Y2K Project Records

Series

Identifier: 3905-01

Scope and Contents Note

As the year 2000 approached, concern rose worldwide about potential computer errors related to the formatting and storage of calendar data, known as the Y2K problem. This series documents Seattle city government's planning and preparation for the calendar turnover as a team studied the City's computer systems and applied fixes and upgrades to get ready for the transition. A subset of the series consists of reports on individual departments' issues and preparedness. The work began in the Executive Services Department, then transitioned to the Department of Information Technology upon its formation in 1999.

Dates

Creation: 1996-2000

Creator

Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Information Technology (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Records are open to the public.

Historical Note

Upon its creation in 1999, the Department of Information Technology took on and expanded upon some of the functions that until then had been handled by the Technology Division of the Executive Services Department. Among its functions are the management of the City's telecommunications and data systems, as well as the physical infrastructure supporting them; the facilitation of advisory groups regarding Citywide information technology issues, and the coordination of the strategic technology direction for the City. Community impact can be found in the works produced by the Seattle Channel (a unit within the department) and through its efforts to shrink the digital divide by increasing access to technology for communities who have been historically underserved.