Accela Community

New Webinar: "m-Government and the Era of Apps"

Admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:34:00 GMT

Calling All Inspectors!!

REGISTER NOW to participate in another exciting and educational Webinar this month focused on agencies of all sizes who want to empower their workers and enhance citizen engagement. M-government is about enabling agencies to provide workers and citizens with the information they need—wherever and whenever they need it—on their mobile devices.

In addition to our current roster of mobile solutions for Accela Automation, Accela recently released our latest app, Accela Mobile Inspector. Accela Mobile Inspector is the only app on the market that provides permitting, licensing and code-enforcement professionals with a role specific app that manages the entire inspection process from the job list, to result and submission. It's available today for iPhone and iPad.

Do your field-based inspectors currently:

Print up their job list, inspect onsite and then submit the inspection results back in the office later that day?

Take photos on a camera only to return back to the office to download and attach to the inspection details?

Carry around a bulky laptop computer to the job site with little or no internet connectivity?

US Department of Treasury recognizes Federal E-Permits as "Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year" for implementing Accela Automation for the Alcohol Tobacco and Tax department

Maury Blackman — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:46:00 GMT

Federal E-Permits recognized as "Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year" for implementing Accela Automation

...(read more)

Accela's 2011 User Conference Presentations Are Posted!

Admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:54:00 GMT

The Accela Marketing Team would like to thank all customers who prepared and presented at the conference this week. We value you as a customer and appreciate you sharing your agency's story! All presentations from customers and Accela staff have been posted to the Accela User Conference group. If you're not a member of that group, sign up today to have access to the most popular presentations of the conference.

The presentations are organized by track:

- General Session Track

- Permitting Track

- Asset Management Track

- Licensing Track

- Mobility Track

- Mapping Track

- Citizen Services Track

- Enterprise Track

We look forward to seeing you at next year's conference!

Accela Analytics ... iPad Edition

Chuck Spink — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 01:19:00 GMT

iPads are changing the technology landscape …

Apple announced last week that more than 7.3 million iPads were sold in the last quarter of 2010, for a total of more than 14.7 million in its first three quarters on the market. "The demand has just been amazing and this is off to an incredible start," Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's chief financial offer, said in the quarterly earnings conference call.

There is no doubt that the iPad is dramatically changing the technology landscape, revolutionizing the tablet computer market and causing many people to rethink PCs. Although initial momentum has been driven largely by consumers, business use is on the rise and government agencies that are progressive and forward thinking are starting to distribute iPads within their organizations.

Government workers are being asked to do more with less …

Evidence is overwhelming … Cash strapped agencies are being asked to do more with less. Enterprise systems are capable of collecting and processing more information than ever before and decision makers from understaffed agencies must wade through a sea of information to get to the right data to make informed decisions. Citizens, politicians, business owners, and even agency staff expect immediate answers to questions ranging from the status of a particular business license to trends in building permits for the local redevelopment district. Whether from your office, a city council meeting, a construction site, or even the corner coffee shop, key government officials need …

Access to the right information from anywhere on the device of your choice.

Enter Accela Analytics … iPad Edition …

Accela’s new iPad app – Accela Analytics – is the first iPad app for government professionals that provides intuitive and informative visualization of key enterprise data residing in an agency’s back-end system.

Accela Analytics gives government professionals a dashboard of key performance indicators and provides them with the capability to track important or high profile projects within their agencies. Accela Analytics leverages information from an agency’s Accela Automation enterprise system – which is used by hundreds of government agencies across the country to automate critical tasks affecting the lives of almost 80 million people in the US alone.

Accela Analytics delivers this key information from four screens …Home, Watch Lists, Charts and Maps.

Home … The Home screen provides an integrated dashboard of key performance indicators including charts of activity over designated time periods, display of average and daily total values, and a map view showing the locations of permits, licenses and other records using color-coded push pins.

In a planning commission meeting where permit application trends over the past 30 days is needed? … The Home screen provides quick access to a chart containing the necessary information.

Watch Lists … The Watch Lists screen allows creation of a customized list of specific items of interest and enables drill down into details of each record such as status, fees, conditions, etc.

On a call with a business owner who wants to know the status of their application for a business license? … The Watch Lists screen provides the latest status and other important information about the business license application.

Charts … The Charts screen includes large, easy to read charts that display application and inspection trends. Choose time frame of interest or other selection criteria to customize the display.

In a staff meeting where information on recent trends for building inspections is needed? … The Charts screen provides quick access to the number of building inspections over the time frame of interest.

Maps …The Maps screen displays locations of records on a map using color-coded push pins to differentiate building permits from code enforcement cases from service requests from business licenses. Map markers linked to the push pins provide additional high-level record information. Slice and dice the information according to record types, addresses, time frames, or other criteria of interest.

In a city council meeting where the city manager would like to quickly view recent activity on a street that is part of a redevelopment district? … Enter the name of the street and time frame of interest and color-coded push pins representing all of the activity on that street within the designated time period display on the map.

