Chesterfield County, Virginia

Chesterfield County, Virginia, launched a transformative initiative to modernize its government website, Chesterfield.gov, with the goal of creating a more connected, user-friendly, and efficient digital platform. This initiative tackled key challenges, such as improvements to web design, navigation, mobile capabilities, and addressed accessibility issues. The modernization began with a comprehensive content audit and refresh, streamlining the site map from over 4,000 pages to just 400, while improving web accessibility and optimizing for mobile use. By collaborating closely with departmental experts, the county ensured organizational buy-in, and the creation of a Web Content Contributor community of over 200 liaisons fostered ongoing engagement. Through “Web Wednesday” updates, regular training on ADA compliance, and analytics reviews, the community remained actively involved in the website’s development and upkeep.

A key innovation was the introduction of the “Analytics Wrapped” initiative, which provided departments with engaging, data-driven insights into website trends and performance using tools like Google Analytics, Monsido, and a CivicPlus® Website. This data empowered better decision-making and increased departmental buy-in for ongoing improvements. Another significant achievement was the integration of a custom site search solution, which unified multiple county systems, providing a seamless omnichannel search experience. This advanced search functionality, enhanced by generative AI, allowed residents to access information more efficiently, with 99% of searches delivering relevant results. By addressing accessibility issues, reducing PDFs, and developing over 100 mobile-friendly online forms, Chesterfield County has significantly improved the user experience, creating a more accessible, efficient, and inclusive digital platform for all residents.