Utah Releases Groundbreaking Motor Vehicle and Enforcement System

SALT LAKE CITY – The State of Utah Department of Technology Services and the Utah State Tax Commission, in cooperation with Fast Enterprises, have released a groundbreaking motor vehicle system and motor vehicle enforcement system referred to as VADRS. The system has become a model to many other states for efficiency, organization, and success.

VADRS processes 2.5 million vehicle titles and registrations, 2,700 dealership and body shop licenses, and 12,000 sales person licenses annually. Through the online service, Utah residents and businesses can manage vehicles and MVED business licenses, make DMV payments, order personalized plates, renew disabled placards, and renew commercial fleets.

VADRS automated and simplified procedures for faster and more secure customer service and workload tracking. In addition, the system distributes multiple types of revenue and fees to hundreds of state and local funds. These services give residents and businesses more control over where and when they do business with the Motor Vehicle Division, are streamlined for easy use, and most processes require no registration. The new system includes 123 interfaces, which allow users to access motor vehicle records in a real time environment. Users benefiting from this instant access include the Utah Department of Public Safety, the Utah Department of Transportation, and Utah county governments.

Barry Conover, Utah State Tax Commission Director, said, “The VADRS team diligently implemented this revolutionized process and met each challenge with creativity and tenacity. This atmosphere of teamwork led to a leading edge program, bringing customer service to a higher standard, while reducing costs.”

To access Utah's new Motor Vehicle Portal, visit https://mvp.tax.utah.gov

Maps on the Hill to Display over 50 Exhibits

SALT LAKE CITY –  The State of Utah Automated Geographic Reference Center (AGRC) announced today the Maps on the Hill exhibit will be available for viewing on Monday, January 28, 2013 from 11:00am to 1:30pm in the Utah State Capitol Building Rotunda.

Maps on the Hill is a great way to learn how current mapping technology is being applied to important issues across a wide range of disciplines including land ownership, health, addressing, emergency preparedness, history and utilities.  Maps on the Hill is expected to draw over 50 map exhibits from all levels of government, private sector firms, and higher education. Utah’s elected officials and the public are invited to come learn about the various mapping projects from professionals and students.

Get a sneak peak at the Maps on the Hill exhibit in the Maps on the Hill 2013 Map Book (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4010426/MapsontheHillMapBook2013.pdf ).

Maps on the Hill has been organized by the AGRC and is sponsored by the Utah Geographic Information Council (UGIC), the State user group of Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals.

About AGRC

The Automated Geographic Reference Center (AGRC) was established in 1984 by the Utah State Legislature, and is now in the State of Utah Department of Technology Services.  AGRC provides GIS services to state, federal, and local government agencies and curates one of the nation’s leading state repositories for digital mapping data layers.  For more information, visit http://gis.utah.gov

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.

Utah.gov Launches Responsive Web Design

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Within minutes of launching the redesigned Utah.Gov, tweets began posting from around the world. Users were commenting, blogging, and critiquing the new design. The response was overwhelming; the world loved the new design. More importantly, they were providing instant feedback regarding navigation and accessibility. For the first time, users are able to instantly respond and Utah.Gov listened. While over four years of analytics were utilized to shape the redesign, continual feedback from citizens and users is an important part of the process. Since launched several aspects of the site have been modified. While they may seem minimal to the average user, the changes illustrate Utah’s commitment to not only listening to user feedback, but also utilizing it. Modifications based on user feedback gathered from social media outlets include:

• Several enhancements were made to Utah.Gov within the first week of launch to improve accessibility.
• Per citizen recommendation, the Near You section was expanded to allow citizens to add their own local schools, libraries and parks in their area, in addition to the current display of existing locations of record.
• Additional language and instructions were added to Collaborate.Utah.Gov to clarify any confusion citizens might have once they submit material to Utah.Gov.
• Website components were adjusted, and within an hour of being notified, page load speed increased by 75%.
• Customer support was integrated to identify what citizens are really looking for. The 24/7 Support page was updated to include the most requested business and citizen agencies based on user feedback.
• Search results were modified to be even more precise. Analytics were used to determine what searches didn’t yield results and tailored accordingly.

“It is always exciting to launch a re-designed Utah.Gov to Utah citizens, as well as our international audience,” said David Fletcher, Utah Chief Technology Officer. “With the internet always available at their fingertips, citizens now are able to instantly provide feedback and suggestions. Citizen involvement play an integral role in our improvement process, continually enhancing Utah.Gov as we incorporate valuable citizen response.”

In the first 48 hours of launching, over 800 tweets were posted about the new Utah.Gov design reaching an estimated 2.2 million people. Open dialogue that networks such as Twitterprovide allow for continual discussion as well as an opportunity to listens and act on user feedback. Utah.Gov practices responsive web design and it is important that citizen feedback is a key component of that process.

2010 Utah Egov Awards

The 2010 Utah E-government Awards were presented today at the Utah Product Management Council. This is the first year of what is expected to become an annual awards presentation. In 2010, awards were presented in five categories: best online video, best new website, best new online service, social media, and most improved.

