The mobile website was developed to allow users to access a subset of CDC’s content on mobile devices. These sections include Health & Safety, Vital Signs and Videos. This mobile website is very user friendly and it was developed using JQuery, HTML and Ajax.

The CDC Mobile App is compatible for iPad and Android mobile devices. The CDC Mobile App was designed to allow users to access healthcare related information. The mobile app allows users to view articles, journals, reports, press releases and images from the CDC’s Public Image Library. The application also allows the users to access CDC’s podcasts, blogs, and social media.

In addition, the CDC has developed other mobile tools like Solve the Outbreak and Fluview. You can find more government mobile products like these on the USA.gov Apps Gallery.

By Kanika Tolver, U.S. Department of Transportation

PwC says smartphones and tablets are the gateways for this trend:

· In June 2012, 56% of mobile network subscribers had a smartphone, up from 39% the year before.

· Tablet connections to mobile networks also increased by almost 43% from 2011 to 2012.

· Average monthly data use on mobile networks also grew from 548 MB to 694 MB per user during that period.

They also found mobile users on new faster networks are one factor in the increase in mobile data use. Users of mobile broadband networks are consuming 700% more data than most smartphone or tablet users, averaging 4.8GB of data per month in June 2012, up from 3.6GB the previous June.

Agencies optimizing their websites and social media content for mobile are likely to enjoy more interaction with citizens and stakeholders using smartphones and tablets.

By Linda V. Priebe, Office of National Drug Control Policy

This catalog is hosted on GitHub (more on why that matters in a moment). Here, agency developers looking to jump-start their efforts can find source code for native and web projects from a variety of sources: federal agencies, other governments, and third-parties in the private sector.

Developers can access whole frameworks for a mobile web site, modular code to solve common problems, or even links to complete apps to use as a template for their own apps.

More than code

It’s not all about code, though.  Any successful mobile program needs to be able to test the quality and the accessibility of their apps.  The catalog also includes  test scripts to help your agency validate the functionality and accessibility of their app.  You can also find links to data, APIs and other federal developer pages.

The Mobile Code Catalog is hosted on GitHub for a reason.  In addition to the form that agencies can use to submit their open source project or resource, the catalog itself can be “forked.”  Forking the catalog is the process of making a copy of it so improvements can be made without affecting the original copy.  Those improvements can then be submitted to us through what’s called a “pull request.”  If everything’s in order, we’ll incorporate those improvements with just a few clicks.

What’s next

This catalog has been initially populated with the cooperation from several agencies, but the work is not done. Over the next few months we will be hosting events but we need you.

• Are you a government mobile innovator with some code you’ve developed to share? Submit your code.
• Are you a developer who wants to tweak one of the existing government apps or modules? Fork the content and make a pull request.
• Are you looking to get involved in government mobile code sharing? Ask your questions.

By Michael Pulsifer, U.S. Department of Labor

Last month, USPS Mobile version 3.8 was released. The new version allows users to see special hours for various USPS locations and has a “Coupons” feature that allows users to scan bar codes on mobile phones.

The U.S. Postal Service Mobile App is available for the iOS, Android and Blackberry platforms and can also be accessed as a mobile friendly website.

You can find more government mobile products like the U.S. Postal Service App on the USA.gov Apps Gallery.

By Kanika Tolver, U.S. Department of Transportation

For mobile government, the ACSI reviewed 14 federal websites and collected almost 68,000 survey responses. This is what they found:

• About a third (32%) of people reported having accessed any federal website using a mobile phone or tablet
• 16% said they didn’t, but planned to
• 40% said they didn’t, but might in the future
• 13% said they didn’t and did not plan to

ForeSee, who administers the ACSI, points out that a large number (nearly 50%) of people responded that they either “plan to” or “might” visit federal government sites on a smartphone or tablet, creating a huge opportunity for agencies.

The ACSI study also found that highly satisfied citizens are more likely to put their trust behind the agency and more likely to return to the site. If agency leaders listen to what the citizens want in a mobile experience, they can build an experience that will encourage citizens to return to, recommend, and use the mobile site as a primary resource over a more expensive channel, saving crucial budget dollars and building trust in government.

