Tech Talk Blog Seattle Information Technology

Tech Talk

Seattle Information Technology

Bringing Transparency to Our Digital Properties

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The reality of providing online content in 2019 is that all visitors to our public website have distinct needs and abilities. As a local government, the City of Seattle is responsible for providing access to digital information and services for all residents. We strive to create an inclusive experience.

In the City’s 2018 Technology Access and Adoption Study, almost one-quarter of the respondents fall into a segment labeled “digitally cautious.” This segment represents residents who have limited their internet use because of concerns about the privacy and security of their online interactions. It’s important to build trust with our residents; with consistent design and processes we can ensure that our website is easily identifiable as belonging to and representing the City of Seattle.

As we identified patterns in the way residents engage with the City online, two concepts merged together:

  1. The need to create and display the rules for interacting in online forums.
  2. The need to provide simple and clear information about how the City of Seattle manages its website and makes design decisions.

With one portal consisting of a few pages, we’re able to describe our human-centered approach to user experience, highlight our commitment to accessibility, introduce our existing digital programs that support the public, and showcase analytics we’ve collected about user behavior.

Image showing the four sections of the "About Our Digital Properties" portal: Content Policies, User Experience, Privacy and Data, and Web Analytics

We decided to make our web analytics publicly available in a dashboard format and illustrate a comprehensive reflection of our residents. When do you visit? How did you get here? What are you doing here? Drawing from the federal government’s analytics page, we reviewed and compared various online dashboards. We selected data points in Google Analytics that told a story about our website visitors with visualizations through a JavaScript-based charting library called Highcharts. We displayed our active web visitors with 10-minute intervals using Google’s superProxy. Finally, we performed an unmoderated usability test to validate that the charts and interactions made sense. The results have informed refinement of the language used in our dashboard and we’ll continue to study reactions for further improvements.

Image showing two data visualizations from our web analytics: Overall City Visitors and How Visitors Get Here

Explore more at https://www.seattle.gov/digital.

About the Digital Services Team

Photo of Michal Perlstein

Michal Perlstein leads Digital Services for Seattle IT. The team consists of designers, developers, and producers who continuously innovate on the technology platforms that enable City departments to communicate effectively with the public and fulfill their expectation to access City information on any computer or device. The expertise among the members of the Digital Services Team brings increased consistency, usability, and accessibility to the City’s digital communications.

Seattle Channel receives 17 Northwest Emmy Nominations

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Seattle Channel received 17 Northwest Regional Emmy Award nominations from the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). The nominations were announced earlier in April and highlight the quality of two longtime Seattle Channel series, feature magazine show CityStream and arts program Art Zone with Nancy Guppy.

The municipal TV station received nominations in a wide range of program categories including the environment, politics, sports, business/consumer, arts, historic/cultural, human interest, documentary/cultural, informational and program promotion. Staff was also recognized in hosting, photography and editing categories.

“Seattle Channel is honored to be recognized for its work,” said Shannon Gee, Seattle Channel general manager. “Seattle Channel has a deep commitment to share our city’s stories, revealing its diverse culture and history, its artists, activists, community leaders and unsung heroes. I congratulate our dedicated and talented team of producers, hosts, photographers and editors.”

Seattle Channel General Manager Shannon Gee and Video Specialist Randy Eng announce nominees at the NATAS Northwest Regional Emmy nomination party at the Triple Door, April 12.

The Northwest Regional Emmy Awards will be announced June 8. The NATAS region includes five states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

To see a complete list of Seattle Channel’s 17 Emmy nominations log on to the Take 21 blog: https://take21.seattlechannel.org/2019/04/15/seattle-channel-receives-17-northwest-emmy-nominations/

CSR Mobile Workforce app delivers efficiencies to SPU field staff

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Faced with more than 1,200 percent growth in customer reports of illegal dumping and graffiti over four years, Seattle Public Utilities needed to find a way to maintain high levels of customer service for illegal dumping and graffiti reports.

