Orange County NC Website
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24 <br /> Orange <br /> Opportunities Technology Investment <br /> Description i <br /> PRIORITY LEVEL ONE <br /> Website Improvements and Content Management: <br /> The Website is the hallmark of the County, in terms of its public facing presence. There is substantial <br /> dissatisfaction with the Orange County website according to the County Commissioners and <br /> departmental staff. The site is deemed dated and static. While the County improved the website <br /> within the past three years, making it more functional and user-friendly, continued refreshment and <br /> redesign is strongly encouraged and desired. <br /> First, a comprehensive evaluation, including a usability study and detailed feedback analysis, should <br /> occur to determine the areas of concern related to the website. The County should examine its <br /> website and compare the site to those of similar government units across the country, in order to <br /> determine what upgrades and changes may be valuable to the citizens and provide Orange County <br /> with a more attractive, user-friendly Web presence. The County should also consider establishing a <br /> Website Council composed of employees and potentially citizens in order to gather regular feedback <br /> and suggestions related to the site. The County Website should not be revised until the new Public <br /> Information Officer position is brought on-board, as the Web presence will be of critical importance to <br /> the new position, as a means of communicating with citizens. <br /> In addition, the departments are unsatisfied with the current content update and page creation <br /> process. It is recommended that the County assess its current website and business processes should <br /> be examined to determine how the website update process can be made more efficient, including <br /> investment in a more user-friendly Content Management System. Additionally, the County <br /> departments should be required to commit staff to maintaining and updating the County web pages <br /> specific to each department, as it is not the role of the IT department to perform such content <br /> generation. Finally, pages targeted to specific events within the County which generate significant <br /> citizen, business, and visitor engagement opportunities should be featured and streamlined for easier <br /> access. <br /> Planning, Zoning, Inspections Software: <br /> There is a significant need to invest in a comprehensive planning, zoning, and inspections software <br /> solution with GIS integration. Currently, the department is using an outdated system that does not <br /> share data with other departments and is reliant on custom programming that is not sustainable. A <br /> 22 <br />