Some government officials react with smugness when confronted with the question of e- governance, their attitude is usually:
The basis of such statements is that many of their departments have websites and they have inaugurated some showcase ventures like land record digitization. However, it is important to understand that e-governance is like Governance. It is not a project that is over. It is a new approach that will require continuous improvements to be always relevant. And this is not well understood in our country where even the website of the Ministry of Communications remains out of date by several months. Therefore, it is a useful and often humbling experience to map where your department or government is on the four general phases of e-governance.
Level 1: Information
In the first phase e-governance means being present on the web, providing the external public with relevant information. The format of the first government websites is similar to that of a brochure or leaflet. The value to the public is that government information is publicly accessible; processes are described and thus become more transparent, which improves democracy and service.
Internally (G2G) the government can also disseminate information with static electronic means, such as the Internet. In this phase it is all about information from a single page presence on the web to a website with all relevant government information available to the public.
Most governments are at this stage in India, and therefore what they believe is the end of the process is only the beginning.
Level 2: Interaction
In the second phase the interaction between government and the public is stimulated with various applications. People can ask questions via e-mail, use search engines for information and are able to download all sorts of forms and documents. These functionalities save time. In fact the complete intake of applications can be done online at all times of the day on all days of the year, instead of only being possible at a physical counter during working hours. Internally government organizations use local networks, intranets and e-mail to communicate and exchange data. The bottom line is that more efficiency and effectiveness is achieved because a large part of the intake is done online.
However, you still have to go to the office to finalise the transaction, by paying a fee, handing over evidence or signing papers. A few progressive governments in India started projects in some areas which allow this level of service to occur.
Level 3: Transaction
With phase three the complexity of the technology is increasing, but customer value will also be higher. Most complete transactions can be done without going to a government office. Examples of online services are filing income tax, filing property tax, extending/renewal of licenses, visa and passports and online voting. Phase three is mainly complex because of security and personalization issues – e.g. digital signatures are necessary to enable legal transfer of services. On the business side the government is starting with e-procurement applications. In this phase, internal processes have to be redesigned to provide good service. Now the complete process is online, including payments and certification.
Only one or two governments in India are at the stage where they are providing this level of service across some functions in a department. And probably there is none that is doing it for all functions in any one department.
Level 4: Transaction
The fourth phase if the transformation phase in which al information system are integrated and the public can get all services at one (virtual) counter. One single point of contact for all services is the ultimate goal. The complex aspect in reaching this goal is mainly on the internal side, e.g. the necessity to drastically change culture, processes and responsibilities within the government institution. Government employees in different departments have to work together in a smooth and seamless way. In this phase cost savings, efficiency and customer satisfaction are reaching highest possible levels.
The stage-by-stage systematic approach discussed in the preceding pages is important. However, what is even more important is the relation between long- term and short-term goals. Projects are often done out of sync with the stage-by- stage approach due to political expediency, the presence of funds allocated only for that area, or the need to be one-up on a neighbouring state. But only if these projects are in alignment with a long term vision, will success will secured.
The first step therefore, is to make a clear Road Map of e-governance for your state or department. Then as individual projects crop up, they can be fitted into the overall evolution of e-governance. Some tips gleaned from experience are:
Think big, start small, and scale fast
Projects will only have a structural value for development when embedded in a vision and supported by a strategy. Thinking big is required to set the overall vision and objectives of e-governance. Starting small is essential to create instant success and keep a positive during force, both internally as externally. Scaling fast is only possible with a profound strategy that secures that all necessary resources are available in time, that bottlenecks are known and taken care of, and that project planning and phasing is aligned with the overall vision and objectives.
The right metaphor for e-governance: Building your House
The process of visioning, strategy and implementation is crucial for successful implementation. The right metaphor is of building your house. First, the stakeholders (not the officers only) must set a commonly accepted goal for the overall project. This goal needs to fulfill the expectations and needs of the end- users. In the situation of constructing a house, the needs of the future house owner determine aspects such as the size, cost, and number of windows and location of the house. Defining projects can be the next step; each project should contribute to the final goal. Finally the strategy determines aspects such as the planning of the construction, constraints and boundary conditions. A good strategy enables that project goals contribute to achieving the overall objective.
Draw up a clear Vision
Before starting with projects a commonly accepted vision is required. What is the goal that should be achieved with e-governance implementations? What focus point is taken: customer satisfaction, internal efficiency, increased democracy?
In the metaphor of the constriction of a house the fol owing questions are applicable: What do we want to build and Why? Whom are we building a house for? What are their needs?
Don’t leave it at Vision, make a plan for Action
The strategy consists of plans that translate the vision into practical projects. A good strategy is crucial to keep the speed in the reform and implementation process, e,g, budgets must be available, time consuming legal transformations should be initiated and quick results must be achieved and communicated to government’s customers. In the construction metaphor the chosen strategy is the ‘cement between the building blocks’ and deals with the following questions:
How are we going to construct? What are we going to do first? Who’s responsible for what activity? What legal aspects have to be covered to build a house? Because the vision can be complex it may not be easy to realize in a short period. A strategy often consists of several phases, each with their specific goals and related projects.
Choose projects that fit in the vision, if you can’t, make them fit in!
Projects in the field of e-governance should each have a goal that supports the overall objective of e-governance. In the metaphor of the house construction, projects are the building blocks that altogether form the vision, or house. Each project contributes to the realization of a phase in the strategy, the phases. In complex situations it is normal to test a project in a pilot. If the pilot is successful, the implementation can be expanded. If not successful, adjustments have top be made, or the implementation must be cancelled.