Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

Transcription

1 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan #TechCY

2 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan Audience Overview Action required Further information Welsh Government departments; public bodies in Wales; third sector bodies in Wales; private sector companies in Wales; educational organisations in Wales; organisations working to promote the use of Welsh; organisations working with Welsh-language technology and digital media; and other interested parties. This is the Minister for Education and Skills action plan for Welsh-language technology and digital media, setting out how the Welsh Government proposes to improve the provision of Welsh-language technology and digital media, in accordance with the commitment made under strategic area 6 (infrastructure) of the Welsh language strategy, A living language: a language for living. None for information only. Enquiries about this document should be directed to: Welsh Language Unit Department for Education and Skills Welsh Government Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ Tel: WelshLanguageStrategy@wales.gsi.gov.uk Additional copies This document is only available on the Welsh Government s website at Related documents Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Grant Scheme (2013); A living language: a language for living (2012); Welsh Language Strategy Action Plan (2013) Digital ISBN Crown copyright 2013 WG18468

3 Contents Introduction 2 Overarching principles 5 Implementation methods 7 Theme 1: Marketing and awareness raising 8 Theme 2: Motivating the main technology companies 10 Theme 3: Encouraging the development of new Welsh-language software applications and digital services 12 Theme 4: Stimulating the creation, sharing and consumption of Welsh-language digital content 14 Theme 5: Supporting good practice in the public, private and third sectors 17 Acknowledgements 20 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 1

4 Introduction The Welsh Government s vision, as set out in its Welsh Language Strategy , A living language: a language for living 1, is to see the Welsh language thriving in Wales and to ensure more use of Welsh in everyday life. It is important that Welsh speakers can access technology which supports the use of Welsh in every aspect of life. To achieve this, we need to ensure that more resources are available to support the use of Welsh in the digital environment. This document reflects the commitment set out in the Welsh Language Strategy to: Keep up to date a Strategy and Action Plan for ICT and the Welsh language, to include a focus on the increasingly important role of social media. Recent developments We have seen encouraging progress in this field in recent years. The Welsh Language Board 2 worked successfully with Microsoft to develop a Welsh-language interface for Microsoft Windows, Office, Office 365 and Outlook.com. It also worked with Google to develop a Welsh-language version of its service, Gmail. Others have been active in the field of Welsh-language technology. Canolfan Bedwyr at Bangor University continues to develop innovative tools and language technology, including Cysill and Cysgair (a suite of Welsh-language dictionaries, spellchecker and grammar checker), an online dictionary and machine translation software. For its part, the Welsh Government recently funded the development of an innovative Welsh language text-to-speech tool in co-operation with the RNIB. We must also recognise the valuable contribution made by individuals, such as the Hacio r Iaith group and other volunteers. Voluntary effort led to the translation of many software packages such as Linux and the social networking site Facebook. The Welsh Government wishes to see these efforts continue. At the same time, we recognise that we will have an important role to play in harnessing the enthusiasm, skills and knowledge that we have in Wales to make the Welsh language an accessible medium in the world of technology and digital media The Welsh Language Board was abolished in April The Welsh Language Board s previous duties in relation to technology are now being carried out by the Welsh Language Commissioner and the Welsh Government. 2 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

5 The Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Group In March 2012, the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Group was established in accordance with the Welsh Language Strategy s Action Plan for The group s function was to provide expertise and experience, and advise the Minister for Education and Skills on the Welsh Government s role in leading developments in the field. The group included representatives from educational institutions, research centres, television producers, and digital content and technology experts. Following the group s discussions, it was agreed that this action plan should focus on the following. 1. Marketing and awareness raising: to raise awareness of the technology and digital content which is currently available in Welsh. 2. Motivating the main technology companies: to increase the Welsh-language provision offered by the major technology companies (such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Adobe, PayPal and Twitter). 3. Encouraging the development of new Welsh-language software applications and digital services: to increase the availability of Welsh-language software applications and digital services. 4. Stimulating the creation, sharing and consumption of Welsh-language digital content: to increase the amount of Welsh-language digital content available online and give Welsh speakers the tools to create and develop Welsh-language digital content. 5. Supporting good practice in the public, private and third sectors: to increase opportunities for people to use Welsh-language technology in the workplace and increase the provision of Welsh-language digital services to the public. 3 Welsh Language Strategy Action Plan (Welsh Government, 2012). Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 3

