Metro Boston Local Governance and Technology: Benchmarking the Progress of Localities

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Metro Boston Local Governance and
TechnologyBenchmarking the Progress of
Localities
Ashland Southborough Framingham Sudbury
Holliston Wayland Marlborough Wellesley
Natick Weston
Presented at MetroWest Growth Management
Committee May Leadership Forum and Community
Exchange Wayland, Massachusetts 14 July
2004 Charles KaylorPublic Sphere Information
Group
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Local eGoverment in Massachusetts (2002)
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Local eGoverment in Massachusetts (2002)
Legend
No Official Site 1-25 26-50 51-75 76
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The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
(MeGAP)

• The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
  (MeGAP) www.psigroup.biz/megap
• Measures implementation of electronic government
  across 75 performance dimensions
• Captures the degree of implementation (from
  online presence to interactivity)
• Details available at www.psigroup.biz

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The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
(MeGAP)
Explanation of Performance Dimensions

• Stage 4. Transformative Functions (11 Total)
• Surveys
• eMeetings
• Forums
• Listservs
• Streaming Media
• Neighborhood-specific Info
• Participation Volunteering Info
• Visualization Tools
• Personalization

Increasing Value to Constituents

• Stage 3. Transactive Functions (8 total)
• Permitting Licensing
• Payments (Bills, Taxes, Fines Fees)
• Procurement
• Registrations
• Self-service applications

• Stage 2. Interactive Functions (28 Total)
• Online GIS
• CRM
• Info on Voting Elections
• Access to databases (vital records, data)

• Stage I. Information Dissemination (21 total)
• Codes Regulations
• Contact Info
• Minutes of Meetings
• Budget Info
• Directions to Facilities

Increasing Cost of Applications
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The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
(MeGAP)

• What does the MeGAP help us understand?

• How well are local governments using technology
  to foster new approaches to delivering services?
• To what extent and in what ways are new
  technologies changing local governments?
• Is technology redeeming its promise to make
  government more efficient, effective and better
  utilized by its constituencies?
• Are cities serving as model technology users for
  the community?
• Do local governments understand the role they can
  play in local economic development and
  competitiveness?
• Are new technologies fostering new forms of
  citizen engagement in local government?

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The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
(MeGAP)
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Markers of Successful eGovernment

• Strategic planning ? develop a community-specific
  model of service delivery
• Organizational change ? revamping city hall with
  technology as an enabler
• Cultural Changes ? new duties, functions and
  purposes for city staff
• New focus ? Thinking of city as role model user
  of technology creating excitement and
  competitive edge for the organization and
  community as a whole

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Organizational Change
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The Gray ZoneEffects of Size
National Standard
No Official Website 1-25 26-50 51-75 76
Note Twin Cities eScores are represented here as
a percentage of the Wave II national leader
Portland, OR.
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The Gray ZoneEffects of Size
1999/2000
2000/2001
March 2002 September 2002
February 2004
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Searching for SolutionsA Regional Approach?

• Many government services are delivered more
  effectively on a regional basis
• The use of web based technologies can enable
  multiple governments to provide services
• Shared application development
• Collaborative strategic planning
• Regional organizations and local governments
  working collaboratively and proactively to
  provide seamless services

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Examples of Regional Collaboration
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Regional Technology Planning
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Information DisseminationThe Basics
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Information DisseminationBudget Finances
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Information DisseminationPublic Meetings
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Interactive Features-CRM
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Interactive Features GIS
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Interactive Features GIS
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Interactive Features GIS
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Interactive Features Job Applications
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eCommercePayments
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eCommercePermitting Licensing
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eCommerceBids
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eCommerceAuctions
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eCommerceParks Recreation
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eCommerceData Sales
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TransformationAssessing the Evolution of
Participation
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Evolution of Participation
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Transformation

• Indianapolis Online Forums

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Transformation

• San Diego Streaming Media

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Transformation

• Virginia Beach eMail Sign Up

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Transformation

• Dallas Neighborhood Information

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Transformation

• Jacksonville Volunteer Opportunities

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Transformation

• Portland Participation Opportunities Page

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Transformation

• My San Francisco

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Questions and Comments

• Charles Kaylor
• Public Sphere Information Group
• 617.699.9429
• ckaylor_at_psigroup.biz
• www.psigroup.biz