2011 NASCIO RECOGNITION AWARDS NOMINATION CATEGORY: FAST TRACK SOLUTIONS CALIFORNIA MOBILE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Transcription

1 2011 NASCIO RECOGNITION AWARDS NOMINATION CATEGORY: FAST TRACK SOLUTIONS CALIFORNIA MOBILE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM STATE OF CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES CALIFORNIA TECHNOLOGY AGENCY 1

2 B. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2010, as the number of smart phones in the market was exploding, California began to see a huge increase in visits to state websites via these devices and an even greater demand for mobile apps. Morgan Stanley estimated that mobile users on the web will surpass desktop users by California needed a way to quickly keep up with this growing demand. Keeping pace with the latest in mobile technology is enormously challenging as developers have to learn new languages, development tools, and platforms for the everchanging list of smart phones. Hiring staff with the specialized skills needed or contracting with a vendor to develop apps can be cost-prohibitive to state agencies grappling with tough budget cuts during this fiscal crisis. California s original mobile website, created in 2009, consisted of a mobile-friendly directory that linked to some state mobile, non-mobile and other non-state sites. This mobile site had limited substance and was difficult to use on some popular Smartphones such as the iphone. A new mobile website, was launched in June While the site was a step in the right direction, it still needed improvement. Through collaboration with all the state agencies, a newer, revamped and upgraded site and statewide mobile template were developed and completed by January In a matter of a few months, California went from having no significant mobile presence to becoming an innovative leader with more than 40 apps available to users literally at their fingertips. When a smart phone user visits the California State Portal (CA.gov), the user is automatically redirected to the mobile site. The mobile site then uses location-aware technology to pinpoint the user s location and provide the nearest location of hospitals, parks, schools or other state government offices. Mobile users can quickly get information on current traffic conditions or click-to-call listed telephone numbers. It does not require users to download any applications. The California Mobile Development Program is a unique and innovative approach that addresses California s exploding population of wireless mobile device users. It works across device platforms and utilizes the user s location to provide the most pertinent information. The website, is comprised of more than 40 web-based mobile applications from across state government agencies. These web-based mobile applications are created using a template developed by the California Office of Technology Service (OTech), Web Services Section. Since the template was created, new dynamic apps can be created in as little as six hours a fraction of the time previous apps were developed. Information used in the apps is maintained in the cloud using Google Fusion Tables. Each agency is responsible for maintaining their own database so the mobile website can retrieve it and present it to smart phone users. This innovative approach of combining a template approach to web-based apps and Google Fusion Tables puts California years ahead of other states. 2

3 C. DESCRIPTION Problem: With the demand for mobile access to its websites increasing exponentially, California s state government was not able to meet the demand. A state mobile site, created in 2009, consisted of a mobile-friendly directory that linked to some state mobile, nonmobile and other non-state sites. This mobile site had limited substance and was difficult to use on some popular Smartphones such as the iphone. Other issues that kept California from having a significant mobile presence include: Solution: Cost: Each mobile phone operating system (iphone, Android, etc.) requires developers to learn a new programming language, obtain development tools and emulate the various platforms. State agencies lacked the skills and resources to develop their own mobile apps. As a result, little information was available in a mobile-ready format. If each agency were to develop apps for each phone, it would be costly and time consuming for hundreds of California agencies. Contracting with vendors was also costly. Development of an app by a vendor can cost $50,000 or more. There is also the lengthy approval process to get an application approved at an app store such as itunes. Mobile Device Evolution: Mobile devices are constantly evolving. They gain features and change screen resolution. Keeping up with the latest devices, while not abandoning older, less capable handsets presents a constant challenge for mobile development. Inconsistency: Because there was no standard mobile template, the state could easily have had hundreds of state agencies creating their own mobile apps, which would have resulted in inconsistent branding, variations in usability and accessibility, duplicative effort, and confusion to the end user. Poor navigation: Locating government offices is one of the most popular tasks that Californians ask state websites to perform. However, office locations and service centers were located on multiple websites and the information was not in a mobile-ready format. A typical mobile user expects quick access to information and will not take time to wade through multiple sites. The California Mobile Development Program addresses these problems through an innovative solution that optimizes the user experience through mobile applications while providing a common development methodology that makes the development of new apps quick, easy, and inexpensive. The state s chosen solution is template-based, cross-platform and collaborative. It involves dozens of agencies and departments across the state. These departments leverage the specialized skills of staff at OTech and the tools they create to rapidly develop apps thereby eliminating the need for each department to possess mobile development expertise or duplicate the core development tasks. 3