6 This plan includes action points for these five areas. The plan was developed in consultation with the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Group, while also taking into account the proceedings of a Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Seminar arranged by the Welsh Government in Cardiff on 21 June This action plan will need to be kept up-to-date as the technology it deals with continues to develop. As such, the Welsh Government will welcome suggestions for improving this plan, while reflecting future ICT developments. Suggestions can be sent to: strategaethiaith@cymru.gsi.gov.uk Monitoring and evaluation Responsibility for implementing this plan will lie with the Welsh Government s Welsh Language Division, which will report on progress to the Minister for Education and Skills. Indicators being developed to measure the impact of strategic area 6 of the Welsh Government s Welsh Language Strategy (infrastructure) will be used to assess the impact of this action plan. In addition, the Evaluation Framework for the Welsh Language Strategy includes reference to evaluating activities undertaken under strategic area 6. Research The Welsh Government will commission research aimed at assessing the use made of Welsh-language technology, digital media and services as well as the impact of this action plan on the provision and use of Welsh-language technology, digital media and services. 4 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

7 Overarching principles The following overarching principles will be followed as we implement this action plan. Establish a precedent The Welsh Government will aim to establish a precedent for the development of new, innovative Welsh-language technology. Advances in technology are often driven by consumer demand and we want to give Welsh speakers an opportunity to be creative and to develop new Welsh-language digital initiatives that will help them in their daily lives. Our role will be to motivate and stimulate creativity, and facilitate the creative process by providing financial support, tools and advice where appropriate. Copyright and intellectual property The Welsh Government s desire to invest in Welsh-language digital technology products and services reflects the general failure of the market to provide a critical mass of such products and services. Our approach, therefore, is to provide an incentive for Welsh-language products and services to be developed much in the same way as incentives are provided to the Welsh-language publishing industry. In providing public funding, we will ensure that the best use is made of the investment, and that the investment will benefit as many Welsh speakers as possible. As such, we will explore whether Welsh-medium technology developed with the support of Welsh Government investment can be licensed through an appropriate open license. Digital Wales and digital inclusion 4 Digital inclusion is a key priority area for the Welsh Government and is at the forefront of the social inclusion agenda. The ability to use new technologies is as important as reading and writing and is essential if we are to ensure that all members of society are able to communicate more easily, obtain goods more easily and cheaply, 4 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 5

8 and enjoy easier access to public services. We will seek to ensure that more of the means to acquire digital skills are accessible through the medium of Welsh as well as English. Sharing best practice The Welsh Government will seek examples of good and best practice with regard to developing minority language technology and digital media from similar language communities throughout Europe and beyond. The objective will be to learn lessons from peers that could be applied to Welsh-language technology development in Wales. We will also cooperate with other organisations, including the British-Irish Council and the Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity to encourage the main technology companies to improve the provision of products and services in regional and minority languages. Equality of opportunity Equality of opportunity is a cross-cutting theme integral to this document and all policies of the Welsh Government. No one, in any part of Wales, should be denied opportunities to use the Welsh language because of their race, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation, age or religion. Welsh-language technology and digital media should be available to, and accessed by, all communities. Sustainability This action plan aims to bring about an increase in the numbers using Welsh-language technology and digital media. It will build on work undertaken by others, while also encouraging individuals and communities to promote the use of Welsh-language technology and digital media, thereby encouraging the sustainability of Welsh as a living language with a strong digital presence. 6 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

