New Michigan Portal Creates Common Look for Agencies

LANSING, Mich. -- When state officials wanted to redesign the states portal, they turned to more than 250 customers of online government services for help.

At the suggestion of its customers, Michigan structured its site to organize information according to six primary themes -- travel and recreation; business services; family, health and safety; education and career development; Michigan government; and licensing, certification and permits -- rather than by state agency.

The portal already boasts more than 70 online, interactive functions, and, over the next year, another 40 new or improved services, such as a common payment module, electronic forms and a Michigan government "shopping mall" will be added.

The site also provides a common look across all state agency Web sites and establishes standardized Web technologies and content-management tools to which all state agency Web sites will transition by May 2002.

Besides the redesign, Michigan added three new services to the portal: A financial-aid site with information to help parents pay for their childrens college education, a business look-up function; and a pre-screening program that will help health-care and social-service providers to determine potential eligibility for services such as Food Stamps and Medicaid.

The e-Michigan Office, within the Executive Office of the Governor, worked with Deloitte Consulting (the company that helped California roll out its redesigned portal in 110 days) to create the portal and develop and execute a statewide Internet strategy.