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The World Wide Web has been criticized as a one-way medium - designed to present information to a reader, but not to encourage a response. It is important to design features into agency pages that counter that weakness- by inviting a response, making the process easy to do and by providing an appropriate framework for efficient processing of input from users.
Initially, Internet software limited the value of the environment for transactions. Communication was not guaranteed to be secure. Material was organized in an open ended "word processing" like mode rather than as a "data base". Recent developments have changed this. All sorts of business, including financial, may now be conducted.
"Communication" and "Information" functions have been separated on Internet. It is now possible to build an open forum system into a World Wide Web site to allow feedback and response to take place in an open environment.
Unlike most of what has been discussed in this document, some communication and transaction functions may require setup by someone with advanced skills. The results, however, are often very simple for a user.
As has already been discussed, a user may read agency staff or program pages to determine who they should contact within the agency for further information. Key pages should include links that allow simple composition of a note addressed appropriately within the agency. This may be used for general communication or for brief requests for service, enrollment in programs or expressions of interest in an activity.
Before all staff in an agency are making full use of online services, one staff member may be assigned to monitor agency mail and direct printed copies to the appropriate staff.
A variety of tools are available to allow creating a form on a World Wide Web page that can be used to join an association, enroll in a program or order a product.
More recent software and institutional developments allow financial transactions on line. This makes it possible to conduct secure transfers of funds. People can enroll in a program and arrange payment for the program at the same time. Special prior arrangements must be made, however, to set up accounts for this purpose.
More complex forms may be used to take complaints or reports of problems that the agency should address.
Agencies can invite feedback on the design of the site and needs of readers for further information. Or the response format may be used to invite feedback about the work of the agency. Testimonials from satisfied clients may also be elicited.
Use of forms allow creating a formal survey that can guide a reader through questions of interest to program planners.
When a visitor to a site leaves a comment, it usually is a private message or database entry. A forum for public messages can also be created. The concept of a "Usenet" bulletin board system is merged with the "World Wide Web" framework. New messages are appended to open pages to create a thread of public responses.
An agency can decide whether a forum is open ended - self managing, or whether it is "moderated" by a staff member who receives the messages and organizes them in an appropriate way on the forum pages.
Effective use of E-mail includes occasions when many people should receive a message. Organizations can support this process by organizing lists of persons with specific interests . Messages sent to the named group of people will be distributed to all the persons on the list. Lists may include - committees planning agency programs, task forces working on specific issues, members of a working coalition representing several organizations, members within an organization who have expressed a particular interest or program donors who need to be kept informed of the accomplishments of a program they support. Some interest group lists may be maintained at a community wide site.