1

City of Chicago

Permit Wizard

 

Building permits

Risetime

 

Tool allows constituencies to respond to series of questions about project that help to fill out applications for permits that are not available online

Can be successfully used in additional to on-line permit system to decrease time and efforts of customers in filling applications for complex projects.

Have limited range of project characteristics, can be useless with very complex, joined projects

Risetime case study description

 

2

City of Long Beach

None

building, development

none

Good presentation of material, including guidelines, location of office, on-line permitting and downloadable forms.

Provides customers with convenient way of resource access.

Only limited number of full online transactions are provided, no integrations with GIS system

None

3

City of Virginia Beach

e-docs

any

none

Web-based system that allowed customers to view archive of documents that are managed and stored by the city clerk office.

Can be especially applicable for agenda review process, permit archives, etc.

Need to be integrated to the full transactions system (e.g. e-permitting) to provide efficient data

None

4

City of Mountain View

Permit Partner

Building, zoning

GovPartner

Permit solution that integrates online-permitting, payment, plan check status, inspection schedule, permit history and online zoning information

One of the most integrated permitting system.

Do not provide permits for complex projects, not fully integrated with GIS.

None

 

City of Laguna Hills

 

City of Sunnyvale

5

City of Kansas

KIVANet

Building, zoning

ACCELA

Solution integrates opportunity to look up for detailed zoning information, permit data base and inspection request information. Data is connected to GIS.

System successfully integrates detailed information on ownships, zoning, and legal status, include all inspection papers and permit issuance stages. Parcel summary includes information on real estate and geo Areas.

Solution does not provide any full internet transactions and no information on new applications.

Case study from ACCELA

 

 

6

City of Los Angeles

Zoning Information and Map Access System (ZIMAS)

zoning

ERSI

ZIMAS is a GIS parcel-level zoning information and analysis application that provides city users with access to zoning data either a Web browser or in a PC client executable application.

Provides united planning-zoning portal for developers, creates full reports on searcher property including distance, parcel and legal status information

ZIMAZ is not integrated with other processes of growth management realms (e.g. building permits, inspection requests, etc.)

ESRI case study article

 

7

City of Houston

 

Development Review Committee tracking application

planning

AKANDA

DRC is a web enabled management tool for land development request and the related review cycle. DRC provides powerful tools for submitting application online, routing and tracking application, accepting input from other agencies and generating project reports.

One of the first integrated e-planning system, where development application can be submitted online. It is also one of the fisrtt e-planning system which are GIS connected.

DRC is not connected to other land use process, such as building.

ESRI case study article

 

Eglene O., (2000). Conducting best and current practices research: a starter kit. Center for Technology in Government. SUNY. Retrieved from

Provides researcher with practical advise on best practices research

none

general

none

1. Don’t skip best practice research because you think that your agency and problem are unique. In most of the cases it is not true.

2. Formulate question:

-break topic on elements and key words

-list possible synonymous for key words

-define scope of research: what should be included and what should be excluded from research

3. Gathering information

-library

-professional organizations

-government entities with good reputations

-other research entities conducting best practices research

-knowledge and experienced persons/contacts

4. Don’t delay expert interviews for the time when you are comfortable with literature, this can postpone the best practices research

5. Author provides a list of useful links to search engines, literature collections, and research centers web-sites. etc.

Cohen S., Eimicke W. (2001). The use of the Internet in Government Service Delivery. PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for the Business of Government. Retrieved from www.endowment.pwcglobal.com

Identifies strategy for delivering online government services including best practices research

Case study of 6 governmental web-sites

general

none

1. Conduct a web search to identify similar programs

2. Review sample of web-sites

3. Conduct informal survey of key contacts in other jurisdictions and organizations to identify those with reputations for excellence in the EG

4. Identity the top 10 websites and seeks appointments with the managers and technical staff responsible for developing and maintaining site

5. Develop an interview guide for key questions (customers, contact information, graphics, page design and presentation, content, speed, hardware, software, development, personnel, maintenance training and user support, web hosting)

6. Conduct filed research and content analysis of chosen web-sites

7. Analyze the research and develop a list of key factors to emulate and avoid in your own web-based services.

8. Revise recommendation when web-based application go forward

Stowers G.N.L. (2002). The state of federal website: the pursuit of excellence. E-government series. August. Retrieved from http://www.endowment.pwcglobal.com

Examines state of federal government in 2002

148 federal government websites

federal

none

Effective website elements that can be used to evaluate best practices:

a)online services:

-basic information

-documents

-communication with officials

-downloadable forms

-interactive forms

-multimedia applications

-e-commerce applications

-customized contents

-mapping/GIS applications

 

b)user help features

-about the site

-e-mail us

-FAQs

-Feedback

-help

-index

-search

-site map

-user tips

 

c)navigation aid features

-about services

-answers a to z

-calendar of events

-do you know/how do you know

-direct link from home page to the  EG services

events

-facilities locator

-featured link

-hot topics

-news items

-just for kids

-link to all agencies

-link to contact information

-maps

-online public notice

-most visited requested site

-popular services /major programs

-special initiatives

-welcome from director

-what’s new

d) types of information architecture

-audience/market - needs of particular audiences meet

-agencies/department

-branch of government

-events

-metaphor

-officials

-services/functions/processes

-topics/issues

-newspaper listing

-hybrid

 

e)legitimacy

-endorsement of the site by the outside parties

-presence of visible security

-privacy policy

-declaimer statement about nature of government agency activity

-contact information