Indiana Redesigns Web Site

Local property tax data and a new map highlighting activities, announcements and grants in every Indiana county are two of the most popular features on the recently redesigned IN.gov -- the state of Indiana's official Web site. IN.gov's new design, navigation structure and unique features are part of an 18-month project to make the site a valuable, customer-friendly resource.

 "Hardworking Hoosiers have better things to do than wait in line for government services," said Gerry Weaver, the state's Chief Information Officer. "IN.gov's expanded offerings and improvements are making it more convenient for citizens to conduct their business with state agencies."

Recently added and favorite IN.gov pages include:

• "What's Happening in My County"-- An easy-to-use map providing citizens with information about economic development projects, Major Moves announcements and grant awards in their county. The map's link is found on the Web site's home page (IN.gov).
• The latest information about local government property taxes is available from www.IN.gov/dlgf.
• For the first time in the state's history, citizens can find up-to-the-minute wait times at Bureau of Motor Vehicles branches by visiting myBMV.IN.gov. Motorists also can renew their plates and estimate licensing fees.
• "Live Help" (help.IN.gov).  This unique feature, available during normal business hours, allows visitors to get information by chatting online with the State Information Center.
  
• IN.gov has partnered with ChaCha.com, an Indiana-based company, to enhance Web site search results.
• Visitors can pay their income taxes, reserve rooms and camping spots at state parks, register businesses and search for business entity information, update professional license information and perform criminal history searches.
  

As part of IN.gov's commitment to protecting personal information, CyberTrust, a leading independent Web security firm, reviewed the site's security.  After a meticulous analysis, CyberTrust recently pre-certified the site -- which puts IN.gov on track to be the first state Web site in the nation to receive this security certification.

All state agency Web sites will be redesigned to mirror the IN.gov home page for consistency and ease of use.  Indiana will be the first state to have a fully consistent design when the project is completed in mid-2008, said IN.gov in a release. To date, nearly 20 percent of agency Web sites have transitioned to the new design. IN.gov receives more than 2.6 million visitors each month.