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Agenda Automation Project /~~a~"~'"~ <br />Agenda Automation <br />What is it? <br />Agenda Automation is a group of technologies to streamline the process of creating and <br />distributing agendas for public meetings. Solutions typically include mechanisms for <br />creating agenda templates, a workflow engine for routing abstracts through the approval <br />chain and making agenda items available for staff, elected officials and the public. <br />What are success criteria? <br />The expectation of a successful solution is a system that: <br />• Simplifies the abstract authoring process <br />• Increases approval efficiencies <br />• Yields time savings in the preparation of agenda packets, and easier access for the <br />public <br />• Provides greater public access to agenda items <br />• Provides public with agenda archives presented with links into corresponding video <br />and minutes for comprehensive view of these items and all available relevant <br />records. <br />Roles <br />Information Technologies -County staff members charged with technical <br />implementation of the system and ongoing maintenance of the underlying operating <br />environment <br />Agenda Item Author -County staff member responsible for researching, assembling <br />and authoring one or more items for consideration during a formal BOCC public meeting. <br />Workflow Manager -County staff member overseeing workflow and capable of <br />modifying workflow rules to allow exceptions. Also responsible for defming and <br />maintaining workflow rules, abstract templates and publishing rules. <br />BOCC Agenda Consumers -Elected officials charged with considering agenda items <br />and providing direction to staff on the fulfillment of said items <br />Public -members of the community, locally and globally, interested in the agenda items <br />Agenda Automation Concept <br />County staff will develop agenda item authoring templates. These templates will guide <br />authors of agenda items through the agenda format. County staff will also define <br />workflows to determine how items get routed through various approval stages. Each <br />workflow step will have time buffers and email alerts to trigger reminders and ensure a <br />high-level view of the timeline of any given item. After successful routing of the <br />individual items, the aggregate package is published to the Internet, with appropriate <br />versions (password protected and not) for BOCC, staff and the public. <br />20 <br />5/6/2011 Orange County Information Technologies Page 1 <br />