MOBILE GOVERNMENT WHAT IS IT?

CHALLENGES OF 21ST CENTURY GOVERNMENT

Engage Citizens

Provide a more open forum for government

Open Data

Provide increased services with diminished resources

“Modernize Government with Advanced Technologies”

TODAY’S MOBILE WORLD…

64 % of American adults own a smartphone of some kind up from 35% in 2011

42 % of American adults own a tablet computer

32 % own an e-reader

67 % of cell owners check their phone for messages even when the phone is not alerting them

(Pew Internet Research 2014)

SO WHAT….

10% of Americans have no other broadband access other then their smartphone

15% have very limited options besides their smartphone

Rates are much higher in lower income individuals

62 % lookup health conditions

57 % online banking

44 % information about places to live

18 % apply for a job

40 % of smartphone owners use them to access government services or

information!!!

OPTIONS FOR MAKING YOUR GOVERNMENT MOBILE READY

Fully responsive web design

Purpose built native apps

“WE NEED AN APP”

What do you want to accomplish?

Why do you think it needs to be an app?

Is this for Internal use (staff)? External use? Both?

Are there internal systems that it must interact with?

Is it providing information that is housed elsewhere

How will it be maintained?

What platforms do you want to be accessible via the app?

FACTORS FOR APP VS MOBILE RESPONSIVE DESIGN

Does the app require functions of the device to provide you with the information you need to accomplish your task? Camera

GPS location

Device data

File uploads

Lifecycle development concerns

Platform accesability

CONTACT INFORMATION

Justin Heyman Director of Information Technology Township of Franklin President NJ GMIS Info@njgmis.org Justin.Heyman@twp.franklin.nj.us

FINDING THE RIGHT CITIZEN MOBILE APP

WHAT ARE THE PROS

Citizen engagement Transparency Open Communication Saves times Provides Management with real-time statistics Ability to include photos with service requests Reduces calls to 911 Improved response times Knowledge base for commonly asked questions Auto escalation process for requests not answered

WHAT ARE THE CONS

Negative Comments

Open data for everyone to see

OPRA

WHERE DO YOU START?

Select a project lead!

Develop a subcommittee This subcommittee should establish a plan for the app

What do you want on the app

Get input from elected officials, administration and managers

Communicate with other town’s to see what they have on their app

Ask questions, what is working and what is not working

Ask what they like about the software and what are the disadvantages about the software. These users, have been using the software, so they know the challenges they have faced with implantation and daily operation.

Ask about the vendors support of the product.

Always ask what they would do differently.

Schedule a visit with the town, so see how the app works in person!

Develop a needs assessment for your town. Do you need to generate work orders directly from the software?

Mapping and Boundaries

Do you supply a GIS Shape file, or does the app use a open map source?

Do you want to accept payments directly from the app?

Integration with other software used within your town

Code Enforcement

Work orders

Dog licensing

Subcommittee should select potential vendors based on research

Schedule demo’s with selected vendors Based on the needs assessment ask the vendors questions to ensure their app can meet your needs.

What mapping source do they use?

What platforms does their app work on?

How often is the app updated?

Does their software generate work orders?

Can citizens report things anonymously?

Is the platform public facing or private?

Is the back end cloud based software?

What is the average software down time for maintenance?

What is the average implementation time frame?

Does the vendor assign a dedicated project manager to our town?

What is the setup cost?

What is the yearly ongoing support and maintenance costs?

Make vendor selection

Project lead should work with vendors project manager on initial software setup.

Start gathering information from all departments on commonly asked questions so you can build your knowledge base.

HOW WILL YOUR TOWN DEPLOY THE PROGRAM? Departmental Call Center

Each department would monitor the software for issues, and respond to them.

Have a central call center, who can oversee the software.

HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL

First and Foremost must have council and administration support.

Develop a marketing plan and strategy Consider selecting a marketing firm to assist with;

App name

Catch phrase

Logo

Printed material

Radio adds

Press releases

Ask how the town’s you visited marketed their program.

Get your employees on board – this is also key

Get the word out to local business and residents

Have your software vendor assist with marketing materials

CONTACT INFORMATION

Robert McQueen Chief Information Officer Princeton Vice President NJ GMIS rmcqueen@princetonnj.gov 609-988-2037

ACCESS PRINCETON Promoting Citizen Engagement with Technology, Social

Media, & Customer Service Christina Rothman-Iliff, Manager

SEECLICKFIX AND ACCESS PRINCETON

Why did we choose SeeClickFix? Why a new Department?

Uses the towns shapefile, no open boundaries Offered a public view of comments and open

forum Offered a mobile app Offered a work order option Easy work flow Live updates Keyword searchable knowledge base Accessibility-widgets

Consolidation was confusing for citizens No one knew who to call for information

on Municipal Services Offered oversight of SeeClickFix Promotes Government transparency Offers Superior customer service-One call

for an answer or correct transfer Cut down on non-emergency, non-police

related calls to the Police and 9-1-1

What is Access Princeton?

A centralized non emergency contact center

INITIAL CHALLENGES…INTERNAL

CHANGE!!!