In Short …

Accela Analytics is the first iPad app that lets agency decision makers easily access and leverage Accela Automation enterprise data in order to make informed decisions that directly affect their communities. The app’s dashboard highlights trends and activity, such as permits, licenses, code enforcement cases and more. Watch lists can be used to track records of interest, and record details display important information such as status and fees. Maps with color coded push pins and map markers containing record information provide a spatial display of information. Accela Analytics is the right app for today’s smart government executive.

Accela Analytics is available as a no-charge value-add to Accela Automation named-user or site license customers using Accela Automation 7.0.5 Service Pack 3 or newer … iPad not included!

Accela and MIS Hit the Road in Saudi Arabia to Demonstrate Accela Automation

Admin — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:17:00 GMT

Our Saudi Arabia road show was a resounding success, and we made a great splash into a new market with our new partner MIS. We delivered fully Arabic presentations to over 70 attendees in the major cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran. The audiences clearly were excited about our technology and the solutions presented. Hands on demos, personal discussions on current projects and needs, and invitations for follow up on-site meetings were the norm. Return trips to a number of agencies are planned, and we have already changed the face of a recently awarded deal, with the intent that the awarded vendor will implement our technology instead of custom build.

The product presentations consisted of: citizen, back office, maps, and mobile, as well as future technology demonstrations. The product was fully configured and delivered in the Arabic language, including use of the local currency, and across the verticals of Land Management, Asset Management, Licensing and Case Management, and Service Request. Our multi-user mobile demonstration environment performed impressively, and we look forward to resulting new opportunities arising business for the Accela Middle East/African Region.

For more information about our new partnership with MIS, read the latest news release by clicking on this link: http://www.accela.com/company/news/2010_press_releases/pr_120110.asp

Location Unveiled for the 2011 Accela User Conference

Admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:13:00 GMT

Accela has decided to head back to San Diego for the 2011 User Conference! We tallied the votes from August and it was an easy choice for the Accela Conference planners. As you budget for 2011, hopefully the below information will help get you started.

Conference details:

Location: San Diego, CA
Date: August 15 - 19, 2011
Hotel: Paradise Point (http://www.paradisepoint.com/)
Room Rates: $140/night (single or double occupancy)

Please join the "Accela User Conference" Group on Accela Community if you haven't already. The Accela Conference team plans to keep you informed over the next few months on all conference details. We will also be posting additional information on Accela's web site with details on how to register, how to exhibit and how to get the best rates on your hotel rooms.

If you have questions about this event, please email conference@accela.com.

We'll see you in sunny San Diego!

The Ratings are in...

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:31:00 GMT

Did you know that you can rate just about anything on Accela Community? This includes blog posts, knowledge base articles, and resources in the Downloads section. The reason why this is so useful is that it's a great way for you to share with your peers on Community the value of the resources that are posted.

In the case of the Downloads section, ratings are a great way for you to validate the usefulness of a particular report, configuration, or script. If you used a sample configuration, were able to tweak it for your agency, and deploy it to your Accela Automation environment, why not share that info with your peers? The rating system is found at the top right of every entry and you can rate on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.

And if you have tips on how to make the resource better, you can also add comments to the particular resource. At the bottom of the page, there is always an area for you to leave a comment. (And by the way, this comments area is found on almost all of the resources on Accela Community - blogs, knowledge base articles, and downloads -- so go ahead and start rating!)

The "Era of Limits" Requires Improvements in Website Usability

Allen Chen — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:55:00 GMT

Driving into work today I was listening to the radio and, one day before the mid-term elections, every newscast was obviously covering the last minute sales pitches and maneuverings of both political parties. In California, the big battle is between Republican Meg Whitman, and Democrat Jerry Brown for the governorship. The commentator proceeded to play sound bites of both candidates' stump speeches, and while they do have fundamentally different views of government and are proposing different courses of action, I was struck by the similarity of message on one key topic. Whitman called for "smaller government" and Brown mentioned we were headed for a new "Era of Limits" in government. Whether you believe smaller government is always better, or in this time of economic hardship -- merely inevitable, it's clear that when the ballots are finally counted, whoever wins will have to do more with less.

Source: CBPP

This is where the internet comes into play. I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that effective use of online services drastically reduces costs for government agencies. Answering a phone call is easily 10 times more expensive than providing self-service online. It's what the people demand and what it's in government's best interests to provide -- a rare win-win situation in public policy. Information Week just released its list of "The 12 Best Government Websites". I encourage you to take a look at what's possible. In the article, author J. Nicholas Hoover says, "All too often, local, state and federal governments and government agencies do far too little to reach out to citizens on the web. Many governments and agencies are stuck in the 1990s era of tacky animated images, an over-abundance of white space, and confusing arrays of links."

