how to write a good change request

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Liz LutgendorffSenior programme analystGovernment Digital Service@sillypunk

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Jon SangerContent product leadGovernment Digital Service@VonSangertron

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How to write a good change request

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How does the GOV.UK content team work?

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First, some terminology

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1st line 2nd line3rd line/backlog

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There are 4 parts to the GOV.UK content team

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Mainstream content or specialist/Whitehall?

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Our backlog is prioritised by:

● deadline● effect on users (and evidence)● age of request

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Fact check received

2i review Ready Published

Out for fact check

Draft

Amends needed

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Request for updates come via a support ticket

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https://support.publishing.service.gov.uk/

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We monitor Zendesk on a rota basis

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The 10-minute rule

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How many tickets?In 2015, the content team received:

● 5,545 content changes and advice● 954 for training and accounts● 1,816 public tickets

8,215 in total.

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We all work better with good change requests

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How would you write the request?

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15 minutes to write the change request

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Now pass your request to another table, we’ll see if they can understand it

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How well was your request understood?

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Your cheat codes

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Use good titles for your change requests

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View driving licence: update service URL

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Break up large requests into smaller ones

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Don’t lead the user into any dead ends

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Evidence wins the day

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Yes, you can suggest wording

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Real deadlines only

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Don’t be afraid to explain the complicated things

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Conversations don’t have to start with Zendesk

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Know your content product lead

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Andy Keen: businesses and the self-employed, employing people, commercial driving and specialist transport, energy, environment and countryside, competition and innovation, intellectual property, defence and the armed forces

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John Turnbull: personal tax, education and learning, housing and local services, disability, births, deaths and marriages, culture and international development

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Jon Sanger: visas, immigration, driving as a citizen, debt, medicine and health, devolved administrations and regions, national statistics, crime, justice and the law

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Abigail Waraker: work, jobs, pensions, citizenship and living in the UK, living abroad, passports, travel, the Civil Service, running government

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If we don’t know who’s right, we can test

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We do actually have phones

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We’re working on making our backlogs more open

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If you’ve got ideas talk to our user researchers: David McCrae and Natalie Baron

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Come and work with us

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Liz Lutgendorff@sillypunkJon Sanger@VonSangertron

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