Alabama.gov Ranked Among the Nation's Top Five Web Sites

It's good to move forward, but it's also rewarding to leave good things behind. I hope to see continued success in Alabama, as I worked with some very bright and talented web developers on the alabama.gov web portal during my four and a half years in Montgomery.

Alabama.gov Ranked Among the Nation's Top Five Web Sites
Friday September 26, 1:23 pm ET
Full article

MONTGOMERY, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the fifth consecutive year, Alabama’s official state Web site (http://www.alabama.gov) has been ranked among the top ten in the Center for Digital Government’s annual Best of Web competition for government portal excellence. This year, Alabama.gov was ranked fifth in the nation among Web sites.

“Best of the Web is certainly an honor we are pleased to receive,” said Alabama Chief Information Officer Jim Burns. “The state’s technology staff and partners have worked hard to ensure that Alabama citizens can be informed and do business conveniently and securely using Alabama.gov.”

The 2008 Best of the Web competition recognizes the most innovative and user-friendly state Web portals and was conducted by the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. Sites are judged on delivery of public services, efficiency, economy, and functionality for improved citizen access. Representatives from the Center for Digital Government and officials from the 2007 Best of the Web-winning state and local governments served as judges for this year’s competition.

“This year’s winners represent the very best in state Web sites and the Center applauds Alabama for its diligence and hard work,” said Cathilea Robinett, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. “Each year, state and local governments continue to make strides towards implementing better access and more efficient Web delivery of public services.”

Alabama.gov offers a variety of government-related services and information 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The site provides numerous online resources to Alabamians, including information on living and working in Alabama, professional license renewals, up-to-date state agency contacts, and a digital media gallery. The portal also provides more than 140 interactive services that allow users to complete entire personal and business transactions online. Thanks to the addition of these new services and information, Alabama.gov is on track to significantly increase its annual online visitor count from 3.3 million in 2007 to almost 4 million in 2008.

The Alabama.gov portal is developed and managed at no cost to the state and is the result of a unique public-private partnership between the Alabama Department of Finance and Alabama Interactive, the state of Alabama’s partner for online government services.

About Alabama.gov

Alabama.gov is the state of Alabama’s official Web portal (http://www.alabama.gov) and a collaborative effort between the state of Alabama and Alabama Interactive. It was built and is marketed, operated, and maintained by Alabama Interactive, a Montgomery-based wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV - News).

About NIC

NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,900 state and local agencies that serve more than 70 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

Contact:

Alabama Interactive
Sloane Wright, 866-353-EGOV

Source: Alabama.gov

Education a Priority in West Virginia

West Virginia Education Portal Recognized Twice for Innovation in National Competitions

Monday September 22, 12:56 pm ET
Link to Article

CHARLESTON, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The recently unveiled West Virginia Education portal (http://www.education.wv.gov) has been declared one of the best education Websites in the nation by the Centers for Digital Government and Education. The new portal was presented the 2008 Best of Web Special Award and the 2008 Digital Education Achievement Award based on its innovative approach to integrating more than 900 education resources into one centralized starting point located within the state’s official Website, http://www.wv.gov.

“We were very pleased to finally see a state develop a comprehensive education component into their overall state Website strategy,” said Cathilea Robinett, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. “The West Virginia Education Portal takes the right approach to providing diverse online education resources to West Virginia’s citizens.”

The Best of Web Awards and Digital Education Achievement Awards are national programs that recognize outstanding agency and department Websites and applications that enhance information interactions, transactions, and services. The awards were presented by the Centers for Digital Government and Education, which are national research and advisory institutes on information technology policies and best practices in government and education, during the 21st Century Jobs Cabinet meeting on September 19 in Charleston.

“West Virginia is the first state in the nation to develop a centralized online resource for families to seamlessly access the numerous educational offerings in the state,” said First Lady Gayle Manchin. “These awards highlight the commitment of the state of West Virginia to improving the educational opportunities for our citizens and educators.”

The education portal is the result of the work of the 21st Century Jobs Cabinet, which was formed in 2006 to promote a seamless education system that connects every level of education from early childhood to graduate study. It encompasses job training and lifelong learning to both support and enhance West Virginia's job creation and economic development efforts.