Is that you? Does your public facing site scream late 90's web design with marquee text scrolling across the screen, a vast array of links organized in no particular order, and a web banner proudly displaying the name of your agency and taking up 1/3 of the screen real estate (as if we didn't know where we were)? IW also has a list of "The 12 Worst Government Websites" if you want to see how bad it can get. My intent here is not to belittle poor layout and graphic design choices. Clearly, many agencies don't have the resources to hire a full-time web team or the luxury of redesigning their web presence every 3 years. Rather, I want to point out that good, usable design pays for itself. It's how you achieve that win-win. Your citizens get the information they need AND you avoid that phone call you would rather not answer. The Era of Limits means you'll have to squeeze somewhere in your organization. Why not produce a more efficient website that supports your business goals?

So how does an agency produce a more usable website? The key is knowing the motivations of your users and giving them what they want. And the only way to know what they want and whether you're delivering on it is to test your website. At Accela, we run rigorous usability tests on all of our products. Testing involves recruiting the right volunteers (those who represent actual end users), assigning them a task, and observing how easily they can complete their task using our software. Despite our best efforts to design usable product features, this kind of testing inevitably uncovers weaknesses in the initial design. Perhaps a button is placed in a location that goes unnoticed by users, or your choice of words for a link does not make sense for your target audience. Believe it or not, based on our observations, the UX (User Experience) team at Accela believes one of the biggest factors for failure of citizens to use Accela Citizen Access is that they cannot find the button or link on the agency's website that leads to it.

The bottom line is in order to do more with less, a more usable website is an easy win. A tiny upfront investment in testing and design refinements based on your findings can make all the difference.

Buongiorno da Roma

Brian Wienke — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:35:00 GMT

Accela will exhibit at the Esri Europe, Middle East and Africa User Conference (EMEA UC) October 26–28 in Rome, Italy. Which gives the fortunate Accela staff who will be attending the show just two short weeks to learn how to pronounce Sistemi Informativi Geografici, which is GIS in Italian.

Accela is an Esri Gold Partner and has integrated with Esri GIS for many years. Accela had recognized long ago how important GIS is in government, particularly in the permitting and regulatory areas, as well as asset management. And, since Accela Automation and the add-on products like Accela GIS all support localization for different regions (products were internationalized at the 7.0 release), the solution can be implemented around the globe.

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is leading the region with e-government services, and is implementing Accela Automation for Licensing and Case Management, including Accela Citizen Access, Accela GIS and Accela Mobile Office. Esri gave their Making a Difference Award to the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre at the 2010 Esri International User Conference in San Diego, CA. Leveraging the spatial information within the Accela products will improve efficiency and provide best-in-class solutions for e-government and field force automation. So if you’re in Rome October 26-28, stop by the Accela booth #E/21 at the Esri EMEA UC and say "Buongiorno."

Top 3 Tips for Using Accela Community

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:39:00 GMT

Based on some of the more common questions we get, I've compiled the top 3 tips for using Accela Community:

1. HELP! I'm getting email alerts all the time! How do I unsubscribe to a group?

Once you're a member of Accela Community, and have subscribed to groups, you'll start to get emails from the various forum discussions that are happening. While this is a great way to stay informed about trending topics, it can quickly become overwhelming. What I have done is created a rule in MS Outlook to filter these emails to a separate folder - that's one solution. Another one is to navigate to a forum within a group (e.g., Accela Automation - General forum), then look for the OPTIONS box on the right side. Note that the default setting is that you are subscribed to this group. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link:

Keep in mind that once you unsubscribe, you will not get ANY alerts from that forum - it will be up to you to visit Accela Community and see what's going on with discussions. Another option is to drill into a particular thread/discussion, and turn the alerts off for JUST that thread. This is a good solution if you want to turn off alerts for a particular discussion that is not relevant for you - it might be really active within the Community but maybe just not a topic that you're interested in following. Muting threads is also found within an OPTIONS box - but note you have to navigate to the thread first, then mute it.

2. I'm looking for help on a particular topic - where do I begin?

The best place to start in Accela Community is by using the global search feature on the top right of every page. When you type in a search topic (e.g., scripting), before you even hit enter, it will dynamically show a list of areas within Community that have the word "scripting". So it will list files on scripting, wikis on scripting, and forum posts on scripting. From there, you can click right on the item you want and navigate there directly. Particularly with forums, this is a good way to see if someone has already started a discussion on a topic that you're interested in.

3. I don't see the topic I'm looking for - how can I start a new thread?

Once you've browsed Community and decided you can't find the answer you want, it might be time to post a new thread. Navigate to the appropriate group (remember that groups are organized by products) and find the forum that best suits your topic. So for example, if you have a question on Accela Automation scripting, you should post to that forum, versus the General Accela Automation forum. And don't forget there are forums for all of our add-on products like Accela Mobile Office, Accela GIS, Accela Citizen Access, etc. Once you find the right forum, look for the NEW POST button on the right. This allows you to start a discussion and before long, you'll start to get answers from the Community.

