“Clearly this recognizes our outstanding progress in bringing e-government services to the people of Delaware,” said Gov. Ruth Ann Minner in a press release. “Brown University’s researchers cited our efficient design, variety of services and the fact that our Web sites are easy to use and that is a credit to the staff at our Government Information Center and Department of Technology and Information.”
Minner said last year, Delaware was ranked 15th in the study and has risen from an initial ranking of 50th in 2000, the first year of the study. A team of researchers led by Darrell West, director of Brown’s Taubman Center for Public Policy, examined 1,487 state Web sites during June and July 2007.
The Web sites are evaluated for the presence of various electronic features, such as online publications, databases, audio and video clips, foreign language content and translation services, disability access, privacy policy and readability level. Delaware was ranked immediately above Michigan, Maine, Kentucky and Tennessee in this year’s study, which also ranks e-government on the federal level.
“We are pleased to be ranked No. 1 in the nation, especially since the Brown University study is an independent analysis,” said Department of Technology and Information (DTI) Secretary Tom Jarrett.
The report noted the uniform layout of the pages put online services, privacy statements, contact information and search bars in the same place on each page, regardless of whether it is the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s site or the Division of Corporations.
Consistency of the sites is something GIC and DTI have been focusing special attention on in recent years, in order to make the Web sites as accessible as possible to the largest number of users.
“The First State is now first in e-government quality,” said Secretary of State Harriet Smith Windsor. “With this great news, however, we bear the responsibility of maintaining a superior level of access. We will continue to improve our sites to better serve Delawareans and others who seek information and services from us.”
The top 10 states are:
- (15) Delaware 65.6 (44.8)
- (4) Michigan 64.0 (48.5)
- (18) Maine 62.0 (43.8)
- (21) Kentucky 56.2 (42.9)
- (11) Tennessee 54.1 (45.7)
- (22) Massachusetts 53.8 (42.5)
- (35) Maryland 53.5 (39.5)
- (1) Texas 51.3 (51.7)
- (2) New Jersey 50.0 (51.5)
- (5) Utah 47.0 (48.1)
Virginia was ranked 39 dropping 10 places over last year.
For more information the survey and to view other results from around the nation, visit www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2007-08/07-010.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Roxann Moore
Quelle/Source: The Daily Times, 25.07.2007
