A juicy class project
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ORANGE JOURNALISM A juicy class project |
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After eight years of work as a Web site coordinator for the City of San Jose’s government Web site, Metha Sizemore has quite a knack for knowledge of the online world. A knowledge that makes her qualified enough to admit that the “capital of Silicon valley” is not quite living up to it’s touting title – or at least not where the local government’s online involvement is concerned. Sizemore, who works out of Downtown San José’s City Hall in the Marketing and Events Office, began work for the City in 1998 as a Marketing Representative for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS). At that time, the city had just launched their Web site, and it was nothing more than a one-picture homepage that provided links to various department services. The links took internet users to the contact information for various services offered within the department. "It was as basic as a Web site can be," says Sizemore, who was hired in part, to bring the Web site from the ground up. Before coming to work for the City of San Jose, Sizemore worked for a construction engineering company in Missouri where she was introduced to the world-wide web somewhat unexpectedly. At the time, she was assistant manager of community relations, and her company decided that they wanted to create a Web site. Someone else in the company was put to the task, but soon after the initial development of the site began, that person left, and Sizemore was assigned to takeover the Web site development project. "My introduction to the web was a sort of baptism by fire," said Sizemore. "They needed someone to take over the Web site, and I was chosen, having no prior experience. It was a very much a learn-as-you-go process for me during the two years that I worked there." When she came to San Jose a few years later, she invested this new web knowledge into the city's site. And though Sizemore has made great efforts in improving the site through the years, she is often frustrated with its shortcomings. This Web site has been up for almost 10 years now, and we still do not offer online registration to San Jose residents who want to enroll their families in city offered programs and classes," says Sizemore. “Other neighboring city's such as Sunnyvale and Gilroy have offered this service for some time . . . it’s an embarrassment for our city, not to mention that we‘re losing the valuable business of our own residents to other more developed cities.” Besides lacking online registration options, Sizemore added that the site did not have a search engine until just this past June, so finding distinct programs in such a large service department before then, was also extremely difficult. “I have gotten so many complaints and suggestions from frustrated customers over the years . . . It can be very disheartening,” said Sizemore. Sizemore has tried numerous times to give suggestions to department senior staff about improving the site, but it has been a very slow process. Sizemore says that department management blames budget issues as the reason for a lack of real improvement. But she believes it is the mindset of senior staff members that keeps the Web site from reaching its potential. Sizemore believes that they can’t see the potential benefit a high tech Web site could have for San José. “By publicizing our services in this way we are not just promoting our city to those who live in the area, but we are potentially exposing San José to people world-wide. Despite her frustration with improving the Web site, she has experienced some joys from her work. About two years ago, a gentleman called Sizemore’s office all the way from London after finding her contact information on the city’s Web site. His mother was searching for a childhood friend whom she had lost touch with during and after World War II when the friend’s family had relocated due to her father’s military involvement. The two friends had grown up together in London, prior to the war, and the man’s mother had gotten word that her friend settled in San Jose sometime after the war ended. After hearing his story, Sizemore pulled out a phone book and was able to locate the long lost friend. The two were eventually reunited due to Sizemore’s efforts, and the gentleman that had originally called Sizemore, later emailed her upon returning to London with his mother. They had traveled to San Jose to visit the old friend. “It was by far the most rewarding thing that has ever happened to me through my work as a Web site coordinator,” said Sizemore. Sizemore is still amazed that the two old friends were united because someone found her office contact number off the internet one day. “That story serves as an example of just one of the many amazing things the internet is capable of doing for people all over the world." Back to Orange Journalism Home Page Orange Journalism: |
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