GLOSSARY

Application

A service that allows a user to interact electronically with government.

Blended Funding

A business model that allows governments to pay for eGovernment services with more than one funding approach.

Blog

A Web site that provides commentary or news on a particular subject and often combines text, images, and links to other blogs and Web sites. Many blogs also feature an interactive format that allows readers to leave comments.

Content Management System (CMS)

A system that allows users to build and manage Web sites without requiring technical knowledge or complex software programs.

Constituent

Citizens, businesses, and government employees who use NIC’s online services.

Cross-Boundary Integration

Also called “one stop shops,” these eGovernment services allow constituents to interact seamlessly with more than one government entity. 

Example: Court records from 185 county and circuit courts in Nebraska can be accessed online through the state’s integrated JUSTICE system.

DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) Revenues

Revenues generated through the purchase of driver histories by the insurance industry.

eGovernment

A platform for delivering efficient government services via the Internet, telephone, mobile devices, and point-of-purchase locations.

Governing Board

A government-appointed entity that provides oversight for eGovernment portal operations. A typical governing board has both public and private sector representation and develops the policies, establishes the fee structure, and sets all priorities for the portal.

Green Government

The practice of using technology and business process improvement to reduce government’s impact on the environment.

iGovernment

A platform for delivering government services through non-governmental delivery channels.

Example: Utah’s On the Spot service allows merchants like Jiffy Lube to renew vehicle registrations in real-time so citizens can now drive away with a new license plate tag as part of a vehicle inspection.

Information Architecture

The development and categorization of Web site content so it can be easily accessed by users.

mGovernment

The delivery of government services and information directly to, and customized for, mobile devices.

Non-DMV Revenues

Revenues generated through all eGovernment services other than driver histories.

Over-the-Counter Payments

When government offices use card-swipe technology to accept credit card payments that are processed through NIC’s secure payment processing system.

Partner

A federal, state, county, or city government that works in cooperation with NIC to deliver services electronically.

Payment Engine

NIC’s comprehensive secure payment processing, reconciliation, and accounting system. 

Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)

Web-accessible technologies, including mobile phones, digital calendars, and handheld organizers. 

Podcast

Custom digital audio programs that are distributed over the Internet for playback on portal music players and personal computers. 

Point-of-Purchase

An online service accessible from a sales terminal that allows retail employees to offer eGovernment applications directly to in-store customers. 

Example: Outdoor enthusiasts in six states can obtain hunting and fishing licenses directly from retailers through NIC’s point-of-purchase system.

Portal

A central Web site through which a wide range of government services can be accessed.

Revenue Per Capita

A measurement of the revenue generated per citizen across the total state population NIC serves. 

Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

A technology used to package and deliver customized and frequently updated Web content to a user’s browser. 

Self-Funded

Developed by NIC, this business model allows governments to offer eGovernment services without using upfront taxpayer funds. NIC collects a nominal transaction fee for a limited number of high-volume applications to cover the costs of building and managing online services on behalf of state and local governments across the country.

Search Engine Optimization

An online method used to increase the amount of high-quality traffic to a particular Web site.

Subscription

A feature that allows
high-volume users of eGovernment services to access value-added portal applications with a secure user name and password.

Transaction

An end-to-end process in which information is transferred electronically between government and a constituent.

Transaction Fee

A nominal fee applied to select eGovernment services to cover the cost of building and maintaining online services.

UCC (Uniform Commercial Code)

Required registered debt filings that are typically processed by a state’s secretary of state office.

Usability

The combination of content, technology functionality, navigation, and information architecture that allows users to quickly and easily accomplish what they are trying to do on a Web site. 

Vertical Portal (“Vortal”)

An eGovernment portal through which users can interact with multiple government agencies through a single site. 

Example: Maine’s Rapid Renewal portal allows constituents in several hundred municipalities to both process vehicle tag registration renewals and pay local excise taxes through a single Web site. 

Web 2.0

Web design that encourages creativity, collaboration, and two-way communication between Internet users by effectively implementing wikis, blogs, Web video, podcasts, RSS feeds, and other social networking technologies. 

Web Video

Digital video clips that can be posted, downloaded, and linked to on the Internet.

Wiki

Collaborative Web sites that allow users to create, edit, and link content together to create robust online sources of information.