The Web Today and a
Statewide Resource Group
for Addressing Local
Government Website
Development
Greg Hughes
Director, Government Information Center
State of Delaware
(and MWDG steering committee member)
Delaware Institute for Local Government Leaders
Rehoboth Beach Convention Center · October 30, 2008
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
How do you Communicate?
Mass Mailings
Newspaper
Radio
Television
Internet
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Percentage of People Online, U.S.




2008
2006
2004
2002
-
73%
68%
60%
58%
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Percentage of People Online, U.S.




2008
2006
2004
2002
-
73%
68%
60%
58%
Number of People Online
 2008 - U.S.: 225,000,000
 2008 - Delaware (est.): 630,000
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
How People Get Their News
46%
23%
13%
14%
-
Traditionalists
Integrators
Net-”Newsers”
Disengaged
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Internet Use: “Have you ever…?”






Sent or read E-mail – 92%
Used a search engine – 89%
Searched for a map – 86%
Checked the weather – 80%
Visited a local, state, or federal site – 66%
Looked up a phone # or address – 54%
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
“What did you do yesterday?”






Sent or read E-mail – 60%
Used a search engine – 49%
Checked the weather – 30%
Visited a local, state, or federal site – 13%
Searched for a map – 10%
Looked up a phone # or address – 7%
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Are users visiting government Web sites?
66% visited a local, state, or federal
site ever.
13% visited a local, state, or federal
site yesterday.
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Why 13% “yesterday” but 66% “ever”?
People interact with government when
they need to do a government-related
task, which isn’t every day.
Daily, about 1 in 10 people interact with
government because they need to do so.
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Users with Broadband
 55% of all users have broadband at
home
 The remainder are on dialup
connections at home but many have
broadband at work.
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Users with Broadband at Home. . .
 60% of suburban users have
broadband
 57% of urban users have broadband
 38% of rural users have broadband
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Web Today
Delaware Connection Speeds
 On average, Delaware has a
6.7mbps speed for broadband
connections, second highest in the
nation.
 So, Delaware users may be
connecting faster than the national
average.
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Where Did We Get the Stats?
 PEW Internet Life Project
(www.pewinternet.org)
 Internal Delaware.gov stats
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
So What Does All This Mean?
The Internet is widely used.
A web presence is expected.
Emerging web trends lead to
new opportunities.
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
The Internet is Widely Used
Deserves Equal Treatment
Two-Way Communication
Cost Savings & Constituent
Convenience via Self-Serve
 Citizens can “self serve” 24/7 reducing
unneeded interactions while increasing
availability of services.
 Daily, Delaware.gov staff chats with many
visitors to our website.
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
A Web Presence is Expected
“Self-Serve” Info & Services
Departments & FAQs
Contact Information
Office Locations & Maps
Forms & Permits
Calendars
Meeting Minutes
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Emerging Web Trends
E-Mail Notifications & Alerts
Blogs
Text Messages & MobileReady Content
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
So Why Am I Here Today?
as of September 2001
Back in 2001, only 18 of the 57 municipalities
in Delaware were online.
Active Website
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
No Web Presence
Municipal Sites - 2008
as of September 2008
In 7 years, web presence has more than doubled;
now only 17 of the 57 municipalities aren’t online.
Active Website
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
No Web Presence
So Why Am I Here Today?
 Update of the Web Today
 Solicit Your Participation
 Offer Assistance
www.ipa.udel.edu/mwdg
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
A Statewide Resource is Created
 In October 2006, the Delaware
Municipal Web Developers Group was
organized.
 Mark Deshon acts as convener.
www.ipa.udel.edu/mwdg
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Short-Term Goals of MWDG
 Help members bring to bear collective
understanding of best practices on web
policy development for the good of all
Delaware’s municipalities.
 Expand and help educate its membership
and become a known resource for local
officials with respect to electronic
government-to-citizen interaction.
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
MWDG Comprises…
 Local officials
 IT professionals
 Town clerks and assistants
 Professional designers and
communicators
 Volunteers from Delaware
municipalities
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
MWDG Meeting Topics
Variety of Topics:
Member-shared tips/products
Vendor presentations
Legal issues
Accessibility issues
Search engine optimization
Uses for GIS
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
MWDG Take-A-Ways
Binder of materials
Access to online resources
Invitations to specialized training
Access to online training
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
MWDG
 Membership is diverse
 Meets quarterly
 Membership fee…
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Government Information Center
 Member of MWDG
 State Agency
 Mission
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Government Information Center
 Assists with Internet sites
 Facilitates the development
of online resources
 Provides training
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Town of Seaford
 Upcoming
Redevelopment
 Uses .gov
domain
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
MWDG Member Testimonial
“My attendance at the Municipal Web Developers
Group [MWDG] added an important dimension to our
town’s website redevelopment project. I was able to
bring back valuable information to the Town
Manager and appropriate committees in several
areas, including the expertise and assistance
available through the state’s Government
Information Center, names and contacts of
additional vendors that were useful when we
developed our RFP,…
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
MWDG Member Testimonial
(cont’d)
…and an awareness of the need for specific website
policies authorized by the Town Council as well as
examples of such policies. In addition, I had the
benefit of seeing what other towns were doing and
the website issues they were encountering.… We
had a better project experience and were able to
develop a better product as a direct result of our
involvement with the MWDG.”
—Tracy Mulligan, Bethany Beach
(a key player in Bethany Beach’s recent web redevelopment)
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Town of Bethany Beach
 Increase in
web Visits
 Reduction of
incoming emails
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Town of Smyrna
 New design
in June
 Meeting
Agendas
and Minutes
Online
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
MWDG Member Testimonial
“The Town of Camden has taken full advantage of
the Municipal Web Developers Group. Staff and I
have been able to share as well as implement
suggestions received by our partners in municipal
government as well as the partners from the state of
Delaware and the University of Delaware.”
—Donald Mulrine, Camden
(sharing a Town Manager’s perspective)
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Town of Camden
 Submit Online
Concerns or
Complaints
 Historical
Homes
 Newsletter
signup and
Download
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
City of Lewes
 5,700 Views
per Month
 Fillable and
Savable PDF
Forms
 Disaster
Preparedness
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Town of South Bethany
 6,000 Views
per Month
 Recycling Sign
Up
 Comprehensive
Plan
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Delaware City
 List of
Services
 Feedback
Form
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
New MWDG Member
Testimonial
“I’ve been attending training/networking sessions
for ~35 years, and yesterday’s was one of the best.
Even with the broad ‘mix’ of expertise and talents,
all participants were involved and took away, I
believe, new things to think about and helpful
ideas. It was a productive three hours. Thanks.”
—Lee Brubaker, Ocean View
(after having attended his first MWDG meeting)
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Town of Ocean View
 Boards &
Commissions
 Directory of
forms
 History
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Sussex County
 Frequent
Updates
 Tax Bills
Online
 Accepts
Web
Payments
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
State of Delaware
 State Portal
 #1 in Nation
 Uses CLF
 Designed to
Provide
Maximum
Usability
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Contact Information
Mark Deshon
Assistant Policy Scientist
302.831.4954
Greg Hughes
Director, GIC
302.857.3020
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group
Questions?
Delaware Municipal Web Developers Group