9 Implementation methods The methods we will use to implement this plan are as follows. Funding To coincide with the publication of this action plan, the Minister for Education and Skills has allocated a sum of 250,000 per annum for a period of three years to support the development of Welsh-language technology and digital media. The aim of the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Fund will be to: provide Welsh speakers with more Welsh-language software applications, digital content, resources and services increase the use made by Welsh speakers of Welsh-language software, digital content, resources and services. The fund will include three funding streams: a procurement programme to support a series of procurement exercises to help deliver the action points set out in this plan a grant scheme to award grants on an annual basis. The scheme will focus on funding new Welsh-medium software applications, infrastructure projects to support the development of Welsh-language digital services, and initiatives to raise awareness of Welsh-language technology and digital media partnerships funding will be available to partner organisations to support initiatives that will help deliver the action points outlined in this plan. Welsh language standards The development of Welsh language standards, in accordance with the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, will lead to the imposition of duties on a wide range of organisations with regard to the use of Welsh in relation to technology and digital media. Encouragement We will encourage the use of Welsh-medium technology in all areas of life and raise awareness of Welsh-language technology and digital media. We will endeavour to lead by example, by encouraging and supporting the use of Welsh-language technology in all Welsh Government workplaces. Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 7

10 Theme 1: Marketing and awareness raising Aim To raise awareness of Welsh-language software, online services, content creation tools and digital content. Desired outcome Increased use of Welsh-language software, online services, content creation tools and digital content. While it is clear that further work is required to increase the amount and availability of Welsh-medium software applications and digital content, evidence received by the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Group showed that provision has increased in recent times. There are, for instance, over 50 Welsh-language or bilingual apps available to download from the Apple itunes store and Welsh-language e-books have been published online for a range of devices. There is also a Welsh-language interface for Microsoft Windows, Office, Office 365, and Outlook.com. Facebook has a Welsh-language interface, and Google has launched a Welsh interface for its Gmail service. Over time, we have seen a growing number of Welsh-language blogs, micro-sites and video postings covering a wide range of interests, from politics to cooking. We have also seen examples of businesses making use of Welsh online, including websites to compare and buy car insurance, to search for employment, and to book a hotel anywhere in the UK. However, research by the BBC suggests that Welsh speakers spend, on average, around one per cent of their online browsing time on Welsh-language websites. This compares to spending six per cent of their TV viewing time and 15 per cent of their radio listening time tuned into Welsh-language programmes. As such, promoting the products, services and digital content already available in Welsh is one of the aims of this action plan. We need to ensure that Welsh speakers are aware of the Welsh-language technology available to them. To this end, the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Fund will support initiatives aimed at raising awareness of Welsh-language software, online services, content creation tools and digital content. 8 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

11 We also need to make it easier for Welsh speakers to know when Welsh-language technology is available. For instance, the technology itself should offer a clear language choice to the user, rather than the user having to seek out the Welsh language. The Welsh Government, along with S4C and the BBC, recently announced research into Welsh speakers language use. Consumption of digital media was a key aspect of the study and the findings will give us further insight into the behaviour of Welsh speakers in this area. This information will inform our marketing and awareness-raising activities. S4C and the BBC are already developing a multi-platform approach, for example, a multimedia project for Pobol y Cwm which includes web episodes, live events, social media and games. The Welsh Government endorses co-operation of this type, and welcomes the innovation that is being fostered through S4C s Digital Fund as well as the BBC s Innovation Fund. Action points 1. Funding projects to raise awareness of Welsh-language software, online services, content creation tools and digital content. 2. Developing a marketing strategy for Welsh-language digital software, online services, content creation tools and digital content. 3. Continuing to cooperate with stakeholders, including the BBC, S4C and Golwg360, to promote the use of Welsh-language technology and digital services across a wide spectrum of popular platforms. 4. In our dealings with others in the field of language and technology, emphasise the need for the technology itself to offer a clear language choice to the user, rather than the user having to seek out the Welsh language. Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 9

