websites

Websites audit


The real application of technology and online access of information for government and consumer is being practiced. This is evidenced by the casual walkthrough of the five websites provided for audit. I think the general scope of observations should be similar across, but to each individual who engages in each particular site the experience and access to information may be different.

What stands out at first observation is that the goals for the websites tend to relate to government issues, ease of access to the public, and providing information.

Whitehouse.gov is a large site and seems to provide a massive amount of links to a myriad of topics. The most important in relation to our class would be the Briefing Room link. There is where an individual can collect and read information on issues, albeit from the perspective and stand that the U.S Government is proposing. The website is a nice place to begin research and gain a perspective to American issues, it also does a good job of being informative on the general structure and function of the U.S Government. Technology is not innovative, as it just incorporates links, and blogs, and pages with general information, some active videos, but nothing too complicated. I would guess this is due to trying to provide an easy navigation for a lot of common users.

apps.gov was the most unique site. This website is promoting and selling a technology called cloud computing (U.S. General Services Administration APPS.GOV, n.d.). The effort of this agency is to create a more efficient IT infrastructure for government agencies through the applications they provide (U.S. General Services Administration APPS.GOV, n.d.). This effort is part of the process we have learned in class collectively and individually in our process to create our wiki pages, collaborative papers, and connectivity via online. At each stage and assignement we should ask ourselves how we can improve our efficiency to produce better results and more dynamic interactions, and better collaboartion?

The most impressive of the audits was of data.gov and recovery.gov. These websites are very much a resource of information. The amount of categorized information provided on both is tremendous. The websites are not complicated in nature with very easy navigation tools and data retrieval options. The information is very up to date and covers a wide range of topics and issues.

data.gov is very accessible and very well organized. The key feature that provides an efficient use is the organization of the data into three ways to access information. These categories are raw, tools, and geodata catalog (Data.gov, 2009). In these three categories a user can have access to data in various forms, from instant access, or linking to more reliable sites and, or data sets.

recovery.gov is a a website that provides an effort to show how and where financial resources are being used throughout the United States. This website is the direct creation of the Recovery Act, as stated in recovery.org, "The Act specifies appropriations for a wide range of federal programs, and increases or extends certain benefits under Medicaid, unemployment compensation, and nutrition assistance programs," (Recovery.gov Track the Money, 2009). The unique features in the website that help engage in this issue is a detailed and intercative map that provides current data and details on how money is being spent, the details canbe found down to a zip code. There are also videos, and very dteailed explanations about concepts and issues.

Serve.org was a website very similarly designed to the Whitehouse website. A lot of links and general information. It is oriented for the public, in an effort to increase active volunteerism. Connectivity seems the key feature, the site offers various ways for individuals and groups to participate and offer opportunities to volunteer, it connects through the social networks facebook, twitter, etc. The issue is more dynamic than any of the technology it uses.

The topic more interesting here is the use of online resources, by the government, to connect to its public and citizens. The ability to communicate to more people, even within it own governmental infrastructure, would seem a tool in of itself to use to create a more dynamic government that coordinates its resources to produce the results it wants. These websites offer a way for the public and citizens to engage with its government more quickly and on current issues. The landscape of information that these websites provide allows users to efficiently research for their intended purposes, and vice-versa.

Data.gov (November, 2009). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from http://www.data.gov/faq

Recovery.gov Track the Money (November, 2009). Frequently Asked Questions for Citizens: What is the Recovery Act. Retrieved from http://www.recovery.gov/FAQ/Pages/ForCitizens.aspx#whatisrecoveryact

U.S. General Services Administration APPS.GOV (n.d). A Service Provided by GSA. Retrieved from https://apps.gov/cloud/advantage/main/home.do?BV_UseBVCookie