While the Find it, Fix it app was making it easy for customers to report graffiti and illegal dumping, the field team did not have an easy process.  Intake staff, Illegal dumping inspectors and Graffiti Rangers lacked real-time connectivity to find problems and communicate with customers. All service requests had to be processed in the office in both the Motorola CSR (customer service request) app and the work order system Maximo before crews headed out into the field. Lacking onsite system connectivity, field crews had no convenient way of learning about new requests, and often missed opportunities to respond to a new request in the neighborhood they were already in because they didn’t learn of it until returning to the office.

The CSR project team of Rodney Baladad, Deanna Wang, and Brandon Bolinger worked with Motorola and Connected Bits to develop a backend solution for field workers to access and resolve requests via mobile application developing the CSR Mobile Workforce. Motorola PremierOne CSR is the core service request tracking and workflow system used city-wide. It is built on cloud technology and hosted on Amazon Web Services and accessed via a web browser. Where before, customers could report issues and request information in person, over the phone, web and the Find it Fix it mobile app, City staff can now respond with real-time updates to requests using the CSR Mobile Workforce app in the field.

In just a year, here’s what one little app accomplished:

  • SPU has managed 30 percent annual growth in reports with current staff and no reduction in performance
  • SPU is saving an estimated 35 hours of labor time per week from efficiencies
  • Seattle residents and visitors live in a cleaner and safer environment as field staff can take immediate action
  • Customers receive real-time status updates at critical stages of the process including, intake, inspection, and resolution.

The customer service request suite of applications, with the Motorola PremierOne system at its core, empowers customers and City staff to quickly and seamlessly report and respond to a broad range of request types, from initial customer report through real-time response in the field. The FAS CSR team is keen to engage with other City service providers to explore how this functionality can benefit both them and their customer.











Seattle IT remaps during the Seattle Squeeze

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When the work and planning to permanently close the Alaskan Way Viaduct started months ago, Seattle IT’s GIS team was preparing to support the process. The team needed to update maps and data for each phase of the Viaduct closure and tunnel opening.

As construction crews made changes in the City’s landscape, Seattle IT’s GIS staff needed to represent each of the changes, in all its products, and do it accurately and timely.

“It was sort of like heart surgery,” said Charles Spear. “You had to take away the organ, which was the Viaduct with all its connections, and replace it with a new organ and hook it up to nerve endings and blood vessels, which were the connecting streets.”

The phases were:

  • To provide an initial update to ensure the network was current as the changes began to occur
  • Support the closing of the first two viaduct ramps on January 4, 2019
  • The closing of the Viaduct and the opening of new sections of Alaskan Way on January 11
  • The closing of the Battery Street tunnel and the opening of the new SR99 tunnel on February 4

At the core of Seattle IT’s response was the City’s Street Network Database, maintained by GIS Analyst Desiree Hunter. Ian Mooser, a GIS analyst who supports SDOT, kept an ear to the ground with SDOT and WSDOT and provided the timing of the phases and the exact opening and closure status.  With each phase, Hunter updated the affected street segments, and those updates fed the rest of the GIS.

A citywide base map image created from GIS data layers served as a backdrop for external-facing applications such as SDOT’s Winter Weather Map as well as internal ones such as SPU’s Utiliview and Field Operations Mapping System. With Products and Services Manager Brian Rosete overseeing the cartography, Developers Arielle Simmons-Steffen and Joel Herd refined a process to pull together all the data and compile the new base map. They passed the resulting routines on to Henry Ho in the GIS Infrastructure group. Ho ran them at each construction phase and posted the resulting base maps to servers for citywide consumption.

Meanwhile, on a similar cadence, Rita Lee and Jacob Jawson, GIS analysts who support Police and Fire, translated the street network changes into a format the dispatching systems could consume. Dispatching the right units to respond to incidents in a two-mile tunnel is a unique requirement. Lee and Jawson had to manually adjust data such as police beat codes to make that happen. This enabled officers to respond in the quickest possible way to emergencies inside the tunnel.