If you're unsure about where you are trying to post, use the breadcrumbs on the page to confirm which 'group' you are currently in - for this example, I'm about to post in the Accela Automation - Scripting forum:

Anything else you're having problems with on Accela Community? Let us know and we'll help you out!

Will Tablet Computers Replace Laptops?

Chuck Spink — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:09:00 GMT

The headline was thought provoking ... "Tablet computers forecast to sink laptops" (an article by Greg Bensigner of Bloomberg News published on 8/26/2010 in the SF Chronicle and SFGate.com).

That’s a pretty bold statement. There is no doubt that tablet computers are gaining popularity among consumers. Even though tablet computers have been around for many years the hype surrounding Apple’s recent introduction of the iPad has brought renewed interest in these devices. However, is predicting the extinction of the laptops, and more specifically the wholesale replacement of laptops by tablet computers, a bit premature?

Tablet computers come in many sizes and shapes, although portability is a common feature. Historically they have used a stylus for data entry, sometimes accompanied by a trackpad and/or conventional keyboard. The iPad and other devices now offer innovative touch-screen interfaces that bring the user experience to a whole new level. Variations of tablet computers are also available for specific tasks, such as the Amazon Kindle for reading eBooks. Common uses for tablet computers have been note taking, planning/scheduling, email, social networking, browsing the web, doodling, playing music, playing games and viewing videos.

Tablet computers also have a presence in the mobile workforce. For example, the Panasonic Toughbook and other durable computers can be found on many construction sites and are often used by inspectors, contractors, and others to manage projects. Business applications are also becoming increasingly available for iPads and other tablet computers. However, the toolkit of most members of a mobile workforce currently includes a Smartphone and a laptop.

Data suggests that many people use laptops for both work and personal business. If tablet computers are gaining in popularity among consumers, and business applications for tablet computers are becoming increasingly available, and many people use laptops for both work and personal business, could the statement “… tablet computers replace laptops” be a logical conclusion?

Rather than tackle the bigger question of whether or not tablet computers will lead to the extinction of laptops I’d like to solicit feedback on how you think tablet computers will affect your agency and the people who live in the communities you serve.

Question 1. What role do you see tablet computers playing within your agency?

Question 2. What role do you see tablet computers playing within the communities you serve?

Question 3. In the battle between Windows 7 vs. Android vs. iPad vs. others do you see a clear winner?

In addition to responding to these three questions you are welcome to post comments to this blog with your thoughts on iPads, tablet computers and related topics as they apply to your agency and the communities you serve.

I look forward to your feedback.

Chuck Spink – Product Manager, Accela, Inc.

Chuck Spink is product manager for Accela’s community-serving Accela Citizen Access, Accela Mobile Citizen Access, and Accela Interactive Voice Response products, as well as new iPad and iPhone applications in development. Chuck, a Licensed Professional Civil Engineer, has over 25 years of professional experience that includes product management for leading database and CAD software products, hands-on engineering and construction experience, and membership on local government and community service organization boards.

Tackling the Problem of Abandoned and Vacant Properties

John Schomp — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:18:00 GMT

I recently read an article stating that the U.S. home-ownership rate has declined more in the past few years than in the previous two decades. The article noted that about 67% of Americans own their homes today, compared with 69% in 2004. It reference some banking industry analysts who expect that by the end of 2010 nearly 21 million U.S. households will owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth, with perhaps one in five of these homeowners likely to foreclose.

As the national foreclosure rate continues to rise, many municipalities will see an increase in the number of vacant and abandoned properties. The problems created by vacant residential properties, such as vandalism, unsafe open structures, stagnant swimming pools, just to name a few, create immense expense as communities are tasked with securing and abating these problems without the assistance from property owners or residents.

Many of these properties will be owned by banks that are simply overwhelmed by the volume and are not equipped to maintain them. In turn, code enforcement departments are struggling with the increased workload and associated costs created by this vicious cycle.

Most importantly, the effect of the resulting blight on these neighborhoods can be hard to quantify. As discussed in Vacant Properties, The True Cost to Communities, a report by the National Vacant Properties Campaign, decrepit homes will depress home values for entire blocks around them. Once homes become vacant, the report stated, they will "produce no or little property tax income, but they require plenty of time, attention, and money." One effective weapon to combat this gradual slide is the code enforcement violation, and a resulting property tax lien if the fine is not paid on time.

In the current economic climate, it makes sense to review these processes to ensure that escalations are happening as quickly as the law will allow. The resulting fines and liens will offset the escalating costs to inspect these properties, as well as incentivize banks and homeowners to become compliant as quickly as possible

Some municipalities are taking a proactive approach. In Broward County, Fla., the Abandoned/Vacant Real Property Registration and Certification ordinance was created to protect residential neighborhoods from becoming blighted through the lack of adequate maintenance and security of abandoned and vacant properties. The program requires mortgage lenders to inspect defaulted properties to confirm that they are occupied. If a property is found to be vacant, the lender must register the property with the County and immediately begin to secure and maintain the property to program standards.