The West Virginia Education Portal was built without using taxpayer dollars by leveraging an innovative public-private partnership between the state and West Virginia Interactive, a Charleston-based subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV - News). Additional services are slated to be released in the upcoming months that will further streamline citizen access to government services and save taxpayer dollars.

About WV.gov

WV.gov is the official Website of the state of West Virginia (http://www.wv.gov) and is the result of an innovative public-private partnership between the state and West Virginia Interactive. West Virginia Interactive works with government agencies to build and manage interactive online services and is a subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC.

About NIC

NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,900 state and local agencies that serve more than 70 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

Contact:
The Office of Governor Joe Manchin
Lara Ramsburg, 304-558-2000
Communications Director
or
WV.gov
Peter Fairhurst, 304-414-0265 ext. 103
General Manager

Work-Related Newsiness

e.Republic's Center for Digital Government Names 2008 Top Web Portals and Applications

Government Technology | 08.19.08
URL: http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/391147

News Report

Winners of the 2008 Best of the Web and Digital Government Achievement Awards have been announced by e.Republic's Center for Digital Government. The top state and local government Web portal and application awardees will be honored at the 12th annual Awards Gala on Sept.12 in Hollywood, Calif.

Judges from all over the nation determined the winners. Best of Web recognizes the most innovative, user-friendly state and local government portals while the Digital Government Achievement Award recognizes outstanding agency and department Web sites and applications.

Cathilea Robinett, executive vice president of the Center for Digital Government, said "Each year, state and local governments continue to make strides toward implementing better access and more efficient Web-delivery of public services. This year's winners represent the very best in each category. The Center applauds all the honorees for their diligence and hard work."

2008 Best Of the Web Awards

State Portal Category:

1st Place Virginia
2nd Place: Maine
3rd Place: California
4th Place: Texas
5th Place: Alabama and Rhode Island
Special Award: West Virginia Education Portal

This year's Awards Gala is sponsored by GovDelivery Inc. and Hyland Software Inc.

New State Website User Friendly

From Metro News:

05/28/2008

The state of West Virginia has a new website with the goal of making it simpler to learn about state government.

Department of Administration spokeswoman Diane Holley says wv.gov will hopefully make it as simple as possible for the public to come to the site and find any information they want about state government.

Holley says the website is topic-driven rather than agency-driven. She says users don't have to know which state government provides which service. She says using an internal google search will look for the information by topic, directing the user to the correct agency.

The site also offers the opportunity to do business electronically with the state. Holley says those opportunities will continue to increase in the months to come. The site also includes an on-line help feature with live chats with a customer service representative from 8-5 weekdays.

"Our goal is to enhance technology with the state of West Virginia's government and this is just one step we are making towards that goal," Holley said.

The state has worked with nationally recognized eGovernment firm NIC to design the site. The new site was built without the use of taxpayer dollars; a public-private partnership was used instead.

The address of the official state website is www.wv.gov.

Oklahoma, Okay!

Summer camp is over.

I recently returned from a four-day company conference in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City has always held a certain charm for me. I've never met anyone from Oklahoma whom I didn't like, and while this was only my second visit, both visits were time spent with warm and interesting people and being pleasantly surprised by the city itself.

The best thing about the conference was being able to spend time with so many of the creative, progressive, inspirational people I work with. We're spread out all over the country, but have never been reluctant to reach out and share ideas and insights with each other. I don't think that happens in many companies, and I feel very fortunate to work with such a dynamic and talented group of people. It was wonderfully refreshing to see both familiar and new faces and talk shop with fellow new media dazzlers.

Now, peep this cool snap I took in Bricktown:

3... 2... 1...

...and we're live.



Wild, wonderful and web-tastic.

Existence Justified, Check

It was official before, but it's super-official-official now. My relocation to West Virginia is visible on the horizon! Here's what takes me to the green, green hills of Appalachia (emphasis mine, as it applies to me)...

Business Wire | 11.02.07
LINK

West Virginia Signs Self-Funding Portal Agreement
CHARLESTON, W. Va.--The state of West Virginia finalized an agreement yesterday with eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV - News) to operate the state's official Web site, WV.gov (http://www.wv.gov), for up to three years.