It all went off without a hitch. Users of all these systems saw little or no disruption and worked with up-to-date information at every phase. With a working process in place, the citywide base map is now slated for quarterly updates.











Technology Matching Fund Workshops: What You Missed

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The City of Seattle recently held three workshops to help understand how to apply for the Technology Matching Fund Grant program. Missed one of the workshops? No problem! Here’s some information designed to get you up-to-speed on the application process.

So, what is the Technology Matching Fund?

Technology Matching Fund (TMF) grants up to $50,000 will be awarded to organizations with projects that support digital equity. These public funds have accrued from fees cable companies are required to pay the City of Seattle. Winning projects must be matched by volunteer hours or cash. Applicants must be working towards fulfilling the top goals of the program including:

  • Providing devices and technical support. This could include anything from smart phones to laptops. For example, many computer labs have been financially supported by TMF grants, but all device-driven projects are encouraged to apply.
  • Connectivity. Having citywide access to the internet is a major factor in improving digital equity.
  • Digital Skills Training. Knowledge is power in the world of technology. Projects that work to improve computer literacy by offering training and instruction are qualities considered favorable in the application process.

Cool! Is my group eligible?

To qualify for a TMF grant, groups must have the following requirements:

  • Be Seattle based
  • Be a non-profit or community group
  • Have a project that can be completed within one year
  • Have the ability to leverage existing relationships, resources, and expertise.

Frequently Asked Questions from the Workshops

My organization is not a 501 (c) 3. Can we still apply?

Yes, you can apply without a 501 (C) 3 status, but you will need to secure a fiscal sponsor by the time of contracting, which is usually in September or October.

We are working with a Fiscal Sponsor on our project. What is the going rate for those services?

Fiscal sponsors typically charge 3%-15%, to fiscally manage a project. You can include this as an expense on your project. If your Fiscal Sponsor waives their fee, you can count the value of the services as match.

My organization received a Technology Matching Fund grant last year. Can I apply again this year?

Yes, you may apply each year for a new project or an expansion of an existing project. We will not fund ongoing operations for an organization.

My project will benefit Seattle residents, but my organization is not located in the City of Seattle. Can we apply?

No, an organization must be located in the City of Seattle to receive funds. You may be a partner in the project, but you cannot receive the funds directly.

My organization is a school. Can we apply for funding?

Yes, with a few limitations. The project must be for an after-school program or it should clearly involve community members besides the students. The application has to come from a PTSA or other non-profit organization that you partner with. 

We currently have a computer lab. Can we use the value of the computers as match?

No, you cannot count existing equipment currently used by your organization as a match. You can, however, count any new contributions that will be used specifically for the project as a match.

We received a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant? Can we use this as match?

No, you cannot match City funds with other City funds. You can list it as “sources not counted as match” in your budget. 

How are projects selected for funding?  

An external review panel rates your proposal using the following criteria:

  • Meets program goals (20 points)
  • Budget (20 points)
  • Project Clarity (20 points)
  • Community Partnerships (15 points)
  • Community Benefit (15 points)
  • Evaluation (10 points)

We need to upgrade our staff computers. Can we include this in our budget?
No, the program funds equipment that will help to achieve client outcomes, not to upgrade internal operational capacity.

We are developing an online application that will benefit our clients. Can we apply for development costs to support this?
No, unless the project includes digital skills training and/or technology access for clients to use the application.

Technology Matching Fund grants 2019 timeline:

  • TMF Outreach and education: January-March
  • Application deadline: Tuesday, March 26, 5 p.m.
  • Award notification: Mid-May
  • City Council Approval: July-August
  • Contracting: September-October
  • Project Implementation: Fall 2019-November 2020

Ready to apply? Visit http://www.seattle.gov/tech/initiatives/digital-equity/technology-matching-fund to apply and learn more about the program and past winners!