12 Theme 2: Motivating the main technology companies Aim To develop and increase the Welsh-language provision offered by the major technology companies. Desired outcomes More products and services provided by the main technology companies available in Welsh. Third party Welsh-language digital content available and easily accessible via the distribution channels of the main technology companies. The Welsh Government s aim is for Welsh speakers to be able to participate in the digital age through the medium of Welsh. For that to happen, it is vital that more of the major technology companies increase their Welsh-language provision of products and services, and facilitate the use of Welsh by users of their products. The Welsh Government will encourage large companies, such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, PayPal, Adobe and Twitter, to provide Welsh-language interfaces for their operating systems, software and core services, and to offer a clear Welsh-language choice for the user. The presence of Welsh on the operating systems of gadgets such as smart phones and tablet computers, as well as on social media sites, will help reinforce the message that Welsh is a modern, living language. Our ambition is to see these companies include the Welsh language as an integral part of their product development cycle. While providing Welsh-medium interfaces is important, the ability to use the products and services offered by these companies to share and distribute Welsh-language digital content is vital. We have heard evidence of the difficulties faced by some in seeking to develop and distribute content such as Welsh-language e-books, because the technology to publish them does not fully support the Welsh language alphabet and its associated diacritical marks. We will work with companies such as Adobe, Amazon and Apple to seek to resolve these issues. Similarly, we will discuss with companies that distribute and sell digital content, the need to ensure that users can more easily find Welsh-language content, such as music, e-books, apps and podcasts. 10 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

13 These actions focus on major technology companies as a priority. We will also target other digital services in order to develop their use of Welsh. For instance, home entertainment is an area where Welsh-language interfaces can be developed, including for devices that are used in our daily lives such as satellite and cable TV equipment. We will prioritise companies in order of relevance, popularity and number of users. We will encourage them to use more Welsh and refer them to relevant examples of good practice. We will also seek to cooperate with other regional and minority language communities in Europe with regard to encouraging large, international companies to provide services in more languages. Action points 1. Encourage the major technology companies to provide Welsh-language interfaces, and a clear language choice for their users. 2. Encourage the major technology companies to ensure that their software and systems facilitate the creation of Welsh material by third parties. 3. Encourage the major technology companies to ensure that users can more easily find Welsh-language content. 4. Provide guidance and advice to support the major technology companies to increase their Welsh-language provision. 5. To cooperate with other regional and minority language communities in Europe with regard to encouraging large, international companies to provide services in more languages. Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 11

14 Theme 3: Encouraging the development of new Welsh-language software applications and digital services Aim To increase the amount of Welsh-language software applications and digital services available. Desired outcome More use made of Welsh-language software applications and digital services. We are making more and more use of apps to provide us with information, such as the weather forecast for our forthcoming holiday destination, or the latest football results for our local team. While we will work with the major technology companies to encourage them to provide Welsh-language interfaces on their devices and products, we also wish to see a greater range of Welsh-language, third party applications and services available on those devices. As such, the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Fund will be able to support the development of Welsh-language apps and digital services to ensure that Welsh speakers can access information in Welsh, while using the latest technology. For developers to be able to create Welsh-language applications, they will need to be able to take advantage of a range of new and emerging technologies. It is vital, therefore, that efforts continue to develop Welsh-language technologies, such as those dealing with text-to-speech, voice recognition, e-publishing, machine translation and translation memory. This will provide the infrastructure to facilitate the development of Welsh-language applications and digital services. The Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Fund will be able to support projects aimed at developing this Welsh-language technological infrastructure. In the long term, we need to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of Welsh speakers who have the necessary skills to become software developers. The Welsh Government is committed to developing the skills of young people in computer science and to ignite their enthusiasm in coding and developing new technologies. By training young Welsh speakers to code, we can help ensure that more technological developments will be available in Welsh. We will work with partners to develop Welsh-language coding clubs and 12 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