"A world-class Web site is a competitive advantage for West Virginia," said Gayle Conelly Manchin, chair of the West Virginia Management Steering Committee and first lady of the state. "It will help the state retain and attract companies, help our home-grown businesses to prosper and our residents to get the service from government they expect in the 21st century. NIC was selected as the private partner to help us make that happen."

West Virginia issued its bid for eGovernment services in February 2007 and awarded the contract to NIC from a competitive field. The contract is for one year with two one-year renewal options, the maximum allowed by state law. The state of West Virginia will retain ownership of the content, data and statutory fees.

"NIC will deploy the self-funded model to provide the infrastructure and staff expertise required to develop, maintain and host the eGovernment portal," said NIC President Harry Herington. "We will hire additional employees over time at our Charleston office to support the state's growing eGovernment operations."

NIC expects to launch the first new services in late 2007, and it is currently working with state agencies and the West Virginia Management Steering Committee to identify and prioritize new applications to introduce in the contract's first year. The company also will redesign the state's official Web site and build upon the portal's existing functionality.

"The state of West Virginia has high expectations for its Web site and for the value it can bring to the state's residents and businesses," said Jeff Fraser, NIC's chief executive officer. "We are honored that West Virginia's leaders chose NIC as the best partner to bring their expectations to life."

With the addition of the West Virginia contract, NIC now operates 21 state portals serving more than 69 million residents.

NIC will provide additional context and answer investor questions about market dynamics and financial performance when it reports third-quarter financial performance on November 7.

About NIC

NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,600 state and local agencies that serve more than 69 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

Return from Appalachia

I am back in Alabama. West Virginia was a great time. I will write more later. Today is a wash and I need to take some Excedrin and call it.

Today was easily one of the crappiest days in recent memory. I woke up, had some breakfast at the hotel, showered and packed up my stuff. Right as I was leaving, I began to feel kind of queasy. I dropped off the rental car, and on the ride back to the airport IT really hit me. I don't know what IT was, but I have been dealing with IT all day. I checked in, wobbled through security (behind two people who have clearly not flown in this post-9/11 world) and then ran into the nearest bathroom I could find. Barfed, got all clammy and lightheaded. Cleaned up, found my gate. Sat down. Got sick again. Rinse and repeat. My flight out of Charleston was an hour delayed, which was probably a blessing in disguise. I've never puked on an airplane, and I never want to. Airport bathrooms are bad enough but I'd rather keep it on the ground, kthx.

Usually throwing up helps me feel better. Not this time. I was a sweaty, clammy girl on the airplane which SUCKED. For once, I was grateful to have an aisle seat. Fortunately, I didn't need it... I just kept my eyes closed and breathed deeply and deliberately. We sat at the gate forever because there were weight and balance issues with the airplane. Normally, I would have been slightly nervous about that. Today, I could not have cared less.

Because of the delay, I only had 20 minutes to change planes in Atlanta. Which means Queasy McGhee had to RUN to another terminal, and then RUN to a distant gate only to make it on to the airplane with a couple minutes to spare. Again I had an aisle seat, so that was good (or so I thought). Now, I am not exactly svelte... but I fit into an airplane seat. The person next to me, however, did not. I felt horrible feeling annoyed by this, but I think it's because I was not feeling well and my patience was worn thin. Because my neighbor was spilling over onto me, I was spilling out into the aisle. Because of this, my little overhead fan was not hitting me and I was burning up. So, I spent the flight from Atlanta to Birmingham doubled over with my chin in my hand like The Thinker, praying to make it without barfing or fainting. I was able to nod off a couple times, only to be slammed into by someone walking down the aisle. Oh, and did I mention the turbulence?

Finally, I land in Birmingham only to wait at baggage claim in vain... my bag is lost. I have no idea where it is. I head back to Montgomery. Normally I would be angry as Hell, but I am so resigned right now. My roof could cave in and I would probably start laughing hysterically.

Despite today being Lousyville (not to be mistaken with Louisville), I have a lot of good things to write about. I was VERY impressed with Charleston, and took a lot of photos which I will post in the next few days. There were some things I didn't like about the city, but that's going to be anywhere. Still, I'll be making a list of pluses and minuses when I evaluate the transfer offer. Charleston is a beautiful town with a lot to offer for its small size. So, yes, more on that when I don't feel like a dying slug. Because I want to do justice to all the fabulous things going on in my life right now that have me so very happy and excited for the future.