DELAWARE.GOV - ONLINE PORTAL TO THE FIRST STATE
Overview
The GIC enhances, maintains, and promotes Delaware.gov and the associated statewide Common Look and Feel (CLF). The GIC is interested in providing the best possible user experience for the citizen--connecting the citizen quickly and efficiently with the information or service the citizen is seeking.
Enhancements
Based on research, feedback, and gathering input from all three branches of State Government, the GIC enhances the services and information presented by Delaware.gov.
- Information: Because Delaware.gov is the primary entry point for citizens accessing the State of Delaware online, easy availability of citizen-centric information is of primary importance. The GIC organizes portal presentation, compiles topic subpages, and tunes the Delaware.gov search engine so citizens can easily find what they're seeking.
- Services: A priority of Delaware.gov is to feature available State Agency online services. The GIC works with State Agencies to promote online services that ease the citizen's interaction with the State. The GIC also provides recomendations, data, and an overview of government online practices to interested State Agencies that are considering developing online services for citizens.
Feedback Response
The GIC responds to feedback it receives from both citizens and State Agencies.
- Citizen and Citizen Organization Feedback Response: The GIC responds to (or routes) all incoming E-mail sent via the Contact Form. Responding to E-mails originating from Delaware.gov provides the GIC with a direct opportunity assist the citizen. Incoming E-mail also helps the GIC to get a day-by-day snapshot of what citizens visiting Delaware.gov are seeking--and if they're finding what they're seeking. Adjustments made to Delaware.gov are often based on direct citizen feedback--such as feedback sent via the portal's Survey page. (See also the citizen outreach page for more information.)
- State Agency Feedback Response: When performing its tasks, the GIC continually receives feedback from all three branches of State Government. The GIC considers and acts on this feedback while maintaining, enhancing, or updating Delaware.gov.
Maintenance
GIC personnel are directly responsible for performing maintenance tasks relating to Delaware.gov. This includes managing Delaware.gov's content, considering and enhancing Delaware.gov's design, and planning for future versions of Delaware.gov. Additionally, the GIC provides education and direct maintenance support for the statewide Common Look and Feel (CLF) template structure, which provides a common, highly accessible and usable design for use by State Agencies.
Promotion
The GIC promotes Delaware.gov. This is to ensure that citizens, citizen organizations, and State Agencies are aware of what services and information Delaware.gov can provide to them. Promotion is part of the GIC's citizen outreach activity.
Research
Making good design choices and implementing best practices for Delaware.gov and the statewide Common-Look-and-Feel (CLF) requires a strong understanding of the citizen, State Government, and Web standards.
- Accessibility: Regular monitoring of accessibility best practices ensures the GIC has up-to-the-minute information about accessibility technology developments and can accomodate these technologies when developing Delaware.gov.
- Practices: GIC personnel monitor developments in Local, State, and Federal online content publishing practices. The GIC also monitors "best of" private sector web publishing practices. The goal in watching government and private sector practices is to develop Delaware.gov as a "best of breed" solution for citizens and State Agencies, adopting only the most relevant practices and techniques.
- Standards: Based on private sector and government practices, the GIC monitors and evaluates emerging standards (from bodies such as the W3C and the ISO--and industry working groups) to ensure that adoption of finalized standards occurs for Delaware.gov when appropriate.
- Usability: An evolving understanding of usability best practices--based on the evolution of usability on the Web--affords the GIC insights and techniques for enhancing Delaware.gov and the Common-Look-and-Feel (CLF).
