Utah Recognized as Top Digital State by Center for Digital Government

Michigan and Utah topped the 2012 Digital States Survey, a comprehensive biennial review of the technology practices of state governments conducted by the Center for Digital Government (CDG). CDG is the research and advisory division of e.Republic, the company that publishes Government Technology magazine.  This is the third straight time that Utah has led the Digital State Survey which is the most comprehensive assessment of how well states are using digital technologies to improve the functioning of government and the way it interacts with citizens.

In addition to this overall recognition, Utah also received recognition in the Enterprise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) category, for excellence in areas such as network management, datacenter management etc., all areas of interest for the Department of Technology Services.

Utah is also recognized as "Top 5" for its exemplary work in support of Transportation (3rd Place), Finance and Administration (4th Place), and Adaptive Leadership: Connecting the Information Technology Agenda to Public Policy Priorities (5th Place).

Gmail Transition: How can I preserve my email records?

On November 13, 2012, State of Utah employees will transition from GroupWise email accounts to Gmail email accounts. Every state employee is responsible for managing his or her own email account in accordance with state approved retention periods.

Recommended Guidelines are available from the Utah State Archives

eGovernment Saves Utahns Time and Money

A new study from the University of Utah shows that the State of Utah spent $46 million less over five years by delivering services online than it would have by providing the same services “offline”—through government offices, by phone or mail. The study was conducted by the U’s Center for Public Policy & Administration.

“Utah is among the most-wired states and our tech-savvy citizens increasingly demand state service online,” says Mark VanOrden, chief information officer and executive director of the Utah Department of Technology Services. “We’ve responded with over 1,000 online services. Registering a new business or renewing a car registration is not just easier and more convenient for our consumers, it also saves money for the state. This study shows that making the state’s services available online is just smart business.”

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Utah Receives Four Digital Government Achievement Awards

e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government has announced the 2012 winners of its annual Best of the Web and Digital Government Achievement Awards.

Utah projects were recognized as Digital Government Achievement Award winners in four separate categories.  The following projects were recognized:

Utah Master Data Index: Driving Digital Government Category.

Utah One-Stop Business Registration (OSBR) v.4: Government to Business

Utah Warrants Check: Government to Citizen

Utah GovPay: Government Internal

Congratulations to all who were involved in supporting these projects.

For more information, visit the Center for Digital Government website.

DTS and Utah.Gov Recognized with GovMark Award Excellence in Government Information Technology Marketing

July 12, 2012 - Have you ever heard of Utah.gov?  If so, it is not by coincidence.  The state of Utah wants citizens to be aware of its official state website, Utah.gov, and the hundreds of government transactions that can be completed online.  In an effort to get the word out, but spend very little money, Utah.gov deploys several inexpensive marketing tactics utilizing social media. 

"State government serves the people of Utah best when it's accessible and responsive, and our social media efforts are one more way we ensure outstanding customer service," said Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert.

Because of Utah's innovative and effective social media campaign, Utah.Gov was selected as a 2012 GovMark Council Award winner.  The GovMark Council Award focuses on government technology and information innovation recognizing those that, "facilitate advanced education, and provide a cohesive, representative voice to focus interaction with associated communities of interest."  Utah.Gov was recognized as a leader in the Best Digital Program category.

"As Utah.Gov continually innovates to better serve Utah citizens and businesses, it's a top priority to communicate enhancements using effective Online and Social Media Elements," said Mark VanOrden, Utah Chief Information Officer.  "With hundreds of services available, and new services added monthly, it's important as a State to promote citizen interaction with their government."
 
Utah.gov uses Social Media outlets such as, Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and YouTube in addition to local and national media coverage to educate citizens and encourage them to discover new information while interacting with state and local government agencies.
 
To find out more information about Utah.gov visit:
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UtahGov
 
Facebook: http://www.utah.gov/facebook/
 
RSS feeds: http://www.utah.gov/connect/feeds.html
 
Utah blogs: http://www.utah.gov/blogs/


Read the Govmark Council Announcement of 2012 Award Winners

2012 Utah Digital Government Summit

If you influence or participate in technology decisions or implementations at any level, you will find benefit in attending.

Don't miss this opportunity to see the latest in digital government solutions, keep abreast of current policy issues and network with key government executives, technologists and industry specialists.


The Utah Digital Government Summit will be held on June 14, 2012 at the Downtown Marriott in Salt Lake City.


For full information, the agenda, and registration services, please visit http://events.govtech.com/events/utahdgs2012


This year's summit will cover the latest topics, including cybersecurity, mobile, and social media.


Don't miss it!

New iPad User Guide Published

The Department of Technology Services has created new iPad User Guidelines for state government users of Apple's tablet device.  Over the past two years, interest in the use of tablets and the iPad in particular has grown as users have found numerous ways to increase job efficiency and stay connected using the popular device.

The new guidelines are available as of March 8, 2012.