Blog
ODI, Cal OES receive award for best IT collaboration
9/26/2023
Collaboration for the win! The Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) and Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) are proud to have earned a joint award for Best IT Collaboration. The award was announced at the California Government Innovation Summit in Sacramento on September 19. The recognition is for our innovative, collaborative, and human-centered design … Read more
Helping more families to enroll in CalWORKs
9/18/2023
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) is a major safety net program. A recent study estimated 40% of eligible families are not enrolled in CalWORKs. The Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) worked with the Department of Social Services to explore enrollment barriers. We learned that: Learn more about the details of helping … Read more
Helping Californians have a voice in toxic cleanup projects
8/14/2023
The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) gives Californians the opportunity to comment on proposed toxic substance cleanup projects. They wanted to bring in people who have historically not been part of making decisions. The Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) worked with DTSC to find ways to give these communities a bigger voice in … Read more
Helping to connect more victims with the benefits they deserve
7/31/2023
The California Victims Compensation Board (CalVCB) offers financial assistance to victims of crime. While violent crime has gone up over time in California, applications for compensation have gone down. The Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) worked with CalVCB to: We learned that: Learn more about the details of getting compensation to more California crime … Read more
Engaging Californians through Facebook
6/20/2023
One duty of the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is to oversee permitting and cleanups of toxic substances. This includes engaging with the communities near properties where environmental cleanup is necessary. In an effort to increase public comment, the Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) and DTSC worked on expanding engagement with Californians. We … Read more
Successful software development is a collaborative process
10/11/2022
ODI and the California Department of Technology (CDT) won Best IT Collaboration for our combined efforts on the California Design System. We accepted the award at the Digital Government Summit in Sacramento. The Design System is a set of core principles, style guidelines, and components that makes it easier for state departments to develop user-friendly … Read more
We’re now the Office of Data and Innovation
7/12/2022
Same initials, new expanded team.
Team care in a crisis
7/7/2022
Working in crisis response is tough. We got through it by taking time to care for each other.
Why we use content design
6/22/2022
We talk about content design a lot. Here’s what it is and why we use it.
Introducing the Data & Innovation Fund (DIF)
6/10/2022
True to our core principles, ODI has found a way to fund and foster projects that put Californians first.
The everyday magic of plain language
6/9/2022
ODI uses plain language in its projects to make sure all Californians get the information they need.
Tech choices in the California Design System
5/31/2022
Learn about the decisions we made (and why we made them) in putting the Design System together.
Working in the open on the California Design System
5/19/2022
Working in the open is important to us. Here’s what that looks like in our work on the California Design System.
Deputy director appointments strengthen ODI mission
4/21/2022
We’re excited to congratulate Jeffery Marino and JP Petrucione on their new roles at the Office of Digital Innovation (ODI).
Increasing access to the Emergency Broadband Benefit by listening to Californians
12/21/2021
The California ODI team wanted to better understand the specific pain points and blockers that might prevent eligible Californians from successfully applying for the Emergency Broadband Benefit.
ODI’s content design principles for better services
11/10/2021
Our mission at the Office of Digital Innovation (ODI) is to deliver better government services to the people of California through technology and design. We do this work in partnership with other state departments. One of the ways we support our partner departments and help strengthen state services is by sharing what we learn through … Read more
Procurement as a lever for better government services
10/13/2021
Part of ODI’s mandate is to “rethink and improve how the state buys digital services…”
Introducing the new CA Cannabis website
7/21/2021
We’re proud to have led the months-long collaboration to build the Cannabis.ca.gov site.
Office of Digital Innovation Report 2021
5/26/2021
Saying it with style
3/9/2021
ODI has a new content style guide for covid19.ca.gov and beyondKeeping it simple when it’s actually quite complex
9/29/2020
Redesigned homepage and new tool for determining what’s open or closed.Done/doing (Week of May 25-May 31)
6/6/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of May 25 to May 31.Done/doing (Week of May 18-May 24)
5/27/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of May 18 to May 24.Done/doing (Week of May 11-May 17)
5/17/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of May 11 to May 17.Done/doing (Week of May 4-May 10)
5/10/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of May 4 to May 10.Prioritizing users in a crisis: Building the California COVID-19 response site
4/29/2020
Developing the California state COVID-19 emergency response websiteAlpha.CA.gov product release 3
3/11/2020
Third product release for Alpha.CA.govDone/doing (Week of February 23)
2/28/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of February 23 to March 1.Done/doing (Week of Feb. 17)
2/21/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of February 17 to February 23.Why Alpha.CA.gov is prioritizing APIs
2/21/2020
How Alpha.CA.gov is making data more accessible and usefulDone/doing (Week of Feb. 10)
2/15/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of February 10 to February 17.Alpha.CA.gov product release 2
2/10/2020
Second product release for Alpha.CA.gov.Done/doing (Week of Feb. 3)
2/7/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of February 3 to February 9.Done/doing (Week of Jan. 27)
1/31/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of January 27 to February 2.Lessons learned translating Alpha.CA.gov release 1
1/28/2020
Providing multi-lingual access to information is essential.Done/doing (Week of Jan. 20)
1/24/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of January 20 to January 26.Done/doing (Week of Jan. 13)
1/21/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of January 13 to January 19.Alpha.CA.gov product release 1
1/13/2020
Alpha.CA.gov product release 1Done/doing (Week of Jan. 6)
1/10/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of January 6 to January 12.Alpha.CA.gov product framing (Updated 02/10/20)
1/8/2020
Product framing helps our team think about and focus on the problem we’re here to solve.Done/doing (Week of Dec. 30)
1/6/2020
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of December 30 to January 22.Done/doing (Week of Dec. 16)
12/20/2019
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of December 16-22.Our design principles
12/19/2019
Design principles help teams and stakeholders to align on design vision and decision-making.This is how we work
12/17/2019
Our operational principles guide how our team works.Done/doing (Week of Dec. 9)
12/13/2019
This is a recap of what we’ve done for the week of December 9-13.And ... we’re in progress
12/11/2019
We’re reimagining CA.gov with and for the people of California.Introducing the CA.gov Alpha Team
12/6/2019
Our new team has a big job. We’re working to make it easier for Californians to access, understand and use digital information and services.Re-imagining CA.gov How Can California Government Better Serve its People?
12/1/2019
Over the last decade, governments around the world have started asking themselves, 'How can we use digital to better serve our people?'