Building the Knowledge Society - Department of Communications ...

Building the Knowledge Society Information Society Commission 53The volume of e-government initiatives is also growing significantly and will be characterisedby increasing cross-departmental complexity and enhanced impact in terms of service provision.The e-government process is evolving to a mature stage where there is a need for a governancestructure that ensures:• The delivery of value for the investment made• A development of and adherence to approved standards, both technically and processwide (project management, etc.)• The integration and alignment of e-government programmes with the wider public sectormodernisation process• A single point of focus that aligns all relevant stakeholders with input and opportunitiesconcerning e-government in Ireland (unions, technology companies, social interest groups, etc.).Recommendation 24:The potential of e-government developments to support a transformation in traditionalbusiness processes has important implications that must be addressed as a key elementof the overall process of public sector modernisation and reform.Recommendation 25:There is a need for the establishment of a clear governance structure to support thedevelopment of e-government in the context of the wider modernisation process.Development of Value CaseseGovernment programmes will absorb significant investment over the years in terms of capitaland current expenditure. This investment should enable significant increases in service levels,both reactive and proactive, to citizens over the more traditional channels and as electronicuptake of services increases, so will the breadth and range of services continue to evolve.However the return on investment for e-government programmes should have many facets,including internal efficiencies and savings, external improvements in customer service, andsupporting national competitiveness. The Commission feels that there should be an overalltemplate for e-government programmes to ensure the return on investment is measured inboth tangible and intangible elements.Recommendation 26:Government needs to develop appropriate arrangements to ensure that the assessmentof the return on e-government investments captures both tangible and intangible benefits.