In California, open government collaboration saved $56 million on the state's website redesign project. The lessons learned there could ripple savings across every department -- and every state.

The California State Capitol. Image via Wikipedia

By John F. Moore, contributor

One thing about open government is that there's always more to learn. Carolyn Lawson, Director of eService, Technology Services Governance Division, in California, helped me learn a great deal about how open government efforts were creating jobs in the state of California.  Since Carolyn is someone who understands how to balance the delivery of public services with the economic realities of doing business I reached out to her to hear her thoughts on what else California, and other states, should  be doing to reduce cost swhile improving services.

Carolyn and I first discussed the role of the volunteer workforce in California's Best of The Web victory and then decided to dig deeper into the eServices program.  This program is responsible for providing strategic guidance and management of California's statewide web presence and all that goes with it.  This program is not even an official program.  It is one that has been given a mandate without being given direct authority or resources. More