By Linda V. Priebe, Office of National Drug Control Policy

We have some relief.

We have been working with several agencies to create model mobile SOW templates to use in a new program designed to streamline the acquisitions process for some technology services–like mobile development. It’s called RFP-EZ.

RFP-EZ is a web based platform created by the Small Business Administration and a group of Presidential Innovation Fellows to improve tech acquisitions by focusing on small business and contracts valued below $150,000. (Why $150K? That’s because there are special simplified acquisition rules under this threshold.)

Good for Federal Agencies

RFP-EZ streamlines and simplifies the procurement process and allows agencies to work with their Contracting Officers to get developers on board quickly. RFP-EZ allows agencies to;

• View a profile of the business (location, small business status, prior awards and award cost, and current catalog pricing of the business)
• Browse pre-existing SOW templates and leverage them as templates for creating their own SOW’s
• Easily coordinate with Contracting Officers who can edit RFP’s and easily post them to FBO.gov
• Submit their RFP’s directly to a community of vendors actively searching for RFP’s
• Monitor and respond to vendor questions on bids.

Agencies just need to sign up to get started.

Good for Small Business Mobile Developers

RFP-EZ streamlines and simplifies the procurement process and allows businesses to bid on government RFP’s quicker.  RFP-EZ allows small businesses to;

• Market their services and products to the government
• Sign up to receive alerts about and monitor new RFP’s
• Respond online instead of having to download the solicitation and respond with a paper-based offer
• Ask questions and communicate with agencies about the acquisition online
• Access “helper text” to assist in responding to the solicitation and save their draft proposals for later review and reuse
• Store some standard information to pre-populate required forms on their current and future acquisitions.

Small businesses can sign up to get started. In order to be awarded RFP’s they will need to be registered with SAM.gov and follow procedures there.

Good for Mobile Gov

We have been working with the folks developing RFP-EZ at SBA to include model mobile SOW templates. Now when agencies create a new project in RFP-EZ, they can find our model mobile SOW templates by choosing the “Mobile Application Development” project type.

In addition, there is a community of vendors who can provide the expertise and skills needed to develop excellent mobile products (mobile web, native apps, etc.).  Agencies can browse this community and encourage other mobile and web service providers, such as designers and developers, to join the community.

So, what are you waiting for? Put on your mobile gov thinking cap and start using RFP-EZ today!

Questions?

Contact @RFP-EZ or email rfpez@sba.gov and jacob.parcell@gsa.gov for mobile gov.

-By Jacob Parcell, U.S. General Services Administration

Some of this app’s features include:

• Audio content, previously accessible only on Gallery-supplied headsets, is now available on personal devices. App users can explore the permanent collection through browsing by artist name, nationality, and theme.
• The Collection Highlights tour invites users to explore more than 130 extraordinary works by artists including Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, and others.
• A special Kid’s Tour is designed to capture the imagination of the younger generation and introduce them to the principles of art history. The audio tour is animated by actors speaking the parts of people and animals in more than 50 works of art.
• Visitors to the Gallery will appreciate Your Art’s up-to-date listing of the latest programs and exhibitions taking place. The app also provides maps, hours, and other important information for planning a visit. Visitors may download the app prior to visiting or use the free public Wi-Fi in the West Building Information Room.

The Your Art app does require an additional 290 MB download once installed on your phone, but it is worth it, considering all of the gorgeous images of artwork that it contains.  You can view more mobile products like Your Art on the USA.gov Apps Gallery.

• Cars as Mobile Devices: With built-in 4G, Wi-Fi and more apps coming, the car is becoming a Smartcar.
• Revolutionizing Transactions: Mobile money transactions are here and are already broadening access to financial services in the U.S.
• Gen Z: Our youngest generation expects everything to be in the palm of their hand. They are more impatient, connected and stimulated than any prior generation.
• The Disappearing Screen: Accessories like glasses, wristbands, and smartcar connectivity, will infuse technology into daily routines and make mobile more human-centered.
• Video Unleashed: Smartphones and tablets are becoming the primary screens for viewing long-form video.

