Texas Offers 'Big Vision' for All-Encompassing Services App
Now a responsive web app, Texas by Texas will soon be available to download in app stores, featuring a single login to access a variety of government services. And CIO Amanda Crawford says there’s more to come.
The Texas Department of Information Resources, led by CIO Amanda Crawford, launched its Texas by Texas (TxT) app earlier this year. Speaking to Government Technology at last week's NASCIO conference, Crawford described the project as part of the state's strategy to make it easier for citizens to access services and conduct business with government.
The application is available online today, and will be available for download in app stores early next year. Like many of her colleagues across the country, Crawford is focused on easing the friction citizens now feel when interacting with different government departments, which often has people bouncing around between websites and struggling to keep track of various user names and passwords. Texas by Texas offers a single login that serves as a gateway to a number of frequently used services. And now that the platform is in place, the state can continue to add functionality.
"Our hope and our big vision would be that you can also interact with your local government, so maybe you pay your utility bill, handle tuition, figure out where you need to go for whatever those services are," she said.
Noelle Knell is the executive editor for e.Republic, responsible for setting the overall direction for e.Republic’s editorial platforms, including Government Technology, Governing, Industry Insider, Emergency Management and the Center for Digital Education. She has been with e.Republic since 2011, and has decades of writing, editing and leadership experience. A California native, Noelle has worked in both state and local government, and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with majors in political science and American history.
Lauren Kinkade is the managing editor for Government Technology magazine. She has a degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and more than 15 years’ experience in book and magazine publishing.