Technology also has a critical role to play in helping communities quickly and effectively meet these challenges. For example, Accela Automation’s code enforcement capabilities can be used to track and manage the complete life cycle of a violation, including invoicing and collection of fines, and escalation to a hearing calendar when a fine goes unpaid. Inspection staff can also access and share information from a centralized database, ensuring faster and more consistent enforcement. These steps can help stabilize the neighborhoods and prevent them becoming unkempt and unsafe.

The foreclosure crisis doesn’t appear close to winding down. Communities must prepare themselves for the difficult impacts of this unprecedented housing downturn, which could continue for years. Proactive enforcement planning and strategic use of technology can help mitigate the snowball effect that abandoned and vacant housing can have on a community.

How extensive are these issues in your community? How are your agencies dealing with the problem? I’m interested in your views.

Electric Cars: How Local Governments Can “Jumpstart” Preparations for the Next Wave in Transportation

Maury Blackman — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:59:00 GMT

One of the many commercials featuring Lance Armstrong during this year’s Tour de France promotes the forthcoming Nissan Leaf, an all-electric car that will have a range of 100 miles. GM is introducing its much talked-about “plug-in” hybrid this fall, the Chevy Volt, while Tesla Motors and Toyota are teaming to provide all-electric cars with ranges extending to 300 miles!

The bottom line is that electric cars are coming, and both state and local government jurisdictions need to seriously think about their impact. But like so many truly revolutionary changes throughout history, the full ramifications – and challenges – only become clear as you get closer to them.

Most parties at the vortex of this trend – car companies, utilities, local governments – seem to agree one of the biggest challenges will involve creating the infrastructure to support electric cars, as well as finding ways to manage the costs that cities may incur in building and supporting the infrastructure.

Expanded electric grids, public charging stations, and special high-voltage home charging docks will all be needed.
States, cities and utilities will need to work together to find where neighborhood clusters of electric cars are likely to be purchased that could strain the power supply.
And, of course, building codes and zoning regulations may need to change, as offices and public garages build charging stations, and homeowners outfit their property to accommodate charging docks.

What all of these things will have in common is the need for new approaches to every phase of the government permitting process. In fact, a recent Wall Street Journal article noted that widespread adoption of the Nissan Leaf is somewhat out of the company’s hands because much of the vehicle’s success may boil down to cities making changes to their permitting processes and states providing communities with code guidelines for charging stations.

Are local governments prepared to handle these watershed changes in an efficient manner that produces real revenue to help offset the costs? Most probably aren’t. But I believe technology that streamlines permitting processes and strengthens collaboration between state and local governments can go a long way toward helping mitigate these challenges.

Web-based and mobile permitting and licensing software can potentially reduce approval times from weeks down to days or hours.
Government- and citizen-generated GIS data can help quickly identify usage patterns and growing demand areas.
Mobile solutions that empower field-based government inspectors could “jumpstart” the permitting process right at the car dealership.
Shared online permitting portals – like the state of Oregon’s spanning nearly 40 cities and counties – can provide unified standards and efficient processes from the largest cities to the smallest towns.
Finally, clear and transparent e-permitting capability – via software that enables citizens to easily apply and pay for permits, schedule inspections, and track their status anytime and anywhere – can boost revenue collection for local governments that will help fund the new infrastructure.

Electric vehicles are on their way. But state and local governments across America must plan and prepare to support them. In order for electric vehicles to achieve their full potential, governments will need the vision and the tools to make it happen.

Section 508 Accessibility Compliance

Darrell Lewis — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:27:00 GMT

This month marks two momentous occasions...the launch of Accela Automation 7.0.5 and the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Oddly enough, these two seemingly unrelated events are indeed extremely related. The passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act was a major milestone in the protection of civil rights for persons with disabilities. Enormous strides have been made over the last twenty years in breaking down the physical and social barriers for those with disabilities. One notable byproduct of ADA was Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1998, which amended the original Rehabilitation Act enacted in 1973 to require that federal agencies make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities, including those with mobility impairments, blindness, and low vision, as well as those who rely on the use of assistive technologies.

I am extremely pleased to announce that Accela Automation and Accela Citizen Access are both now Section 508 Compliant as of the release of Version 7.0.5 on July 12. This milestone for Accela represents an enormous effort to literally go page-by-page through both Accela Automation and Accela Citizen Access to identify areas of noncompliance with the applicable requirements for Web-based Intranet and Internet-based information and applications and implement code changes to support full accessibility. We enlisted the services of The Paciello Group, a leading accessibility consultant for Internet-based applications for the Federal Government, to assist in assessing Accela Automation and Accela Citizen Access and to provide best-practice recommendations where changes were required. While the requirements for Section 508 compliance are directed specifically at the Federal Government, many state and local governments have taken the initiative to come into compliance with the spirit of the Section 508 requirements. And where Federal funds are being provided at the state and local level, the Federal government is often requiring compliance with accessibility requirements as well. Regardless of the motivation, accessibility for your staff and the public they serve shows your commitment to comparable access for all.

