SNOHOMISH COUNTY—The Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) announced Snohomish County Department of Information Technology as 2nd place winner in (500,000 – 999,999 population category) the 22nd Annual Digital Counties Survey. The survey, in partnership with NACo, identifies the best technology practices among U.S. counties, including initiatives that streamline delivery of government services; provide data analytics to allow decisions based on performance and outcomes; enhance cybersecurity; and apply innovative and emerging technologies to county priorities.
“This year’s survey results highlight how counties are responsibly embracing new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence in its various forms and other digital tools and platforms to respond to top priorities of their constituents and elected officials,” said Teri Takai, senior vice-president, CDG. “The Center for Digital Government is excited to recognize and congratulate this year’s winners for their accomplishments and continuing efforts to use technology to make government better.”
Snohomish County, Wash., rises to second place in its population category this year on the strength of best practices and future planning, using technology to reach residents where they are and simplify complex processes. IT leadership launched an initiative that will evaluate and analyze residents’ digital experience across environments, from web pages to social media, to generate a more holistic approach to services. The IT strategic plan has been updated to reflect this, with a goal set around resident experience via an omni-channel approach. Work is underway on a ground-up redesign for county websites.
Snohomish created and filled a data stewardship and privacy supervisor post with oversight of all forms of data. IT leadership reinvigorated their Data Governance Steering Committee, infusing it with three layers of oversight that includes representation from all departments, offices, and courts. In addition, the Department worked with the Office of Recovery and Resilience, Executive Office, and County Council to allocate $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding toward improving digital equity by enhancing broadband infrastructure for the public.
Viggo Forde, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Director of Information Technology stated, “I am incredibly proud of our IT team that year-after-year continues to rise to the top nationally in this competition. This is not an easy feat. Our ability to do this is based on the strong customer focus the team demonstrates and their ability to build trusted partnership with our internal customers in the county. I am also very grateful for the ongoing support of our mission by the Executive Office and County Council.”
Relevant URLs:
- https://www.govtech.com/digital-counties-2024-500-000-to-999-999-population-category
- https://www.govtech.com/digitalcounties2024
- https://snohomishcountywa.gov/192/Information-Technology
About Snohomish County Information Technology
The Snohomish County Department of Information Technology supports Snohomish County employees and other government agencies, cities, and districts with a wide array of innovative technology services. The vision of the department is to simplify the lives of residents and employees through technology. Our vision continues to focus on delivering value through inclusive an innovative solution that align with the customer and county needs. For more information about Snohomish County Department of Information Technology, visit https://snohomishcountywa.gov/192/Information-Technology
SOURCE: Snohomish County Government
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
