it applies to me so that I know what steps to take next As a service delivery staff member I need to deal with only complex queries so that my time is better spent on people that need the most help Early Market Engagement No substantive work has been undertaken to date Outline conversations around project scope were undertaken in October 2018, as outlined in our blog post https://digital.oxford.gov.uk/blog/2018/11/15/collaboration-is-difficult-let-s-do-more-of-it Work Already Done No user research work has been undertaken, although some councils have started to investigate the potential of chatbots and AI to deliver simple service solutions Existing Team Oxford City Council’s Digital Development Manager will lead the project on a part-time basis. There is no dedicated team for this project. Resources will be drawn from participating councils to undertake user research, under the guidance of the successful supplier. There will be no other suppliers engaged on this work Current Phase Discovery Work Location Oxford City Council is the lead authority with a base in Oxford As the partner councils are spread across a wide geographical area, the successful supplier will be invited to devise an appropriate working arrangement to provide support at specific locations. The councils are; Hertsmere Borough Council, Cheltenham Borough Council, Doncaster Council, Preston City Council, North East Derbyshire District Council, Bolsover District Council, Calderdale Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Bromsgrove District Council, Redditch Borough Council, Surrey County Council, Adur and Worthing Councils Working Arrangments This will require a mix of desktop research and practical assistance to councils engaging in user research for the first time. The large number of councils and their distribution will make collaboration on project delivery more challenging. We will use collaborative tools such as Google Docs for creating and sharing information, and Google Hangouts for our meetings. We will adopt an ‘open first’ approach to how we work to help others learn from our experience. An initial face-to-face kick-off meeting with all councils involved is required as soon as the contract starts to clarify goals and expectations. Security Clearance None required Additional T&Cs Skills & Experience Have good experience of designing and running user research projects Have technical knowledge of the AI/Chatbot market Be experienced in coaching or mentoring staff with limited or no user research skills Understand how to meet the needs of a diverse range of users Work to user-centered, iterative, Agile principles Be able to work remotely with teams to deliver a successful project Have experience designing user research for a wide range of services Nice to Haves Experience of delivering an alpha project incorporating a chatbot or AI solution No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 4 Proposal Criteria Clarity of the approach How the approach or solution meets user needs How they’ve identified risks and dependencies and offered approaches to manage them Team structure, including skills, experiences and relevance of individuals Understanding of user needs Ability to meet the time-frame for the work Cultural Fit Criteria Committed to working to the Digital Declaration Work as a team with our partners Be transparent and collaborative when making decisions Have a no-blame culture and encourage people to learn from their mistakes Take responsibility for their work Share knowledge and experience with other team members Work openly Payment Approach Fixed price Assessment Method Written proposal Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 7% Price 33% Questions from Suppliers Budget range this project is funded from the local digital fund and as such has a maximum spend of £72,500