Have questions? Please feel free to reach out to one of the Community Technology team members:

Delia Burke
Vicky Yuki
David Keyes
Chance Hunt











Running a Complex IT Service in a Rapidly Changing Environment

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I’m honored to have been confirmed by the City Councilmembers and sworn in this week as the new Chief Technology Officer for the City of Seattle. As part of Mayor Durkan’s team, I will be leading a dedicated team of public servants contributing towards Seattle’s success.

Six weeks ago, I moved to Seattle and I hit the ground running – and listening. Most of my time so far has been spent meeting with my Seattle Information Technology (IT) colleagues, as well as staff in other departments. The idea is to influence my approach based on what my fellow colleagues have to say about their work and how technology can help with their passion for improving how the City functions. Hundreds of conversations later, I’ve collected some great ideas all pointing to a strong desire to reimagine how we run a complex IT service – which is fitting since technology evolves at a rapid pace.

Municipalities and particularly large urban centers like Seattle are increasingly getting into the technology management business. We are not just enabling business solutions using a piece of software, but in fact redefining the way we run operations, interact with our citizens and deliver our services. I believe having an open mind to how we leverage technological innovations, being extremely nimble in our approach and building strategic partnerships with both big and small private sector firms will move the City of Seattle to a place of digital leadership amongst its peers.

I’m truly excited to begin my Seattle journey and especially at this time – a city recognized globally for its innovation, creativity, and progressive drive. I plan to continue to cultivate this unique Seattle energy to make lasting positive changes while keeping the internal IT talent as my focus to drive a multitude of technology modernizations. Seattle residents might not notice most of the work that we’re doing – but it is my hope that you all will notice the results. Most of the work we do is behind the scenes, but that work is critical to make sure that the city keeps running smoothly and efficiently. It is not something that I take lightly.

If you’d like to learn more about the Seattle Information Technology Department, I invite you to explore our website and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. This way you can be sure to stay up-to-date with our programs and see how we are making innovative changes through technology to the city we call home.

Watch a video of the complete swearing in ceremony on the Seattle Channel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 











South Park Information and Resources Center Celebrates Successful First Year of Operation

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In 2018, its first year of operation, with just 20 laptops and one instructor, the South Park Information and Resources Center enrolled 85 people, predominantly Latino, who were looking to sharpen their digital expertise. Funding from the Center came from a Technology Matching Fund grant that was awarded to help close the digital divide and provide more opportunities to improve computer skills in underrepresented communities.

“I was really surprised how many people wanted to learn about computers,” said Education Program Coordinator Gladis Clemente.

Enrollees ranged in age, skill, and need, but all were hoping for one outcome from taking the class; to learn new computer skills that will help improve their lives.

They started with the basics of how to turn on the laptops, how to type, how to manage simple navigation, and how to conduct a search. When students gained more confidence, instructors moved on to tougher challenges and customized the class to accommodate everyone’s expected curriculum.

“At the beginning of the class, we asked everyone what they wanted to know,” said Clemente. “And that is how we determined what we would cover for each session.”

The success stories from what the students learned in the class are diverse and encouraging:

  • One student got a promotion at work because he was able to learn Microsoft Office.
  • Several enrollees were able to complete online applications for childcare, employment, and affordable housing.
  • One person expanded his construction business by learning to promote it on social media.
  • Many connected with family and friends who they don’t see every day.
  • Several parents opened email accounts to connect with their child’s teacher and learn more about grades, homework assignments, and volunteer opportunities.

“Those parents told me they now know what subjects their kids excel in and need more help with,” said Clemente. ‘It opened up a new avenue to connect with their children.”

