In part 3/3 of this series, DFO shares how they’re charting new waters with GC Forms. Together, we’re bringing digital innovation to water (two elements that don’t traditionally mix), to unlock new possibilities!
CDS products have been making waves with the Chief Digital Officer Sector (CDOS) team at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). DFO is responsible for safeguarding Canada’s oceans and maintaining fish and ocean resources, including ensuring our ocean ecosystems are healthy and protected.
The CDOS team has been working with CDS product teams to find ways to streamline workflows, scale impact, and shape the future of digital initiatives. These collaboration efforts have resulted in helpful feedback for all teams, resulting in product and service improvements at DFO and CDS.
Wave hello to digital teams at DFO
We chatted with members of the Chief Digital Officer Sector (CDOS) at DFO about their experiences using GC Forms. CDOS is the IT Digital shop at DFO, consisting of 4 directorates: IT Operations, Strategic Planning, the Data, AI, and Information Management (IM) branch that runs the Enterprise Data Hub, and Digital Innovation which includes the User Experience (UX) branch that supports user-centered digital initiatives.
CDOS team members at DFO we interviewed: Antoine Bedward (Director of User Experience), Russell Moore (Analyst with the Digital Enterprise Hub), Paula Aoyagui (Manager for UX Strategy and Digital Accessibility), Lisanne Vickers (Team Lead for UX Design), and Adele Strub (UX Designer).
How DFO’s charting new waters with GC Forms
| GC Forms: Make it easier for people to submit information to your service by building simple, accessible, online forms (no coding required). |  |
The CDOS team at DFO are using GC Forms to gain information from people on how to improve service experiences, such as participant recruitment for user research and feedback forms.
Key impacts of using GC Forms at DFO:
- We were able to quickly publish our online forms since accessibility, bilingualism, and security requirements are built-in from the start.
- We estimate having saved at least a year using GC Forms by avoiding procurement and security review processes for a similar tool.
- It’s also helpful that GC Forms is Government of Canada branded, making it a more trustworthy experience than other form tools.
- Online forms have a consistent look and feel for users, which is a positive UX impact.
Secure and accessible data collection using GC Forms
Deciding to adopt GC Forms:
Antoine Bedward:
I first learned about GC Forms during my time at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). When GC Forms gained Protected B data capabilities, this opened up a lot of possibilities for our work. It allowed us to collect more sensitive information (such as participant recruitment or feedback) safely, quickly, and securely, without having to find a separate tool and go through the lengthy approval process to use it. Also, since the forms product is free for GC teams to use, no Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is required, saving us more time for adoption.
GC Forms was easy to set up and it was very helpful having a forms platform that is Government of Canada branded, so people know it’s a valid/trusted form.
Before GC Forms:
Antoine Bedward:
Before the introduction of GC Forms, our team primarily relied on Microsoft Forms, which served well for more informal data collection needs. Within DFO, there is also a dedicated team with the expertise to develop web-based forms for public-facing use. However, engaging that team typically requires more time and access to specialized skillsets, which can be a challenge for many of our team members (particularly researchers) who may not have the capacity or technical background to build the types of forms we require.
This is precisely why GC Forms proved to be such a valuable tool. It offered a streamlined, user-friendly solution that allowed us to get started quickly without a significant lift in terms of setup or training. Its accessibility and ease of use made it an ideal choice for our operational needs.
DFO product teams using GC Forms:
- Canadian Fisheries Information System
- Elvers Monitoring and Traceability System
- Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative Data Portal
- Enterprise Grants and Contributions Solution
Advice for using GC Forms from Antoine Bedward: Keep in mind how you’ll analyze responses when designing a form.
With GC Forms, it’s pretty easy to get started. But keep in mind the amount of data you’re looking to collect when writing questions and choosing answer formats. To analyze and manage large data sets, you’ll likely need to be comfortable using CSV data files in MS Excel (or another tool).
Tip: If the purpose for collecting data isn’t clear, it may be a sign that the data isn’t necessary. Intentional collection leads to meaningful use!
Think GC Forms can help with your service delivery?
Our support team frequently hosts demo and forum sessions for public servants to learn about how the tools can help with their service delivery. Participants get the opportunity to ask questions and hear from other teams about how they think the tool could help them (potentially inspiring ideas). Pick an upcoming date to attend a demo!
DFO also uses the GC Feedback tool and the GC Task Success Survey in their web optimization work. Check them out to learn how they can help you measure and improve users’ experiences with Canada.ca web content.