Case Study - IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation State of Indiana

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Background

For years, private sector organizations have developed Web sites and Internet self-service portals that show consistent branding across all departments; however, government entities, particularly state governments, have not made an effort to welcome users with a consistent feel across all state agencies’ and entities’ sites.

Additionally, 90% of Indiana state agencies do not employ full-time or contract staff to develop or maintain their Web site presence. Many of those agencies have relied on the IN.gov vendor, Indiana Interactive, to provide Web development and maintenance. While implementing a new design, each agency has also migrated in to a content management system (CMS) that allows end-users, with little to no technical knowledge, to make quick, meaningful updates to one of the major sources of communication today.

For the External Customer, end-users do not find information the same way; thus, the redesigned IN.gov integrates the best practices of public and private sector. IN.gov is

• Customer-focused: The site is more user-friendly, and all content is now presented in a clear, accessible format so that the general public can easily interact with Indiana’s state government.
• Consistent: Navigation, search, online services, and other features are in the same location on all new pages. Users no longer have to re-learn how each agency website or IN.gov page works.
• No Wrong Door: Users can more easily find what they are looking for with IN.gov’s powerful search engine, streamlined subject matter navigation, “Information For” section with links for specific types of IN.gov users, and graphic “billboards” highlighting major initiatives.
• Great Design: The new IN.gov sports a modern design with central “billboard” graphics for an updated look at available services and major initiatives that are currently underway.

Additionally, the CMS allows state agency staffs to present greatly improved up-to-date, dynamic content to their users:

• Press Releases & Events: IN.gov revamped an existing system to provide agencies the means to push their press releases and calendar events information across multiple channels. Entering their information into this system displays it dynamically on their own site as well as on the IN.gov “top-level” pages.
• Frequently Asked Questions: An agency’s most frequently asked questions are ranked and displayed on the agency’s site.
• Quick & Easy Content Updates: The CMS allows non-technical agency staff to make minor content changes, add pages and navigation items and replace “widget” advertisements in the left and right content areas.

Technology always brings challenges, but the biggest obstacle has been organizational – how would the state force or encourage state agencies to use a new system that required that they migrate their existing Web site into a design “box?” The simple answer was executive support that led to agency buy-in. By approaching the Governor’s office with the initial idea, the IN.gov Program was able to secure executive support. From there, IN.gov Program staff engaged those closest to the agencies’ Web sites, the webmasters. Using the knowledge of their Web sites, their relationships in their agencies and asking for their expertise with the Web as a whole allowed IN.gov Program staff to develop relationships with key players in each agency. Reliance on those relationships is what brought about a cohesive group of individuals and agencies that were willing to support the initiative.

The initiative is an integral part of a broad government-wide service transformation. All organizations, especially government entities, should continually strive to serve their customers better. The intent of the IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation is to provide an easy-to-use tool for agencies to update Web content that would, in turn, better serve such individuals and organizations as end-users, citizens, businesses, and other governmental entities.

The Redesign & CMS Implementation is only the beginning of a new IN.gov that is truly customer-centric rather than agency-centric. (See #7 Next Steps.)

Organizational Design and Governance Arrangements

The IN.gov Program operates under the Indiana Office of Technology, an internal service agency that provides IT services and support to executive branch agencies. State entities that are exempt from using the new design include the legislative branch, judicial branch, and the separately elected officials. Additionally, several executive branch entities that conduct more “commercial” business are not required to use the new design; these include the Economic Development Corporation, State Fair, Hoosier Lottery, State Museum, Office of Tourism Development and White River State Park. However, all these entities are encouraged to leverage the CMS as a free service of IN.gov.

The IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation is managed on a day-to-day basis by IN.gov Program staff, which includes the IN.gov contracted vendor Indiana Interactive. However, ultimate authority lies within the Governor’s office and, specifically, with its director of communication.

Additionally, various task forces and councils were formed to assist with the governance of the overall project, procurement of the CMS, final decision for the new design and the ongoing effort to maintain IN.gov standards and requirements. These groups were made up of state agency executive staff, public information officers (PIOs) and communicators and webmasters.

Business Model

The mission of IN.gov (as a whole) is “to be state government’s single online source of up-to-the-minute information and secure, easy-to-use services that reduce the cost of doing business with and within state government.”

Activities, Channels and Migration

Within the mission statement live two goals that drive the IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation. Goal one: For the External customer, provide state government information in a customer-centric manner. Goal two: For the Internal Customer, make it easier for users in state government to update content on IN.gov.