Most of the changes made to Accela Automation and Accela Citizen Access will not be visible in the standard user interface, but behind the scenes are a number of critical changes that will allow the applications to work with browser-based accessibility tools as well as assistive technologies such as the JAWS screen reader. These include tags that provide a descriptive label for icons and other graphics, the ability to view the applications without style sheets and color, support for high contrast and increased text sizing, and alternate views where the existing user interface could not otherwise be made accessible. These alternate views are controlled by a separate functional ID (FID) in Accela Automation for those who need to make use of them.

Example of an Accela Citizen Access screen with style sheet on

Example of an Accela Citizen Access screen with style sheet off

Both applications have been thoroughly scanned using AccVerify, an industry-standard tool for assessing Section 508 compliance. While no software application is likely to be 100% compliant, we are confident that Accela Automation and Accela Citizen Access meet the spirit of the applicable requirements of Section 508, and that the applications can be successfully used by those with a wide variety of disabilities. Accela is committed to ongoing compliance against today's standards as well as those likely to be established in the near future. We also rely on a number of third-party software vendors who are likewise committed to Section 508 compliance, and will leverage their compliance efforts in our products as available.

We hope you share our excitement in having achieved this important milestone. Further, we hope that Accela Automation and Accela Citizen Access can help serve as catalysts for establishing accessibility standards for other elements of your Web presence, if you have not already done so, to allow for greater inclusion and prevent discrimination based on an individual's disabilities.

How to Get Started With Accela Community

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:31:00 GMT

Welcome to the Accela Community Site! This site is meant to be an online community for Accela customers, partners, and employees to collaborate, research, document, share information and network with other members. But, we realize that newcomers to the site might need a little guidance with navigating all of the resources available. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Sign Up

If you haven't already requested an account, you can do so by clicking the JOIN button at the top right corner of the site.

This will take you to the registration form and you can request a username and password for Accela Community. Some of the content on Accela Community is for general audiences - for example, the Corporate blogs. Most of the other content on the site is organized around Accela products so once you have a username and password, you can join the groups you are interested in.

2. Update Your Profile

Once you receive your login and default password, login to the site and get your profile updated. We recommend you change your password from the default. Once you login, go to the SETTINGS link on the top right and you can change your password on the Sign-in Information tab. From the Profile Options tab, you can also change your Avatar to a picture of your choosing. There are also some default avatars you can choose from.

Once you've updated your password and avatar, click on your NAME link on the top right to go into your profile settings. Here, you can click the Edit Profile link on that page and write a quick bio for yourself, set your basic profile settings like gender, language, your birth date, your location, etc. This is the place to introduce yourself to the Community - tell us a little bit about your agency, what Accela products you use, and what your areas of expertise are.

3. Join Groups

Once your profile is in order, it's time to start joining groups so you get relevant content delivered to you. Start by going to the Home page of the site and find the list of Available Groups. Groups are organized by products so click on a product you are interested in and go to the product's home page. On the top right corner, you will see a link that says Request Membership. Click this link and submit the form (no need to enter additional information in the pop up window) and you will be added to the group automatically. It takes about 1 minute for the group membership to appear on the site. Once it does, you will begin to see the content (forums, blogs, knowledge base articles) that are in that group.

Follow the same procedure for every group you want to be a member of. As you join groups, you will notice that when you return to the Home Page, the list called MY GROUPS will begin to populate with the groups you are subscribing to. This will be a good way for you to keep track and manage the various groups you are joining.

4. Start Exploring

Now that you have your groups in order, you can start exploring the site to see what we have to offer. There are four main categories of content:

• Blogs are from Accela product experts and organized by product line.
• Forums are the best place to ask a question about an Accela product or feature - once the question is posted, your peers can respond with solutions and tips to get the results you want. Also note that the Accela Automation Forums have some sub-categories to help guide you. For example, there are forums just on Reporting, Scripting, and Enhancement Requests. When you are posting a question, make sure you are posting to the right sub-category.
• Knowledge Base articles throughout the site offer product-specific, collaborative content to help users make the most of their Accela solution. If you are familiar with Wikis, you'll be familiar with how Knowledge Base articles work - you can add content, provide additional details, and over time, the articles grow to be more informative and robust.
• The Downloads area is where you can find documents, scripts, reports, and data configurations that can be used with your Accela solution. User manuals and release notes are available here too.

That should be enough to get your started. If you have feedback or comments along the way, please let us know. You can email us at community@accela.com with your suggestions.

