“Connecting people to services.” This is the guiding principle for the County of Santa Clara, and the motivation behind everything we do. While the sheer volume of County services available to residents is astounding, and reflective of the diverse population and breadth of resources the County offers, it can sometimes feel like too much of a good thing. This gap between identifying a need and getting it met grows wider if customers have to hunt for the services provided for their benefit.

That’s why the County of Santa Clara, led by its Chief Information Officer, Satish Ajmani, has spent the last nine months developing the County of Santa Clara’s Life Events Public Portal. This comprehensive online offering combines all County information and services while also linking customers to other important community services, under one virtual roof at www.SCCgov.org.

By bringing everything together in one place, establishing Web policies and standards, and taking the necessary steps to orient a voluminous amount of information around customer’s “life events”, such as starting a business or having a baby, the County has delivered a thorough, consistent, and customer-centered online resource. The County selectively applied technologies that enable residents to go beyond merely gathering information, by allowing them to take necessary actions online. Actions like conducting a doctor search. Being pre-screened as a foster parent. Applying for a County job or commission seat. Becoming a County contractor. Making a park reservation. And so on.

While a phenomenal achievement, this is only the beginning. SCCgov is built upon a robust technology architecture that can support sophisticated transaction and payment engines. Over time, this will allow the County to continue adding functionality so residents can conduct end-to-end transactions through the portal. Moreover, the addition of a County extranet for business partners and an intranet for staff and elected officials will include transaction capabilities and process improvements that will go a long way in reducing government costs. The addition of online communities of practice will enhance education and knowledge sharing among County employees and the organizations they work with to serve the community.

For more detailed information on the County's new web portal, please view the attachments below.