Best Online Video

UDOT - Mountain View Corridor


USTAR - USTAR 2010/2011


Best New Website
Lt. Governor / Elections Office - Vote.Utah.gov

The Vote.Utah.gov website was the centerpiece of a successful initiative by the Lt. Governor's Office to encourage voters to register and vote in the 2010 election. The site also featured personalized information for individual voters within their geographic area, such as finding their poll locations and the platforms and information packets that corresponded to their individual precinct.

Social Media

UDOT - UDOT Blog, Twitter, and Youtube

UDOT's social media campaign was designed to provide better information to citizens about transportation issues. @UtahDOT provides regular Twitter updates on road construction, traffic conditions, and travel-related weather, while UDOT's new blog gives citizens an inside look at the Department and the issues it is dealing with.

Best New Service

Commerce - Licensing Continuing Education Service

This new service provides an administrative console to providers of continuing education services so that they can manage information about the courses they provide as well as information they provide to the Department of Commerce. Licensees are able to easily locate potential courses that will help them maintain their valid license status.

Public Safety - Driver License Appointment Scheduler

When faced with the requirement to physically verify information on every driver license renewal for the next five years, the Driver License Division was faced with a huge challenge of keep lines down in its offices and customers satisfied. The implementation of the online scheduler provided a way to maintain a more manageable flow of citizens through the renewal process.

Most Improved

DAS State Archives - Public Notice Website

The newly designed site, unveiled in October 2010, provides a more useable interface for thousands of public meetings for all state and local government entities. The advanced browse and search capabilities make it very easy to find any public meeting in the state.

Census Data Delivered to Utah

The U.S. Census Bureau today released more detailed 2010 Census population totals and demographic characteristics to the governor and leadership of the state legislature in Utah. These data provide the first look at population counts for small areas and race, Hispanic origin, voting age and housing unit data released from the 2010 Census.

The official 2010 Census Redistricting Data Summary File can be used to redraw federal, state and local legislative districts under Public Law 94-171. The census data are used by state officials to realign congressional and state legislative districts in their states, taking into account population shifts since the 2000 Census.

Data for Utah show that the five most populous incorporated places and their 2010 Census counts are Salt Lake City, 186,440; West Valley City, 129,480; Provo, 112,488; West Jordan, 103,712; and Orem, 88,328. Salt Lake City grew by 2.6 percent since the 2000 Census. West Valley City grew by 18.9 percent, Provo grew by 7.0 percent, West Jordan grew by 51.8 percent, and Orem grew by 4.7 percent.

The largest county is Salt Lake, with a population of 1,029,655. Its population grew by 14.6 percent since 2000. The other counties in the top five include Utah, with a population of 516,564 (increase of 40.2 percent); Davis, 306,479 (increase of 28.2 percent); Weber, 231,236 (increase of 17.7 percent); and Washington, 138,115 (increase of 52.9 percent).

The redistricting file consists of five detailed tables: the first shows the population by race, including six single race groups and 57 multiple race groups (63 total race categories); the second shows the Hispanic or Latino population as well as the non-Hispanic or Latino population cross-tabulated by the 63 race categories. These tabulations are repeated in the third and fourth tables for the population 18 years and over and are for the resident population of the United States. The fifth table provides counts of housing units and their occupancy status.

Visitors to Utah.gov

DTS carefully tracks visitors to Utah.gov to identify trends and develop strategies for improving the utility of Utah web resources for Utah government and its citizens. In 2010, over 1 million unique visitors visited the domain every month except July and the overal tracking is in line with the state's digital government goals.

Utah Launches New Broadband Website

Today, the Utah Broadband Project announced the launch of the State of Utah’s broadband website, now available online at http://broadband.utah.gov. Last year, Utah kicked off a project to expand broadband mapping and planning efforts within the state and has worked to provide a comprehensive resource to help determine broadband availability and facilitate broadband planning. The Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) in conjunction with Utah.Gov, the Utah Automated Geographic Referencing Center (AGRC), and the Utah Public Service Commission (PSC) launched the interactive website featuring the State’s first broadband map.

“Broadband today presents us with the same challenges electricity did in the past century,” said Governor Gary R. Herbert. “Fostering economic development through business expansion in Utah is a top priority. The interactive map is an important tool that will help increase opportunities and access to information in both rural and urban parts of the state.”

The website has several features including an interactive broadband map, a broadband connection speed test and a reporting tool for areas in Utah without broadband service. The interactive site also has information about broadband impacts, and is targeted to state and local decision-makers, consumers, the business community, and broadband providers partnering on the project. The interactive broadband map clearly illustrates providers, speeds, and availability within the entire State.

“This Project has strengthened our relationships with Utah’s broadband providers and has enabled the successful launch of this innovative map and website,” said Spencer Eccles, executive director of GOED. “Utah’s broadband landscape is strong today because of the partnerships, investment and hard work that our providers have dedicated to deploying and maintaining their state-of-the-art networks in all corners of Utah.”