Data Democratization: GIS For the People, By the People

Brian Wienke — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:39:00 GMT

If you have ever gone on a road trip and used a GPS navigation device or planned your route the old fashioned way—using a web mapping application, of course—you may have noticed how these technologies can display service providers along your route such as food, fuel and lodging. Some Web mapping applications allow users to add content too, such as sketching geometry of a trail you hiked on the map to share with friends. Bing Maps has many “map apps” such as Twitter Map where users can tweet and plot their location on the map, (which has raised some safety concerns by parents actually). There are iPhone apps that provide users with location based services that locate public restrooms, (Have2P or Bathroom Finder), and users can rate them or update data such as whether they have baby changing tables or cleanliness, and even let users add new locations.

It is this kind of democratization of data that is sparking interest in the GIS community—ESRI published an ArcNews article about user-generated content in a Winter 2009/2010. The possibility of creating a database of map features through socially aggregated content or distributed editing could offer tangible benefits to the GIS publisher as well as the consumer. There are many different levels to democratized data that can be explored. A citizen reporting an issue at a location, such as graffiti at a landmark by point-and-clicking on a map, or submitting a geotagged photo is one method; a public works field worker capturing the locations of assets while performing maintenance or repair; or a citizen drawing a scenic hiking trail on a map and commenting on the blooming wild flowers are all great examples that show how a local government agency or the public can benefit. One exciting concept is a sort of geographic white-boarding—sketching on a map for collaborative purposes or running analysis before getting too far into the project. Imagine a developer evaluating two project sites sketching in a draft plan on the map to analyze traffic impact or soil erosion of each property before applying for a permit.

Another concept is letting citizens click on a map in Accela Citizen Access for example to report potholes in the roadway, or selecting a street light on a map of their neighborhood to report the lamp is out. Sharing Web maps to the public for use in identifying a location or particular asset, such as a street light outage, could reduce the time it takes to repair it—the agency knows the exact asset, and can review the maintenance history. But consider socially aggregated data, allowing citizens to create GIS features such as sketching trails or locations of migratory bird sightings. It may seem more of a community outreach usage, but it could assist local governments provide a higher level of service to their constituents.

Internal democratization of data creation by disseminating GIS editing tasks across the organization is the first step. In other words, have various departments in the agency create GIS features for their areas of expertise. This can quickly add to the inventory for tracking and scheduling maintenance, while alleviating the burden of data collection from a single GIS editor. If the parks department captures GPS coordinates as tree point features on the map during the tree-trimming work order process, the asset inventory spatial database will rapidly grow. It will also provide the agency with information for analysis and planning, such as which trees in an area need trimming. Mashup the migratory bird sightings public access layer and the agency can better plan when to trim certain trees or which ones to avoid because of the presence of nests. Another use case is overlay the potholes public access layer with the capital improvement plan and completed work orders layers to illustrate that work is being done according to plan and need.

At Accela Automation 7.0.5, agency users will be able to create assets and their GIS features through the Accela GIS map viewer (either in Accela Automation or Accela Mobile Office) into the geodatabase via ArcGIS Server. Transparency will occur when an agency exposes the locations of requests for service alongside a layer showing the locations of work orders completed in Accela Asset Management on a map, citizens can see progress or neglect, which in turn heightens awareness and may prompt action. In an era of tweeting, yelping and social networking, aggregating data collection and GIS editing, along with giving citizens the tools to report issues, supply information, and openly communicate about what’s going on can only make for better communities. I am curious about how current Accela customers feel about this concept.

e-Government Meets "i-Government" – Smartphones and the Future of Government Services

Maury Blackman — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:42:00 GMT

I am continually amazed at how much my phone has displaced my PC for everyday use.   My iPhone is stacked with an entire library of songs, 10 years of uploaded photos, not to mention videos, movies, and a slew of applications. This past holiday season, I did some shopping on Amazon, bought movie tickets, and transferred money – all with my phone.   I would estimate that 60 percent of my e-mail communication comes from my phone.   I also find myself using my phone as my primary connection to the Web, where I continually reference data and information: one moment looking up Accela customer information and the next telling my son about Ken Griffey Jr.’s life batting average.

I think my behavior is reflective of where our government customers and their citizens are headed with their own phone use.   The day will soon come when consumers won’t purchase anything but a smartphone. My guess is that’s all people will buy next holiday season, and I have no doubt this will lead to a dramatic shift in the public’s expectations of e-government.

You might even call it “i-government”, indicative of today’s iPhone culture and the user-centric expectation of obtaining information “when I want it, where I want it”. In this climate, citizens will expect – and demand – access to government services via their mobile phones.

Accela has spent much of the past two years augmenting our mobile strategy in anticipation of these trends and the resulting demands on government.   Our imminent Accela Mobile Office solution is perhaps the most anticipated and groundbreaking software release in the company’s history – and with good reason; the product is poised to redefine the way mobile government workers organize their days, access information, and communicate with back-office colleagues and the public.