Don’t have time

Extra step

Will take away my job

Something else NEW to learn

Negative public comments

We already have a system that works

INITIAL CHALLENGES….EXTERNAL

CHANGE!!! Something else NEW to learn Negative public comments Getting the word out to all demographics in town

HOW DID WE GET THIS STARTED? INTERNALLY……

Met with each department Asked what routine questions they receive from citizens and what are the answers for the Knowledge

Base Discussed what issues each department receives complaints about and takes action on Asked for specific issue related questions that will make their jobs easier Explained how the system worked and what role Access Princeton plays Set up all categories/issues in SeeClickFix Set up all users and their roles (Super User or not) Set up hands on training for all users in all departments Went over all aspects of SeeClickFix Addressed all questions, concerns, or fears of SeeClickFix or Access Princeton

HOW DID WE GET THIS STARTED? EXTERNALLY……

Hired a marketing firm to help chose a name & logo for the new Department Worked with them to target various audiences in town to get the word out Attended Community Night Out to introduce the Access Princeton to the

community (before the Big Launch) Organized a “Big Launch” of Access Princeton Ran ads online and in local papers Sent out business cards and magnets with town mailings Left magnets and business cards with each municipal dept.

SO EXACTLY WHAT IS ACCESS PRINCETON?

A source of information

Walk in center for information, Notary and passport services

Administrator for SeeClickFix (constantly monitored and changed when needed)

Keeping the mobile app up to date

Available during times of Emergency

Provide Administration, Mayor and Council, and Departments with stats monthly and Quarterly

Moderator of the town’s social media accounts

HOW ARE WE USING SOCIAL MEDIA?

Facebook & Twitter Using to push information out to the public

Drive people to the towns website for more information

Share information from Departments in town such as Police and Recreation

Promote Access Princeton for citizens to use when there are Municipal questions

Respond to inquiries on social media

Offer health and safety tips, promote town events, Municipal updates, agendas, interact with businesses and citizens of town

Showcase Princeton employees for jobs well done

HOW ARE WE USING SOCIAL MEDIA CONTINUED

Periscope Great way to interact with citizens

Used to offer safety and preparedness tips

Saves to post on YouTube channel for future viewing

VERY engaging!!

HOW ARE WE USING SOCIAL MEDIA CONTINUED

SeeClickFix Public Forum/Blog

Citizens/Staff can enter issues and see status changes as they are addressed

Comments can be made on these issues by both staff and the public

Staff is encouraged to be as specific as possible when addressing an issue

Citizens have been very receptive to this idea and offered lots of thanks!

HAVE THESE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS CHANGED THE RELATIONSHIP CITIZENS HAVE WITH GOVERNMENT? YES!! Questions answered promptly

Encourages engagement and interaction with citizens

Bridged a gap in communications with Municipal Departments

Municipal information going out in a more timely manner

Reporting issues has become easier

Reporting issues and getting results

Residents feel like they are being heard and action is being taken

Ability for residents to watch progress of reported issues

Platforms make communications more interactive (Periscope)

GOING MOBILE

Access Princeton Mobile App

Takes reporting to the streets

Adds photos and videos to reports

Customizable buttons link to phone numbers & websites

Live updates

Knowledge base access

Road closing updates

MOBILE APP

Reporting an issue Chose a location What is the issue?

Depending on the issue there will be questions to

answer

MORE MOBILE APP FEATURES……

Once entered it can be viewed on a list or in the map along with other reported issues.

These issues can be sorted for viewing

The buttons are also linked to Webpages for more information

SO HOW HAS THE PAST YEAR BEEN? Over 550 issues reported through

SeeClickFix.com/Princeton_nj

Over 240 reported using the iPhone mobile app

Over 160 reported using the widgets

Over 65 using the mobile web and android app

Over 6700 questions or issues have been reported in SeeClickFix

Average over 600 phone calls a month

Average over 18 Notary a month

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1

580

244 164

38 31

Total Issues by Source Sept 2014-Oct 2015

Web iphone Widget Android Mobile Web

EMERGENCY SUPPORT

Part of EOC(Emergency Operations Center)

Staffed during Emergencies (Local and State declared)

Part of pre-planning

Available phone line during down times with Municipal phones

Generator back up for office. We never go down!

Using social media for updates and preparedness

ON GOING CHALLENGES….

Internal External Keeping on top of Departments to take care

of open issues Making sure comments are appropriate and

thorough Getting more departments to use SeeClickFix

when they receive calls directly Using SeeClickFix reports more for

accountability Always evolving. Issues get added, deleted,

changed. Whatever is needed to make it easier to report and get resolved.

Still trying to get the word out for more web and mobile usage

Citizens complain issues are closed when they aren’t actually resolved (snow removal violations, sidewalk maintenance)

Out of jurisdiction issues (State/County/Utility Co)

LESSONS LEARNED

More Governing body and Administration participation

Take time to implement the system

Train everyone on using it and make it mandatory

Have road crews use the mobile app or mobile web to close out issues as they are resolved

Consistency among departments on how issues are handled

GOALS OF ACCESS PRINCETON

To become the only call citizens make for Municipal information Increase transparency Promote more citizen engagement Increase the mobile app usage through advertising and town ambassadors Increase staff usage of SeeClickFix to promote overall usage Move towards streamlining communications in town

QUESTIONS?

Christina Rothman-Iliff, Manager Access Princeton 1 Monument Drive Princeton, NJ 08540 609-924-4141 ciliff@princetonnj.gov