2018 Best of California Award Winners Announced

The Center for Digital Government (CDG) presented the Best of California Awards today during the California Digital Government Summit. The Best of California Awards recognize state and local government organizations for innovative technology initiatives.

This year’s Best of California awards honored 15 winners including:

• County of Los Angeles, AI-Driven Video Analytics Drowning Prevention System, which uses advanced video analytics through underwater light fixtures, high-definition cameras and sensors to help lifeguards and other employees identify swimmers at risk of drowning — reducing the average response time from 9.5 seconds to 1.7 seconds.
• California State Treasurer’s Office, The California Business Incentives Gateway, which offers more than 361 economic development incentives for businesses in one place. Formerly scattered across thousands of local government and state agency websites, the Gateway puts all incentives in one online location and provides a tool for local governments and state agencies to showcase their incentives in an online marketplace to attract more businesses.
• California Secretary of State, Eureka Chatbot. The Eureka chatbot answers commonly asked questions about businesses and trademarks 24/7 via the agency’s website, helping better serve the approximately 400,000 customers who called the agency for help last year. Users can also provide feedback, which the chatbot uses to continually improve.

 

“State and local government agencies across California are focused on providing innovative technology to citizens and businesses,” said Teri Takai, executive director of the Center for Digital Government. “The Center for Digital Government is excited to honor the California technology organizations that are leading the way to provide responsive, citizen-centric services.”

Best of California Award winners are selected by a panel of judges based on several criteria, including collaboration among agencies, innovative use of technology, economic benefits and improving public services and business processes.

 

2018 Best of California Awards:

Demonstrated Excellence in Project Management

• Brady Tacdol, Project Manager, California Department of Transportation
• Melody Hayes, Deputy Director, California Medicaid Management Information Systems (CA-MMIS) Division, California Department of Health Care Services

Best Application Serving the Public

• AI-Driven Video Analytics Drowning Prevention System, County of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation
• The California Business Incentives Gateway, California State Treasurer's Office
• Eureka Chatbot, California Secretary of State

Most Innovative Use of Social Media/Citizen Engagement

• #SupportLA Hashtag Campaign, County of Los Angeles Child Support Services
• Video Comment for the County's Recommended Operational Plan, County of San Diego

Best Application Serving an Agency’s Business Needs

• Electronic Health Record System (EHRS), California Correctional Health Care Services
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), County of Ventura IT Services Department

Best Mobile/Wireless Project

• Mobile Application Featuring Check-A-Ticket, California State Lottery

Most Innovative IT Workforce Initiative

• Project Management Leadership Academy (PMLA), California Department of Technology

Best Business Analysis/Data Analytics Project

• On-board Diagnostics (OBD) Data Analytics and Profiling, California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Automotive Repair
• Health and Human Services Agency Dashboards, County of San Diego

Best IT Collaboration Among Organizations

• JELS Dependency Document Distribution System, County of San Diego
• IT Initiative for Implementation of the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act; California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Cannabis Control; California Department of Food and Agriculture; California Department of Public Health; California Department of Technology