4 Unlike the original mobile website that only provided links to other mobile and nonmobile sites, the new site and linked applications incorporate many features not possible before, including: Use of a mobile phone s built-in GPS capability to detect a user s current location Integration with Google maps to allow for locating offices on a map and providing turn-by-turn directions Compatibility with most mobile devices including iphone, Android and Blackberry handsets. An application development toolkit has also been created so that any state agency can quickly build and deploy mobile apps. While many government organizations focus their mobile efforts on a singular type of Smartphone, California focuses its efforts on the creation of cross-platform web-based apps. This allows one template to be used across most platforms without creating different native apps. It also eliminates the lengthy approval process at an app store. The majority of the mobile apps now in use by the state have been created using this template. The template uses flexible Cascading Style Sheets that webmasters are already familiar. Using the template, agencies can easily change the content of their site, saving time and money. The template requires no special development equipment, software, or any special mobile development tools. In fact, state webmasters are becoming more skilled in mobile development through the use of this methodology without the need to seek outside help. The template has everything a state agency needs to develop their own dynamic mobile apps is so they do not have to design these themselves, thus saving time and money. The template features consistent branding, is only 5kb in file size and is designed to make California s mobile apps the fastest loading in the nation. California also uses centralized device detection and common resources such as city listings. This means that individual departments do not have to maintain these critical resources to make their apps work. Applications are quick to produce, with each taking between six hours to three days to complete once the agency has decided which data to include in their mobile application. In comparison, the CA.gov Locator iphone app created in 2009 took 2-3 months to develop, required specialized skills that were not available in-house, and a lengthy approval process at the itunes store. It was created through collaboration with a vendor, but had the state paid, it would have cost approximately $50,000. The innovative approach of combining web-based apps and Google Fusion Tables has the additional benefit of syndicating California data into the public space. The use of Fusion Tables helps the state manage and share data in the cloud while seamlessly merging data from disparate sources into the mobile site. This makes it more available for public access, use in development projects like mash-ups, and even allows for use by state departments to populate their non-mobile websites. The template standards and Fusion Tables allow state departments to work smarter, instead of harder. Nearly 40 apps have been rolled out since the main mobile site s debut in June Development continues with a goal of collaborating with 50 departments through the 4

5 end of Each of those departments is expected to release 2-3 apps by the end of the year, allowing the public even greater access to mobile resources. D. SIGNIFICANCE This effort has improved the operation of California government by eliminating the need for each agency to tackle mobile development for different mobile phones on their own. It makes it possible for agencies to publish and maintain their mobile content without the need for special equipment or software. The template approach to mobile development is unique to California. It provides: A single, easy to use template for all state agencies: For many departments or agencies, the ability to provide mobile applications allows them to improve customer service and public perception of their office. Without the template and development methodology, many departments would have no mobile presence. Reductions in time and development: New dynamic apps can be created in as little as six hours. Additionally, colors, design, and branding have all been checked for accessibility and usability, further saving state agencies time and effort. The apps fetch specific content from Google Fusion Tables, which the agencies themselves maintain using an easy-to-use web interface. Consistency in appearance: The template was designed to be as flexible as possible, allowing each department to claim their own brand while simultaneously reflecting a unified CA.gov brand. This improves the user experience and provides improved user confidence in the mobile apps. Multi-platform technology: California s approach targets many different mobile devices so a department does not need to create an application for each type of smart phone (e.g., iphone, Android, Blackberry) or go through a lengthy approval process at an app store. Additionally, as new platforms enter the market, simple programming changes to the template allow the new devices to access the site and apps. The California Mobile Development Program aligns with several key NASCIO priorities: Consolidation/Optimization: By creating one template that can be used by all state agencies to develop apps that work for most Smartphone platforms, the state optimizes its resources. Each agency does not need to reinvent the wheel. Budget and Cost Control: Agencies avoid millions of dollars that would be needed for individual development, procurement of vendors to assist them in developing new sites, and the purchase of expensive development hardware and software. Shared Services: OTECH provides one staff person with the knowledge and expertise for creating mobile applications. This expert provides each state agency with technical assistance in the creation of mobile apps. This service allows agencies to create apps without the need to hire their own staff. 5