15 coding camps, with the aim of inspiring young people to create the next generation of apps and games. The activities we envisage rolling out as part of the marketing strategy outlined in the theme 1 action points (page 9) will include supporting these types of extra-curricular activities for young people. Action points 1. Fund the development of Welsh-medium apps and digital services for a wide variety of platforms, including smartphones and tablet computers. 2. Fund the development of infrastructure projects which will, in turn, support the development of Welsh-language applications and digital services (including the development of text-to-speech, voice recognition, e-publishing, machine translation and translation memory technologies). 3. Fund activities to develop young Welsh speakers coding and technology skills. Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 13

16 Theme 4: Stimulating the creation, sharing and consumption of Welsh-language digital content Aim To increase the volume and consumption of Welsh-language digital content available online, and to give Welsh speakers the tools and confidence to use, create and develop Welsh-language digital content. Desired outcome More Welsh-language content available and used online, including blogs, videos, social networking websites and local news. An essential factor with regard to the viability and vibrancy of the Welsh language online is the amount of Welsh-language content that is created, shared and used. For instance, as well as being keen to ensure that the YouTube interface is available in Welsh, we also want to see more Welsh language videos on YouTube. The Welsh Government wants to help create conditions where Welsh speakers find it easy, enjoyable and worthwhile to create, share and consume Welsh-language content online (including by contributing to sites such as Wicipedia). To achieve this, we believe there is a need to provide firm foundations at a young age. The Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Fund will be able to support initiatives aimed at encouraging and supporting young people to engage in such activities. More generally, we wish to support Welsh speakers of all ages to gain the skills and confidence to develop Welsh-language content online. To do so, it will be important to demonstrate the benefits of engaging in the digital world in a Welsh-language context. For those who feel confident enough to create content in Welsh, the process of doing so can sometimes be hampered by a lack of resources such as Welsh-language blog themes, plugins, content aggregators and syndication services. We will, therefore, seek to finance the development of these tools through the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Fund. At a community level, we wish to see organisations and community groups who work to support the Welsh language reaping the benefits of using digital technology in order to engage with a wider 14 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

17 audience, and to create new Welsh-language hyper-local networks. We will work with organisations such as the mentrau iaith and the papurau bro, to help them develop and enhance their use of technology. We will expect the key commissioners of Welsh-language materials, including the Welsh Books Council, to increase the proportion of Welsh-language e-books available to download. We will support these organisations by working with companies such as Adobe, to ensure that they provide the tools to make this feasible. The use made of digital content in the sphere of education is also high on the Welsh Government s agenda. In December 2012, the Welsh Government launched Hwb, the all Wales digital learning platform which hosts a wide range of digital classroom resources. Hwb allows teachers and learners to access the latest digital materials and will enable Welsh-language digital educational material to be accessed through one, easy-to-use, content management system. In addition, we wish to see a significant increase in the commissioning of professionally produced Welsh-language digital content. S4C will provide the lead in doing so, and the Welsh Government will have a keen interest in its work in this area. We also welcome the fact that S4C has launched a digital fund, worth 1 million a year over four years, which will support the development of commercial apps and digital initiatives. Action points 1. Make it easier for Welsh speakers to create digital content for blogs, websites and social networking sites, by funding the production of tools such as Welsh-language blog themes, syndication services, content aggregators and widgets. 2. Develop the skills and confidence of Welsh speakers to create digital content by: i) funding initiatives to support Welsh speakers to develop skills to create digital content ii) encouraging and supporting activities to help young Welsh speakers to create online content iii) supporting the efforts of Wicipedia to train Welsh speakers and raise awareness with regard to adding Welsh-language content to Wicpedia iv) ensure that the Welsh language is firmly embedded in the Welsh Government s digital inclusion agenda. Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 15