The South Park Information and Resource Center  believes they have far exceeded their goal of making attendees feel more valuable and creating opportunities for improvement. They’ve been pleased with the response from the community and the success rate of their class attendees. They hope to expand the lab and open more spots for popular classes in the future.  To learn more about the South Park Information and Resource Center and the courses and events they offer, visit, www.southparkinfocenter.org.

To learn more about the Technology Matching Fund program, including more on past winners and how to apply, visit www.seattle.gov/tech.

 

 











Digital Equity Study reveals Seattle residents are more connected than ever

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2018 Technology Access and Adoption Study shows nearly 95% of Seattle households are connected but there’s room for improvement in digital equity

As part of the City of Seattle’s ongoing work to reduce the digital equity divide, the City released results of the 2018 Technology Access and Adoption Study [PDF]. Results indicate Seattle residents are more connected than ever, with 95% of households reporting internet access in the place where they live – an increase of 10% since 2014, the last time this survey was conducted. While there are still barriers that exist to many households, the survey shows progress in the City’s goal to improve digital equity in Seattle households.

“In Seattle, we know that access to fast, reliable internet is an equity issue. Our city is more connected than ever before – but we still have a lot of work to do to fill the gaps. More and more, digital access and digital skills are prerequisites to gaining access to jobs and opportunity,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “Thanks to the Technology Access and Adoption Study, we know our low-income and insecurely-housed communities are experiencing lower levels of connectedness – and their digital skill levels are suffering as a result. This study will help us as we work to improve digital access and equity for all of Seattle’s residents.”

The Technology Access and Adoption study is used to determine residents’ level of access to the internet and other digital technologies. The study has been conducted five times since the year 2000. This year, over 20,000 randomly selected residents were asked to participate by responding to the survey via mail, phone, or online. A total of 4,315 surveys were collected from May 23 to June 25, 2018, representing 4,315 Seattle households and 10,358 Seattle residents.

“It is vital for us to conduct a Digital Equity Study every few years to truly understand the pulse of the city’s digital access,” said Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell. “The study reflects the policy and community investments made to improve equity and opportunity to those who need it the most. While the data presented is very positive, one area of concern requiring our utmost attention is closing the digital access gap for the almost 25% of those living in poverty still without internet access.”

Highlights from the study include:

  • 21% of households with incomes under $25,000 do not have internet access where they live.
  • Households with multiple adults or households with children are more likely to have faster internet connections than single occupant households.
  • While most residents use the internet a great deal, almost one out of four cite reasons for not using it more often including cost, speed, and confusing service plans.
  • City residents, regardless of age, are concerned about the security of their personal information, how their data is used, and protection from viruses.

“The data demonstrates a positive trend on digital access amongst the City of Seattle residents. We will continue to analyze this data as we build our plan to best serve the community with innovative technology in the future,” said Acting Chief Technology Officer Saad Bashir. “The data and demographics will serve as a blueprint for our approach and I’m looking forward to getting to work on this crucial issue of our time.”

The survey shows a direct correlation between income and online activity. The greater the income, the more online activities are done on a regular basis. Ethnic minorities and non-English speakers, as well as those living with a disability, are more likely to rely on others to help them access and use the internet.

“Learning to use the internet and technology is the same as learning to read in the beginning of last century. It isn’t vital to survive, but it is necessary to move up the socioeconomic ladder. Learning to read is free. The internet should remain as close to free as possible,” said one Seattle resident in the study.

Data from the survey is presented in various forms including an interactive data dashboard that can adapt to show results by race, zip code, council district, language, and income among other variables. The dashboard, along with the full report, can also be found at www.seattle.gov/tech. The City of Seattle worked with both Seattle Public Schools and Seattle Housing Authority to reach a wide range of residents. The study was conducted in both English and Spanish.

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Second Public Comment Period Opening for Technologies Subject to the City’s Surveillance Ordinance

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The City of Seattle has published the second set of draft of Surveillance Impact Reports (SIRs) for eight of the 29 currently existing surveillance technologies, per the Surveillance Ordinance. The first group of SIRs were submitted for public review October 8 – November 5, 2018.  