6 Governance: The California mobile template was developed through a collaborative effort of all state agencies. A voluntary, unfunded group of web masters from agencies and departments around the state collaborate to create applications that are used to populate the primary mobile portal. This effort directly aligns with Strategy 3 in the state s IT Strategic Plan, Make government services mobile: Expand the number of mobile applications to provide critical services and information to California. Already, the state has identified several accomplishments out of this effort: The Natural Resources Agency is implementing cutting edge GIS technology that allows fishermen to use a mobile device to locate Department of Fish and Game offices or to find fishing spots, and identify which species are planted in a lake or stream. The Bureau of Automotive Repair initiated two mobile applications: Smog Station lookup and pass/fail history on automobiles. Users can simply input their zip code to find the nearest smog station, or they can input a license plate number to get smog history on a car they may interested in buying. E. BENEFIT OF THE PROJECT The business process has been improved in many ways, for both mobile users and state agencies, making access more convenient for users and making it easier for state departments to add new mobile apps or change existing apps. Benefits for mobile users: Fully mobile ready: Every app in the mobile portal is mobile-friendly. Many government organizations provide a mobile portal, many of the sites serve desktop page content, not mobile content. Websites that are not mobile-friendly have slower download speeds and connectivity issues and problems. A typical mobile user will not take the time and use up their bandwidth to navigate non-mobile sites. However, visitors have a choice between a mobile version or a normal version if they want. Fast loading pages and apps: Most mobile devices have slow download speeds. To address this, our pages are coded between 5k and 27k, far below other government organizations. California s mobile apps do not use large or unnecessary background images. Users see the page content with minimal clutter, navigation, decorative images, or other material. Mobile features. The portal is optimized so users can take advantage of mobile features they have come to expect on their mobile devices, such as click-to-call phone numbers, GPS location, and limited text entry (or touch). Easy access. Mobile users can use the mobile apps without having to go to an app store (like itunes). This saves time in searching for the app, downloading it, and also downloading any future updates. 6

7 Personalized, local information. Users can access local information such as schools, hospitals, traffic conditions, and parks that is tailored to their zip code. Users can click-to-call telephone numbers. Benefits for California: Flexible, easy to update, and consistent. Having a state template allows state webmasters to construct high-quality mobile apps that are flexible, easy to update, and provide consistency and continuity between different agencies. Increased productivity: The most time consuming part of the web design is during the initial design phase where webmasters and designers try to come up with the right look. Having a template increases productivity as webmasters are not stuck in this design phase because all of the graphical elements are built-in. Ease of use: The template uses flexible Cascading Style Sheets, which webmasters are already familiar with. Agencies do not have to procure any additional equipment or software nor do they have to acquire any special mobile development tools. In fact, state webmasters are more skilled than ever before as tools and education are provided instead of them having to seek outside help. Adaptable to changes in the market: Since the template is controlled at a statewide level, state agencies do not need to be concerned about learning new languages, buying development tools, or learning platforms for the ever-growing list of smart phones. The template will continue to keep pace with and support the latest device types. Low cost: Currently, OTech supports the entire state through a single position with the requisite mobile development skills needed to create and modify the template. OTech provides mobile consulting services to state agencies at no cost to them, helping agencies avoid millions of dollars in purchasing expensive non-standard hardware/software, or hiring their own mobile developers. Responsive to growing demand: Before this effort, the state did not have mobile apps as 99 percent of state agencies did not have the skills or resources. Now, there are more than 40 different apps and many more scheduled to roll out this year. California s template and web-based approach helps state agencies respond to the growing demand for mobile access. Mobile visits continue to grow on California websites. From April to May, 2011, California state agency websites had more than 350,000 visits on mobile devices. California s portal ( has seen a 115 percent increase in visits just in last six months. Uncomplicated processes: Agencies can use simple processes to hook into databases, set up firewalls, or build expensive databases. The underlying technology, Google Fusion Tables, allows data management and sharing in cloud. It helps the state merge data from disparate sources to the mobile site. Each agency easily keeps their information updated in Google Fusion Tables so the mobile app can retrieve it. 7