18 3. Encourage and assist the papurau bro and other community-based Welsh-language organisations to develop their use of technology and to provide digital hyper-local services by providing a training programme and toolkit (to include web and blog templates and themes) to Welsh-language organisations to improve and increase their online presence. 4. Commission and fund content, including: i) setting objectives for the Welsh Books Council to commission more Welsh-language e-books ii) requiring more Welsh-language education content to be digital iii) commissioning Welsh-language content, to be funded by the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Fund iv) encouraging and supporting Welsh-language periodical publishers to make their issues available via Apple s Newsstand and similar online outlets. 5. Cooperate with others to develop education materials in Welsh: i) encourage organisations such as the National Museum and the People s Collection to provide Welsh-language digital content for Hwb ii) cooperate with S4C and BBC to ensure that Welsh-language digital teaching materials are available to teachers iii) cooperate with S4C to coordinate the process of commissioning Welsh-language content, websites and teaching packages reflecting national curriculum requirements. 16 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

19 Theme 5: Supporting good practice in the public, private and third sectors Aim Increase opportunities for people to use Welsh-language technology in the workplace and increase the provision of Welsh-language digital public services. Desired outcomes More Welsh speakers using digital Welsh-language productivity tools in the workplace. An increase in the use of public services available digitally through the medium of Welsh. The workplace Increasing the opportunities for people to use Welsh in the workplace is identified as a priority in the Welsh Government s Welsh Language Strategy. It is important that ICT resources are available to facilitate working through the medium of Welsh. We will encourage organisations to ensure that Welsh-language versions of software, such as Microsoft Office, and spell-checking tools are accessible to their staff. As well as providing more opportunities for workers to use these tools, we also need to change people s attitudes towards using Welsh-language technology in the workplace. We will raise awareness of the ICT tools that exist and seek to dispel any myths about the difficulty of using Welsh-language technology. But it is not only through our day-to-day tasks of communicating and drafting documents that we need to improve the provision of Welsh-language technology in the workplace. Employers also need to consider the Welsh language in the work environment, including the digital services that they provide for their staff. One difficulty facing employers is a lack of corporate software systems that operate bilingually. In addition, public bodies often purchase software independently of each other, and often pay the companies developing the software to adapt the products to enable a bilingual option. We will work to eliminate this doubling of effort. The National Procurement Service (to be established from November 2013) will be responsible for co-ordinating the procurement of categories of common expenditure across the public Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 17

20 sector in Wales. This will include ICT expenditure and, in line with the Welsh Government s Welsh Language Scheme, the procurement process will build Welsh language requirements in to contracts as appropriate, and we will monitor the outcomes secured from this approach. Public services There are an increasing number of public services available to the public digitally, whether on the internet or in other digital formats. We can buy our car tax discs, register to be a blood donor or sign up to the electoral register at the click of a button. Many of these services are available through the medium of Welsh, in line with the commitments made by public bodies in their Welsh language schemes, prepared in accordance with the Welsh Language Act However, there remains a lack of consistency with regard to the range and quality of Welsh-language services provided by public bodies. In order to improve services for Welsh speakers, the Welsh Government is engaged in a process of developing Welsh language standards under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure In due course, the Welsh Language Commissioner will use Welsh language standards to impose duties on public bodies with regard to providing Welsh-language services to the public, including digital services. Good examples of bilingual apps developed by the public sector already exist. For example, Dewis Doeth is a Welsh Government app that provides advice on services provided by NHS Wales. One issue that arose during the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Group discussions was the need to establish good practice in relation to the use of Welsh on social networking sites. This is an issue that the Welsh Government is considering separately, and we will share the conclusions of our work through the Comms Cymru network that brings together public sector communications staff. 18 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan

21 Action points 1. Raise awareness of the ICT tools that exist to support the use of Welsh in the workplace and seek to dispel myths about the difficulty of using Welsh-language technology. 2. Encourage and facilitate better cooperation between public bodies purchasing software, to facilitate the purchase of software systems that operate bilingually. 3. Fulfil our role with regard to the development of Welsh language standards, which will enable the Welsh Language Commissioner to impose duties on organisations with regard to the use of Welsh-language technology. 4. Develop guidelines with regard to the use of Welsh on social networking sites. Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan 19

22 Acknowledgements The Department for Education and Skills would like to thank the members of the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Group for their cooperation in preparing this action plan. 20 Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media Action Plan