These trends have some meaning for the future of Mobile Gov products. On smartcars, government agencies could provide public safety services including preventing drunk and drugged driving and texting directly to drivers in cars. The disappearing mobile screen means government agencies will want to further optimize their content for mobile users. Long form mobile video means agencies could broadcast longer form content to tablet and smartphone users. Agencies may also be able to use mobile money transactions for public benefits and tax payments. Developing a sound mobile strategy now will prepare agencies for the future!

By Linda V. Priebe, Office of National Drug Control Policy

In July 2012, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at NASA developed a mobile app called “NASA Be A Martian”, which allows you to become a Martian citizen on planet Mars. A Martian citizen can explore images, videos and animations on an iOS, Android or Windows mobile device. The images, videos and animations deliver an epic view of the rocky terrestrial planet, known as the Red Planet. The photography and videography on the “NASA Be A Martian” mobile app, makes the user feel like he or she has experienced a mission to Mars.

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and is the second smallest planet in the Solar System. If mobile app users would like to learn more about Mars, they can generate questions via the mobile app. Not to mention, users can learn more about Mars’ channels, dunes, valleys, landslides and gullies by viewing the “Mars as Art” section of the mobile app.

Overall, the “NASA Be A Martian” mobile app is very informative, user friendly and entertaining. Don’t forget to download this free mobile app and others like it in the USA.gov Apps Gallery.

By Kanika Tolver, Department of Transportation

According to the SA survey between March 2012 and October 2012:

• People who used a desktop or notebook to tweet fell from 77 % to 64 %
• People who used a smartphone to tweet rose from 53 % to 64 %, and
• those using a tablet rose from 9 % to 18 %

“The immediacy of Twitter communications requires devices which are close to hand at every waking moment,” explains David Mercer, VP of Digital Consumer Practice at Strategy Analytics. “By definition this suggests mobile phones and tablets should be preferred devices for Tweeting and the survey evidence points clearly in this direction.”

The attached infographic courtesy of Social Caffeine shows the best times to tweet in the US. Federal social media experts engage around content and trends like these via the Social Media Community of Practice.

>By Linda V. Priebe

The new SaferCar app gives consumers immediate access to key safety information to help them make informed decisions, with features including:

• 5-Star Safety Ratings: Consumers considering vehicle purchases can look up crash test ratings and compare them across different makes and models.
• Recalls and Complaints: App users can stay on top of safety issues for vehicles they already own. Consumers can register their vehicles to be notified by NHTSA if a safety issue is discovered. The app also makes it simple to submit complaints to NHTSA regarding possible safety problems with a particular vehicle.
• Help Installing Child Seats: The app helps consumers ensure their most precious passengers ride safe. Users can quickly get driving directions to the nearest child seat inspection station and get assistance to properly install their car seats and boosters.
• Safety Headlines and Alerts: App users can receive important news and information from NHTSA, as well as recall notices and push notices on their recorded vehicles.

NHTSA adds that development is also underway for a version compatible with Android devices. You can find more apps like SaferCar on the USA.gov Apps Gallery.

According to the company, mobile visits climbed from 2% in November 2009 to 29% in January 2013 for one website RMM reviewed. Mentions in news headlines were also found to increase significantly for websites which are mobile compatible.

According to RMM:

• As smartphone and tablet use increases, mobile visitors to websites will grow dramatically.

• Websites with more local content will have larger numbers of mobile visitors.

• Many websites give mobile users a poor user experience.

Here’s what RMM recommends:

• Review your website’s look, feel and function on a smartphone and tablet.

• Check your website analytics for the percentage of mobile visitors.

• Record the time-on-site, pages per visit and bounce and conversion rates for mobile and non-mobile visitors.

• Talk with a mobile expert about options to improve your website’s mobile compatibility.

• Focus on delivering a great experience for you mobile visitors.

Agencies who take the above steps could see an even bigger increase in their mobile visitors, shares and news mentions.

