[Cook County Portal](/project/cook-county-portal) --------------------------------------------------- Submitted by Eric Leech on Wed, 02/11/2026 - 16:24 Project Category [Government & Public Sector](/taxonomy/term/1) Project Image Image ![Multiple devices displaying responsive website design on teal background](https://cp-portfolio.acquia.site/sites/default/files/styles/large_w1024/public/2026-03/CC_Portal_featured_image.png.webp?itok=ygSC-1X8) Target Audience Cook County residents Technology [Acquia](/taxonomy/term/26) [Drupal](/taxonomy/term/21) Description **Cook County Digital Transformation: Scaling Accessibility and Reducing Overhead through Strategic Replatforming** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cook County needed to replace its legacy public website, which was limited by proprietary licensing fees and poor usability. Clarity led the digital transformation, strategically redesigning and replatforming the site. This critical shift to an open-source CMS immediately eliminated all costs associated with proprietary software. For secure, scalable performance, the solution was deployed on Amazon Web Services (AWS). We prioritized user-centric design and collaborated with the Smart Chicago Civic User Testing Group to inform the site architecture. The final platform features a fully responsive design and strict adherence to WCAG 2.x accessibility compliance. Apache Solr integration enables intuitive service discovery. This project shows how open-source technology and robust cloud hosting deliver transparent, high-performance public services. - Link [Cook County Government Portal](https://www.cookcountyil.gov/) Short Project Description Cook County selected Clarity to implement a complete redesign of their public website on Drupal, provide guidance on branding strategy, and consult County leadership on governing content. Project Duration 2016 to Present Project Services [Accessibility Remediation](/taxonomy/term/106) [Responsive Design](/taxonomy/term/111) [UX & Graphic Design](/taxonomy/term/101) [Website Design & Development](/taxonomy/term/36) Accordion Display Field 1 | Website Redesign and Modernization -------------------------------------- ### Enabling citizens with more content under a governance model. Cook County began 2016 with a website built on a mix of proprietary, outdated CMS software with some bolted-on WordPress instances, but by mid-year, they were able to launch with a website that was fully re-imagined in terms of front-facing navigation and back-end content governance. The site was re-structured in such as way so that topics important to Cook County residents were put front and center, and that content was curated by designated County subject matter experts who worked within an editorial workflow that allowed for publication approvals by County communication staff. The resulting portal site created a template for additional County agencies. ### **Key Outcomes & Expertise:** - Replaced expensive proprietary software with an open-source Drupal foundation. - Sustained platform stability across Drupal 7, 8, 9, and 10 versions. - Enabled content approval workflow that greatly expanded the number of website administrative staff and the ability to keep information current and accurate. 2 | Accessibility and Inclusive Design -------------------------------------- Cook County faced the critical challenge of ensuring its content-rich public website was fully accessible and inclusive for all residents, in line with mandates for digital equity. Clarity has methodically brought the website into compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. The solution involved detailed technical implementation, including enforcing consistent color contrast, establishing proper semantic structure, and ensuring accurate ARIA labeling. This commitment to inclusive design resulted in a public platform that is not only robust and modern but also legally compliant and equitable, ensuring every resident can access key commuter information and essential services regardless of their device or ability. ### **Key Accessibility Outcomes:** - Achieved compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. - Implemented technical controls for consistent color contrast and semantic structure. - Delivered a public-facing platform that is fully inclusive and equitable for all users. 3 | Responsive Website for Cook County Residents ------------------------------------------------ Cook County needed to ensure that the information on its website could be easily found, scanned, and absorbed by residents trying to get the latest information relevant for them. Clarity solved this by developing and maintaining the website to be responsive across different screen sizes. The website layout shifts to optimally display the most important information even at the smallest screen sizes. ### **Key Responsive Outcomes:** - Launched a responsively designed website. - Provided an easy, fast solution for all Cook County residents. 4 | Scalable Web Hosting and Shared Code ---------------------------------------- Cook County, as part of a later iteration of its Drupal website, wanted to take advantage of replatforming to use Acquia Cloud Site Factory. Doing so allowed them to leverage the hosting power that Acquia provides, but more importantly, allowed them to quickly bring on other agencies and develop microsites more quickly because they could leverage a shared code base. There are now many County websites that share content types and theming components, including: - [Cook County ARPA](https://arpa.cookcountyil.gov/) - [Cook County Board of Review](https://www.cookcountyboardofreview.com/) - [Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court](https://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/) - [Cook County Digital Equity](https://digitalequity.cookcountyil.gov/) - [Cook County Emergency Management](https://www.cookcountyemergencymanagement.org/) - [Cook County Office of the Chief Judge](https://www.cookcountycourtil.gov/) - [Cook County Office of the Public Defender](https://www.cookcountypublicdefender.org/) - [Cook County Property Tax Reform](https://propertytaxreform.cookcountyil.gov/) - [Cook County State's Attorney](https://www.cookcountystatesattorney.org/) - [Cook County TAP](https://www.cookcountytap.org/) - [Government Alliance for Safe Communities](https://www.ilgovalliance.org/) ### **Key Hosting Outcomes and Practices:** - Replatformed to Acquia's Cloud Site Factory platform. - Enabled a shared code based to allow for shared code and security updates while maintaining unique theming for multiple sites.