Maricopa County is being recognized as one of the best in the country at leveraging technology and data to serve residents. The Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) named Maricopa County among the winners of the 17th annual Digital Counties Survey. The survey looks at best technology practices for county governments nationwide.
“I'm excited to see Maricopa County among the top digital counties in the country,” said Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates, District 3. “It means our mission to become an all-digital county by 2022 isn't just lip service. Our departments are working with the business mindset of using technology to efficiently serve the county taxpayer and it is paying off.”
The Digital Counties survey focuses on initiatives that streamline delivery of government services, encourage open data, collaboration and shared services, enhance cybersecurity, and contribute to disaster response and recovery efforts.
In recent years, Maricopa County has rolled out technology solutions with real-world benefits for residents. Those include increased options for conducting county business online; mobile applications such as the Maricopa Healthy and Maricopa Community Preparedness apps that provide quick, easy access to services and vital public information; and live streaming of county Board meetings that allows greater public participation and input.
Behind the scenes, Maricopa County has invested in new data management systems that reduce redundancy and promote collaboration; implemented workflow improvements including e-Signature, single sign-on, and workflow automation; and incorporated open data tools that make information more easily accessible.
“This award makes it clear the investments we’ve made in critical technology innovation initiatives are paying off, but there is always more work to be done, “ said Ed Winfield, Maricopa County’s Chief Information Officer. “As the nation’s fastest-growing county, we must look beyond the needs of today and anticipate additional ways to serve the residents of tomorrow.”
Future initiatives include a redesign of the public website, maricopa.gov, in Fall 2019; continued expansion of online service options; and a strategic goal to work toward becoming an all-digital county.
RELATED MATERIALS:
Read: 2019 Digital Counties Survey Winners
Watch: Chairman Bill Gates’ vision for smart government leveraging technology and big data