>By Linda V. Priebe

Other resources available on IRS2Go include:

• Total U.S. visitors to search sites and apps grew 26% on mobile phones and 19% on tablets in 2012
• Local search on mobile phones continues to grow with nearly 86 million accessing local business information on their mobile phone, a 63% increase since 2010
• Tablet users are becoming less mobile, less concerned with the ease of use of the device, and require greater depth of information
• Mobile phone searchers are more likely than tablet users to cite maps, driving directions, and distance to the business as helpful pieces of information to be found during their search

Federal agencies  should consider incorporating appropriate geo-location information in their mobile offerings to be included in mobile users search results.

The National Park Service offers 3 mobile apps to create mobile experiences at 3 specific parks available for both the Android and iOS platforms.

• NPS National Mall App – As cherry blossom visitors give way to the summer travelers, visitors can download the NPS’s National Mall App providing visitors with a handheld map and customizable tour plans based on the length of your visit. Using your device’s geolocation capabilities and camera, the app uses augmented reality to identify the landmarks around you.

These features are also available on

• NPS Chesapeake Explorer – includes Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, and national and state parks.

• NPS Boston – includes all of the sites along the “Trails to Freedom” in historic Boston.

You can view more mobile products like these in the USA.gov Apps Gallery.

• over 1.5 million apps available in the two major app stores
• Each smartphone user has 41 apps
• 25% of downloaded apps are abandoned after the initial use

More telling is that users spend over 75% of their time on:

• games
• social networking
• other entertainment activities

Keeping this in mind, federal agencies should think mobile first and consider how their information would be best served to citizens: via mobile web or mobile app?

The app provides access to more than 500 retired Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) questions that test your knowledge of U.S. government and culture, world history, technology, economics and many other topics.

In addition you can find information about

• the opportunities and experiences of those who have chosen this career,
• recruitment events and
• how to contact a Diplomat in Residence near you.

DOSCareers app is available in both the Google Play and the iPhone App Store. You can find more apps like DOSCareers on the USA.gov Apps Gallery.

Other findings include;

• 78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of them own smartphones. That translates into 37% of all teens who have smartphones, up from just 23% in 2011.
• Some 23% of all those ages 12-17 say they have a smartphone and ownership is highest among older teens: 31% of those ages 14-17 have a smartphone, compared with just 8% of youth ages 12-13.
• 23% of teens have a tablet computer, a level comparable to the general adult population.
• The volume of texting among teens has risen from 50 texts a day in 2009 to 60 texts for the median teen text user.
• 93% of teens have a computer or have access to one at home. Seven in ten (71%) teens with home computer access say the laptop or desktop they use most often is one they share with other family members.

These data demonstrate that younger generations continue to rely on mobile as their primary means of accessing the Internet. Federal agencies need to create good mobile user experiences to connect with these audiences.

As we noted at our launch, the purpose of this crowdsourcing effort is to help make Mobile Gov work better for the public because agencies identified they needed mobile user experience guidelines and recommendations.

Over the last three weeks we have had an amazing response to our effort and there is still time to participate.

You’ve got until tonight to tell us which of these elements you think are critical, very important and important. Also, you can let us know if you have better wording for these elements, other mobile user experience elements to consider or other comments.

It should take you less than 15 minutes to complete, so make some time today before it’s too late to help Make Mobile Gov!

• Simple step-by-step instructions to help you know what to do even if the cell towers and TVs are down. Prioritized actions for before, during, and after requires no mobile connectivity.
• Audible siren that automatically goes off even if app is closed when the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) issues a tornado warning, helping to reduce the chance of sleeping through an actual warning.
• Push notification sent when a warning expires – especially important if power goes out while you or your family are in your safe room.
• Help distant friends and family in tornado alley with ability to receive tornado watch and warning alerts based on their location from NOAA.
• Red Cross location-based open shelters map for when you need it most.
• Be ready should a tornado hit by learning how to assemble an emergency kit for your family in the event of power outage or evacuation.

You can find more apps like the Tornado App on the USA.gov Apps Gallery.