Framework for expanding e- government: the eGov+ project - VBN

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Copenhagen,4-5February2008 • Managementandorganizationofthegovernementorganizations • Citizen&enduser needsandpractices In the next sections of the paper we will elaborate on the three perspectivesofinterestandtheresearchquestionsthatwewilladressduring theprojectwillbepresented. 3.1 Fromadesignperspective Web2.0iscenteredongoverningprinciplessuchas“Buildapplicationsthat harnessnetworkeffectstogetbetterthemorepeopleusethem,” “Don'ttreat softwareasanartifact,butasaprocessofengagementwithyourusers,” and “Open yourdata andservices forre-usebyothers,andre-usethedata and servicesofotherswheneverpossible.“Theseareprinciplesthatfitwellwith theparticipatorydesignresearchtradition,itsdialecticalunderstandingofthe relationship between design and use (Bødker 1999), while they pose interesting technological challenges. Web interfaces and architectures to e.g. existing electronic patient record systems have proven complicated, and in generalitisessentialthatsuchsolutionsdon’tjustbecomesomewhatopen add-onstoclosedmonolithicsystems. AsregardsWeb2.0technologyinuse,eGov+willfocusontransparency ofdocumentsandcasestorenderactivitiesoftheadministrationvisibleand supportcooperation;adaptiveandservice-orientedinformationarchitectures in integration with existing systems and services; tailoring (re-use), structuringandremixingofservicese.g.accordingtocitizens’lifesituations, instead of according to current organizational structures of government. Centralleading-edgetechnologicalpossibilitiesaretheseyearsbeingbrought to use in practical use, but very much as singular examples. Furthermore, manycurrentexamplesarefocussedmainlyontheindividualcitizen,lesson cooperationbetweencitizensandcivilservants,oronplaceswheregroupsof thesecollaborateregardingaparticularset ofproblems.eGov+ willpursue thesesolutionsfurtherintermsof: 1. Advanced visualization techniques used in cases and decision processes. 2. Collaborative community Web-based technologies (with inspiration from e.g. del.icio.us, flickr.com, or myspace.com) integratedwithexistingIT. 3. Adaptive documents and services (inspired from e.g. Amazon.com) allowing integration with existing services and systems. Throughthefocusontransparency,adaptability,integrationwithexisting services and tailorability, design of governmental e-services needs a sustainablestrategicperspectiveinvolvingcitizensaswellasgroupsofcivil servants, completing and transcending current accessibility and cost effectivenessgoals.Evidently,servicescannotbeuniquelytailoredtoevery 57
5 th ScandinavianWorkshoponE-Government singlecitizenandserviceorgovernmentoffice,anditistheambitionofthe service-oriented architecturetobuildreusableservicestobetailored toand usedindifferentcontexts.InlinewithDourish(REF),wedesignastrategic space that accomodates the tactics of citizens and civil servants in their everydayactivity. 3.2 Fromamanagerial/organisationalperspective Approaching the integration challenge from a managerial/organisational prespective, eGov+ will explore how the demand for efficient, context dependentand flexibleservicedelivery isreflected inthe municipalities in terms of changes in existing work-processes and/or establishment of new business processes. Changes in business processes will take place both internally and externally, and both will be of interest. Internally, close collaboration with the rest of the departments in the municipalities will be needed both in terms of building the right services, infrastructure and IT architectureandincontinuouslyredesigningthearchitecture(thehorizontal integration). These changes and the need for interdepartment relationships areexpectedtochallengethemindsetofgovernmentalagencies(Layneand Lee, 2001) and their old “silo” thinking. Externally, close collaboration is neededwithotherpartiesandotherpublicorganizationstointegrateservices from external parties tooffersmooth andseamlessservices tocitizens and companies (the vertical integration), and the role of the employees can be expected to change from being task-oriented assembly-line workers to become an overseer of processes (Layne and Lee, 2001). The research questionthatwewilladdressishowtheseprocessesarechangedorcreated, implementedandmanaged?SincetheservicesarehighlyrelatedtoITtheIT department will need to participant and take responsibilities (Chou, et al. 2005). Therefore the role the IT-department/function plays in fulfilling the demandforefficient,contextdependentandflexibleservicedeliverywillbe explored.E.g.willtheITdepartmentneedstobecentralized,assuggestedby Norris and Kraemer (1996), how will the IT-department interact with the users in the system development, what will there be overlap between the processestheITdepartmentareresponsibleforandwhatotherpartsofthe organisationnaturallyare responsiblefor (Sundberg andSandberg,2006)?. The overall research question being addressed is which role the IT departmentplayinthedevelopmentandimplementationoftheservices. 3.3 Fromauserperspective InclusivenesswasdefinedbyChristiansen(2007)asaparameterindesignof online interaction with public authorities, characterized by common language, first person agency, personalization, disclosure of mutual dependenciesandcommunityawareness 58
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Framework for expanding e- government: the eGov+ project - VBN

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