The National Broadband Map is scheduled for release by the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on February 17, 2011. Utah is pleased to release its broadband website and Utah map ahead of the national benchmark.

With continued participation and support from the Governors Office, broadband providers and state and federal officials, the Project will continue serving as an important tool in determining and developing business opportunities in Utah.

Find out more information about the Utah Broadband Project through:

Website: http://broadband.utah.gov

Twitter: https://twitter.com/utahbroadband

Find out more information about Utah.gov through:

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/

DTS Monitoring Service Ensures Reliability

The Utah Department of Technology Services has implemented a new monitoring services that helps DTS proactively respond to system slowdowns or outages.  The service makes extensive use of open source and cloud tools that are capable of monitoring state information systems on a very granular level while also providing high level views that make it possible to spot potential problems very quickly.  DTS has developed service level agreements with every state agency so it is critical to have automated tools such as the new monitoring dashboard to ensure that all of these service levels are met.  The SLAs are built into the dashboard in a way that triggers alerts when service levels are in danger.  The DTS monitoring dashboard is live at RMS.dts.utah.gov.

Utah Agencies Find Ways to Leverage Social Media

Increasingly, state agencies are using social media to interact with Utah citizens and businesses in ways that enhance their mission.  One of the best examples has been the use of Twitter to provide immediate communications during emergencies.  On December 21, 2010, as floods threatened homes and property in Rockville and other southern Utah communities, emergency responders used Twitter to let people know of evacuation orders, endangered areas, even how to evacuate pets and other animals.  The Washington County Sheriff, St. George Police, Utah Division of Homeland Security and others were able to get the word out quickly.  Twitter also provides ways to access updates using SMS on any cell phone, further adding to its utility during emergency situations.  Users can also use other tools like the example of Flipboard on the iPad (example shown above) to aggregate content from Twitter lists based on need and interest.

Agencies are also using other social media tools, including Slideshare, Facebook, and Issue for online publishing, community building, etc. as an increasingly larger share of Utah's population tune into these services on a daily basis for information.  Many Utah agencies have started using weblogs to communicate content that is not easily conveyed in the short 140-character messages allowed on Twitter.

Multimedia content is added to the mix through sites like YouTube.  The State's YouTube site features hundreds of useful videos organized into over 15 separate channels.

Public Meeting Website Features Enhanced Browse, Share Capabilities

Utah's Public Meeting Notice website was recently updated with a new look and functionality.  The website, which was originally released in 2008 and has won a variety of national awards now prominently features the ability to create your own public meeting widget.  With hundreds of state and local agencies using the website, these entities can now feature their own meetings on any website with simple embed code that is provided by the widget.  The site, which is developed and supported through a partnership between the Utah State Archives, the Department of Technology Services and Utah Interactive, also now uses advanced browse functionality which helps the user easily locate meetings by any specific agency at the city, county, or state level.

Utah Releases RFP for Hosted Email Services

The State of Utah has released its RFP for hosted email services.  Following an extensive business analysis, the state determined that it would look at opportunities to update its email and collaboration platform.  For the past 20 years, Utah employees have utilized GroupWise email hosted and managed locally by the state. The RFP requests bids from vendors that will provide additional functionality and be hosted at a vendor-operated facility.  The RFP development process was overseen by a team of members selected by the cabinet.  Details on the bid can be found on the Department of Purchasing website.  Bids are due to the State on January 18, 2011.

Data Center Consolidation Completed

The end of the Data Center Consolidation Project has arrived. It's been eighteen months since the beginning of the project. Many DTS technicians, managers, applica- tion developers, and DBA’s worked long nights and many weekends on the Consolidation Project. Most have passed up vacations and time off to stay dedicated to completing the Consolidation effort. There were certainly ups and downs but amazingly everyone held it together and stayed the course to the end.

An ambitious goal 18 months ago was realized in the final week with the comple- tion of the GenTax servers as well as a few virtualizations that occurred on June 29th. In the end a 100% completion was accomplished.


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DTS Publishes New Strategic Plan for 2010-2013

The Strategic Plan for The Department of Technology Services (DTS) outlines our approach to achieving the goals and objectives we have set to optimize IT services for the State of Utah. The primary objective of the Strategic Plan is to establish and maintain a clear alignment of the State’s IT resources to its business needs while ensuring an optimal return on investment.

The Plan outlines the need for a systemic approach to assess continuing IT developments and lists major IT initiatives throughout the enterprise. Furthermore, we are partnering with agencies to assist in achieving business objectives as outlined in the State of Utah Emerging Issues and Strategies document, as well as the IT Plans.

Since the inception of our strategic plan, DTS has been able to achieve many improvements in operations through consolidation and optimization. The recent economic downturn has created many challenges for DTS and our partners across state government. Through our optimization efforts, DTS is positioned well to assist agencies in achieving the demands of providing more services with fewer resources, using automation to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of state programs.

Read the Full Document