To fully implement the new design, the IN.gov Program incentivized its Internal Customers with the use of the CMS. Many agencies were clamoring to move their sites to the CMS; thus, that was the incentive to move to the new design as well. In addition to the CMS “carrot,” the IN.gov Program also offered multiple other solutions that would enhance the agencies’ end-users’ online experiences, including RightNow Technologies’ Frequently Asked Questions (customer relationship management) software, WebTrends Analytics, Maps.IN.gov (a Microsoft-driven pin-pointing map solution) and GovDelivery’s online subscription management tool.

Funding

Because the IN.gov Program operates on a self-funded model, (that is, the money generated by convenience fees for online services supports all IN.gov operations), no appropriated funds were used for the IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation. Additionally, all services to agencies, including the migration to the CMS and new design, the ability to leverage the Frequently Asked Questions system, BrowseAloud screen reader and translation software, and GovDelivery subscription management, are free of charge.

Human Resources Issues

Under the management of the IN.gov Program Manager, IN.gov Program contracted staff are responsible for the implementation of all new solutions and the physical migration to the new design and CMS. A reallocation of resources was necessary to adhere to such an aggressive migration schedule. However, the new IN.gov Portal Contract allows the state to fully and responsibly leverage the resources provided by the vendor.

Once an agency’s site migration is complete, agency staff are required to test the new site extensively. Upon launch, control of the CMS-supported site is turned over to the agency personnel who are trained to use the CMS. IN.gov Program contracted staff provide additional support as needed.

Performance Measurement

Information not available.

Use of Information Technology/Web 2.0

All technology solutions mentioned in 3(b) have been are enterprise solutions provided to all state entities free-of-charge.

The chosen CMS comes with multiple Web 2.0 capabilities; however, the IN.gov Programs initial, primary focus has been on the migration of all executive branch agency Web sites to the new design and CMS by June 30, 2008. Once the first phase of the migration is complete, IN.gov Program staff will begin building out the CMS tool’s capabilities to include RSS and advanced video capabilities. Because IN.gov supports the state of Indian government, blogging (in its truest form) is not encouraged for state agencies.

Partnerships

Multiple partnerships on every level are responsible for the IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation. First and foremost, the IN.gov portal vendor, Indiana Interactive, has been paramount in making this initiative successful. Internally, each state agency that IN.gov supports is considered a partner and should be recognized for its support and cooperation during this sixteen-month project.

Community Engagement

Information not available.

Issues Encountered/Challenges

Since the IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation was well thought-out in advance, there have been few obstacles that were not anticipated. However, working with new solutions always poses multiple challenges, one of which was the successful implementation of an enterprise solution that was cost-effective and user-friendly. The CMS solution chosen by the state did not come with a vendor that provided the needed level of support. Originally, the tool was not implemented by the vendor with the agency user in mind and thus a third-party vendor was brought in to assist. After revamping the user-interface, minor page creation is simpler and publishing issues are no longer a concern.

Critical Success Factors

The overall process has been a success because the IN.gov Program sought executive-level support prior to engaging the agencies. Without “top-down” direction, agency buy-in would not have been possible and resistance at the agency level would have caused major roadblocks over the past year. Credit should also be given to all IN.gov Program customers, the agencies. Without their willingness to change in order to enhance their customers’ online experience, the IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation would not have been possible.

The success of the CMS implementation lies in the capable hands of the IN.gov Program vendor, Indiana Interactive, whose staff was required to think “outside the box” and master new technologies. Indiana Interactive staff are also responsible for the clean, effective and, most importantly, consistent new look of IN.gov. Research on public and private sector best practices led the designer to a look that accommodated an overall IN.gov brand while allowing each agency to maintain its identity.

Once the IN.gov Redesign & CMS Implementation is complete, the ongoing success can be attributed to the Governor’s office for its support, and to the CMS Governance Council which drafted, maintains and enforces the IN.gov Design Standards & Requirements.

Next Steps

During 2008 and 2009, the IN.gov Program plans to enhance the user experience by building on the secure online services already offered on IN.gov. After the June 30, 2008, migration end-date, IN.gov will begin re-banding the user interfaces of all IN.gov online services. Each application will undergo a rigorous security check to certify that it meets or exceeds all industry standards as well as IN.gov-enforced security standards. As the applications are audited, they will be “re-skinned” with a common look and will receive the IN.gov security shield (see http://in.gov/bmv for an example of the shield).

The IN.gov Program will also continue to make the portal more customer-centric by introducing a single sign-on solution that will integrate federated IDs with IN.gov applications, allowing customers to use a single username and password to access all Indiana online services. The single sign-on effort is well underway and is expected to roll to select agency applications in 2008.

Contact:

Brian Stevenson,
General Manager,
Indiana Intractive LLC,
10 Market Street, Suite 600,
Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204,
Telephone: 317-233-2108,
E-mail: bstevenson@www.in.gov