But Accela has also considered the needs of consumers and how they increasingly will want to interact with their governments. Our next release of Accela Mobile Citizen Access allows the public to use their smartphones to connect to some of the same online services available through Accela Citizen Access – and to do so with the same intuitive user interface they would experience in their home or office.   No other e-permitting solution delivers this.

This need is critical for contractors and many other business owners, who work on the road more than they do at their desks. These smartphone-empowered users can check the status of their permit applications, as well as review inspection details, add comments for inspectors, and cancel or reschedule a pending inspection.

I’m excited about these innovations and their potential to change the delivery of government services. As we start 2010, I think the time is right to look ahead, examine public trends, and develop strategies for the upcoming era of “i-government”.

I wish everyone a happy and successful New Year. Please send me a note when you implement Mobile Citizen Access. I’d love to hear how it’s changing and improving your service to the public.

How "Super" Agencies Deliver Online Super-Agencies

Maury Blackman — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:43:00 GMT

One common suggestion made to me by building contractors and land developers is that online permitting solutions need to be regionally focused.   The work of these professionals often takes them across multiple towns, counties and jurisdictions, requiring multiple permits.

These folks would normally start the conversation by posing a couple of questions: “Does your software allow me to see a portal view of all my permits, activities and inspections in all the places I work?” Does it also allow me to apply and pay for permits across multiple jurisdictions from a single portal screen?” Our conversation would then drift into the vision of how all this would work, agreeing that it’s a great idea.

Well, I’m happy to report that Accela Automation 6.7 has made this vision a reality. The product now provides the ability to set up a “super agency” that “rolls up” all the activities of the agencies that it umbrellas. Smaller agencies within the same regions can now work in concert to provide transparent permit and inspection services to their customers.

Not only is the functionality available, it’s being put to work in the State of Oregon, where the Department of Consumer and Business Services is performing exactly that “super agency” role through its website, www.BuildingPermits.Oregon.gov.   Using Accela Citizen Access as a portal, the new site provides enhanced functionality for mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits – allowing customers to determine which permits are required in different jurisdictions, apply and pay for them in a single “shopping cart”, and access a list of their permits and authorizations at any time. With this “super agency” in place, the State is able to offer brokered services, in which fees from one consolidated transaction are then dispersed by the state to appropriate jurisdictions.

I recently heard that Oregon’s new program is serving building contractors from 33 municipal building departments across the state and – just since June 2009 – has processed nearly 6,400 permits totaling over $667,000.

I often talk about transparency, immediacy and usability as the most important factors affecting the adoption of e-government technologies at the state and local level.   We all know that transparency is now expected from the public sector. Regulators and the public demand a greater window into government processes. Immediacy is increasingly assumed by the public. Nowadays, we all want to conduct business with our governments 24/7, just as we do with airlines, banks and retailers. But Usability is often overlooked and is the most critical issue for technology adoption by government agencies. Solutions have to connect across systems, departments and jurisdictions; scale to meet agencies’ long-term needs; and – most of all -- provide an easy-to-use interface for agency workers and the public.

Oregon’s approach meets all of these needs. I say hats off to Oregon for stepping up, addressing market needs, and making the longstanding dream of contractors and land developers a reality in their State.

Meeting Customer's "Web" Expectations

Maury Blackman — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:02:00 GMT

I was traveling overseas a few weeks back and got delayed due to storms in the NYC area. Air traffic control basically shut down the airspace coming into the airports and I missed my international connection. To make matters worse, my bag was lost in the process. Frustrated, tired, and concerned about traveling overseas without my bags, I called Delta to see if there were any news or status updates on the whereabouts of my stuff. Of course, an attendant was not immediately available but, to my surprise, I could login to the website and track my bags. A few moments later, I was comforted by the knowledge that at least someone had seen my bag and it was on the way to NYC. When my bag arrived, I got an email that it was at the airport, ready for my pickup or delivery a few hours later.

Once I got on the flight the next day and put my head on straight, I was thinking about the "missing luggage" website and realized that I should not have been surprised at all. Today, the web plays such a central role in all forms of customer service that it's often the first place people look. I think our joint customers expect the same from us.

In line with this thinking, I was browsing through Salt Lake City's Citizen Access implementation and was really impressed with the number of departments SLC has brought online, making the web a primary vehicle for customer service for key departments. In total, there are ten departments using Accela Automation, touching more than 250 users -- including the Mayor's office and council who are currently getting up to speed on the reporting aspects of the product. Seven departments have established a web presence on the portal site, issuing permits, licenses, providing status checking, and scheduling inspections (canceling, rescheduling as well). Inspections are even automatically assigned to inspectors using Accela Wireless via GIS.

Salt Lake City does not subscribe to the "build it and they will come" model. Staff has developed documents on commonly asked questions, met with contractor groups and community council groups, and is highlighting their capabilities to economic development groups around the State. While web access does spread virally, I think it's key to reach out to the community and show what's available and possible. In any event, best wishes to Salt Lake City and congratulations on pushing forward and meeting customer expectations!