CHALLENGE
The SIC needed suitable technology tools that interact with users and help the agency fully carry out the duties entrusted to it. The goal was to implement new technology services that make information easier to access for public officials and citizens, allowing them to learn about and stay informed on the opinions and decisions issued by the agency, making its actions visible and transparent.
Another goal was to implement tools to automate and simplify citizens’ online procedures, allowing them to track the status of those procedures through the web portal.
SOLUTION
Implement a Search-Based Application for the SIC portal (www.sic.gov.co). Within this application, tools were developed to bring the agency and citizens closer together, make the SIC’s work visible, and encourage citizen participation.
The application lets users submit queries through the portal on topics related to consumer rights and protection. The tool has the technological capability to understand citizens’ language and gives citizens easy, broad access to information about the work of the government and the agency, lets them file requests and track them, and provides access to the opinions and decisions issued by the agency, making the SIC’s actions transparent.
Creangel’s Search-Based Application uses Google Search Appliance as part of its platform to query information from the website and databases.
- Notable technology developments include:
Spell checker, graphical search interface, database indexing.
