Certified Government Digital Services Professional CGDSP Certification Program

Growing as a Digital Services Leader

The position and responsibilities for today’s government web manager have transformed from serving as a technical resource to becoming a professional digital communications manager.

Managing a government’s web service delivery has become more complex as expectations increase and many new—and more sophisticated—users, whether residents or other departments, are utilizing your organization’s web services.

As a web professional, you face many challenges:

• Keeping abreast of compliance rules
• Staying on top of the latest technology platforms
• Meeting the needs of internal customers
• Responding to the public’s demand for more services

In light of all of these challenges, there is a growing demand for practical and leadership-oriented professional development certification aimed at recognizing the web professional in this fast-evolving field who is delivering digital services through new methods and platforms.

In response to this need, three respected national organizations – the Public Technology Institute (PTI), the National Association of Government Web Professionals (NAGW), and Rutgers University Center for Government Services – have partnered to offer the Certified Government Digital Services Professional (CGDSP) Certification Program.

Managing a government’s web service delivery has become more complex as expectations increase and many new – and more sophisticated – users, whether residents or other departments, are utilizing government web services.

The kick off class will be presented live and virtually. After that, course work is self-paced and available online.

Graduates from the program are encouraged to display the Certified Government Digital Services Professional – CGDSP – designation after their work title.

Members of NAGW and PTI receive a discount rate on tuition.

Program Overview

Recognizing how busy you are and the time constraints you face, this program is designed to be a mix of virtual class discussions and self-paced online coursework, and delivery of a Capstone paper – 10 to 15 pages in length – describing a program or practice that you have implemented, or an organization or web/digital services issue that you have resolved.

Course Topics

The Certification program is divided into ten modules, and all coursework will be graded on a pass/fail basis. These modules will be covered beginning in the first class. After that, modules will be covered with light reading/homework assignments, followed by a combination of recorded presentations and 90-minute virtual/online discussions to be held approximately every 3-4 weeks.

Following are the topics to be covered during these virtual discussions:

• Module 1: Citizen participation (pictures, video, recorded meetings, live meeting participation, polling, etc.)
• Module 2: Web management
• Module 3: App Management
• Module 4: Multi-channel systems
• Module 5: Digital service delivery
• Module 6: Metrics and big data
• Module 7: Reporting systems, techniques
• Module 8: Management, leadership, and governance, policies and procedures
• Module 9: Compliance and Contract management (CJIS, PCI, HIPAA, FOIA, e-Discovery, Accessibility, Records Act, etc.)
• Module 10: Security and Crisis Management

Applicant Prerequisites

An applicant applying to the CGDSP Program should possess the following:

• Be employed in the public sector for at least three years.
• Have a track record of administrative or managerial experience in basic web design and communications management.
• Have exposure to social media and app applications.
• Have at least a 2-year college degree or equivalent.

The above requirements are necessary to help ensure a robust and meaningful class.

Applicants can still apply if they do not meet or exceed the above requirements by requesting a waiver. (With regard to a college degree: PTI’s experience has been that a student’s overall experience surpasses formal learning.)

A minimum of 6 students are required in order for the program to proceed.

Recertification

Certification is granted for a period of three years from the date of graduation. Graduates are expected to be recertified every three years by participating in a variety of activities, including, but not limited to, participating in education events – such as attending webinars, national and state professional conferences – writing articles, mentoring staff, etc.

Ethics Policy

Upon graduation, all students will be required to sign a non-binding Digital Ethics Policy.

Enrollment open now.
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