Maryland Website Relaunched

Governor Martin O’Malley unveiled the next generation of Maryland.gov on Monday, Mar. 4. The web portal serves as the gateway to public services within and around the State. The newly-designed Maryland.gov incorporates latest technologies and best practices to present easier access to information and transactions. Whether it’s identifying one of over 175 online services, engaging in social media, exploring maps or tuning in to alerts, Maryland.gov has been re-engineered to make State government more available, more helpful, and more convenient.

“Whether on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, the new Maryland.gov is easy to navigate, easy to access and makes it easier to share information,” said Governor O’Malley. “In an ever changing 21st century world, government must continuously evolve and adapt to meet the needs of the citizens we serve.”

The site’s development was led by Maryland’s Department of Information and Technology (DoIT) with its self-funded eGov partner, NIC Inc. Their research-driven design was informed by analyzing user searches and feedback, as well as local focus-group outreach conducted last August. Intensive collaboration between agency web, GIS, and public information offices was integral to the site’s development, which is expected to raise the bar for ongoing upgrades and improved accessibility for Maryland’s enterprise sites.

“By leveraging the latest digital portal technologies, we are able to offer our constituents a wider array of communications channels and content with which to engage their state government,” said DoIT Secretary Elliot Schlanger. “This is much, much more than a face-lift to maryland.gov.”

New Features in 2013

• Mobile First Approach
  The portal has been designed with a Mobile First approach using responsive design techniques to automatically scale the content to the browser, tablet or mobile device so citizens can engage with government anywhere and anytime.
• Research Driven Design
  Design based on industry best practices, latest web and mobile technologies, and consumer feedback to obtain Marylander’s preferences and expectations for their state government website.
• Prominent Intuitive Search
  A new prominent search delivers results across the Maryland.gov enterprise of agencies, and can be targeted based on the user’s preference to include relevant online services, maps, and publications.
• Designed for Citizen Engagement
  Citizen engagement is promoted through a robustly integrated social media presence, geo-location services, top news streams and online services.
  • What’s New:  Highlights the top news stories in Maryland and showcases time-relevant agency information and online services
  • Near You:  Find government offices, MVA wait times, and state parks close to your location
  • Connect:  Maryland’s extensive social media channels are heavily integrated throughout the portal to help visitors engage with their government. The ‘Connect’ tab on the home page summarizes the social media channels and links to a full Social Media Directory. Visitors can also find in-context Twitter and You Tube feeds within the main navigation menus and on each main inner page.
  • Maryland Experience:  Explore Maryland through local photography and curated experiences, stories, and events.

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