We’re looking for the public’s input on the SIRs to help the provide Council with insight into community perspective and ensure City policies responsibly govern the use of these technologies. 

The public comment period opens today, Tuesday, February 5, and runs through Tuesday, March 26. The complete list of technologies in this first group for review, can be found below. We have three ways to allow residents to provide input and share their concerns. 

  1. Residents can submit their surveillance comments online at: City of Seattle Privacy website. 
  2. Seattle residents can also mail comments to Attn: Surveillance & Privacy Program, Seattle IT, PO Box 94709, Seattle, WA 98124 
  3. City Surveillance Technology Public Meeting: The City will hold an open house technology fair at the Bertha Knight Landes Room at City Hall to allow attendees ask questions from department technology experts and hear from City leadership. Attendees may also provide written comment at the meetings, without staying the entire time.  

More information on these eight technologies, as well as the City of Seattle’s Privacy program, can be found online at the City’s Surveillance Technology website. 

This public input period is a valuable part of our process. The City of Seattle is committed to be transparent and accountable. Hearing from residents is part of the process. We welcome your thoughts and comments. We look forward to hearing what you have to say. 

Public Meetings 

Meeting  Date and Time  Location 
City Surveillance Technology Public Meeting Wednesday February 27, 2019 6:00pm-8:00pm  Bertha Knight Landes Room, City Hall ; 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 

 

Seattle Department of Transportation’s Acyclica

Seattle Transportation Department’s Acyclica technology is under review for public comment as a retroactive surveillance technology February 5 – March 5, 2019, prior to review by City Council. This technology supports the City’s traffic management and planning efforts, allowing City planners to analyze anonymized data to improve traffic flow. Please visit Seattle.gov/Privacy for more information and to leave a comment. Visit the City of Seattle Privacy website for more information and then fill out the online survey to comment. 

 

Seattle City Light Metering Tools 

Seattle City Light’s metering technology is under review for public comment as a retroactive surveillance technology February 5 – March 5, 2019, prior to review by City Council. This technology supports the City’s efforts to access meters suspected of diverting energy. There are three technologies: Binoculars, Sensorlink AmpFork, and Check Meter Devices. Visit the City of Seattle Privacy website for more information and then fill out the online survey to comment. 

 

Seattle Fire Departments Computer Aided Dispatch 

Seattle Fire Department’s Computer Aided Dispatch technology is under review for public comment as a retroactive surveillance technology February 5 – March 5, 2019, prior to review by City Council. This technology supports the Fire Department to fulfill their mission by responding to emergency situations quickly. Visit the City of Seattle Privacy website for more information and then fill out the online survey to comment. 

 

Seattle Police Department’s 911 Logging Recorder 

Seattle Police Department’s 911 Logging Recorder technology is under review for public comment as a retroactive surveillance technology February 5 – March 5, 2019, prior to review by City Council. This technology supports the Police department’s effort to fulfill the mission by recording 9-11 calls for investigation and training. Visit the City of Seattle Privacy website for more information and then fill out the online survey to comment. 

 

Seattle Police Department’s CopLogic  

Seattle Police Department’s CopLogic technology is under review for public comment as a retroactive surveillance technology February 5 – March 5, 2019, prior to review by City Council. This technology supports the Police department’s effort to fulfill the mission by allowing members of the public to report specific types of crimes online, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of public safety services. Visit the City of Seattle Privacy website for more information and then fill out the online survey to comment. 

 

Seattle Police Department’s Computer Aided Dispatch  

Seattle Police Department’s Computer Aided Dispatch technology is under review for public comment as a retroactive surveillance technology February 5 – March 5, 2019, prior to review by City Council. This technology supports the Police Department to fulfill their mission by responding to emergency situations quickly. Visit the City of Seattle Privacy website for more information and then fill out the online survey to comment.