Great .gov Web sites 2008
These 10 sites show agencies putting the power of the Web to work
Government agencies are finally catching on to the World Wide Web. Ten years ago, most government executives saw the Web as a sort of electronic brochure. Now they have come to realize that the Web can be the primary form of interaction with constituents.
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'As they are moving into transactional activities, be it filing your taxes, applying for Social Security benefits, or getting your license renewed, the contributional value [that government Web] sites are making is huge,' said Larry Freed, president and chief executive officer of ForeSee Results, the company that runs the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index. ACSI surveys users to find out how useful and easy to use they find the sites they're visiting.
So when we sought to compile a list of the best government Web sites, we looked for those that offered more than information ' we looked for those offering services. We also kept an eye out for sites that reflect the needs of the constituents.
We were pleasantly surprised by the number of great government Web sites. We received more than 70 nominations from a blog entry posting on GCN that was also forwarded on the Web Content Managers list server.
We scanned other awards programs for suggestions and consulted with Web design experts on their favorite sites. Here are 10 we feel exemplify how government agencies are making the best use of the Web. Visit GCN.com for a list of other notable finalists.
About the Author
Joab Jackson is the senior technology editor for Government Computer News.