The State of eGovernment in the US: Benchmarking the Progress of Localities

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The State of eGovernment in the USBenchmarking
the Progress of Localities
Presented at a conference on E-governance
Creating On-line Citizen Participation
Tools Blackwell Hotel The Ohio State University
Campus 4-6 March 2004 Charles KaylorPublic
Sphere Information Group
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Need for Good Benchmarks

• Arose out of pragmatic concern
• An instrument for measuring degree of
  implementation of various municipal functions
• An index that allows broad evaluations and
  comparisons
• Need for instrument that assists strategic
  planning

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The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
(MeGAP)

• The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
  (MeGAP) www.psigroup.biz/megap
• Measures implementation of electronic government
  across 75 performance dimensions
• Captures the degree of implementation (from
  online presence to interactivity)
• Details available at www.psigroup.biz

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The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
(MeGAP)
Explanation of Performance Dimensions

• Stage 4. Transformative Functions (11 Total)
• Surveys
• eMeetings
• Forums
• Listservs
• Streaming Media
• Neighborhood-specific Info
• Participation Volunteering Info
• Visualization Tools
• Personalization

Increasing Value to Constituents

• Stage 3. Transactive Functions (8 total)
• Permitting Licensing
• Payments (Bills, Taxes, Fines Fees)
• Procurement
• Registrations
• Self-service applications

• Stage 2. Interactive Functions (28 Total)
• Online GIS
• CRM
• Info on Voting Elections
• Access to databases (vital records, data)

• Stage I. Information Dissemination (21 total)
• Codes Regulations
• Contact Info
• Minutes of Meetings
• Budget Info
• Directions to Facilities

Increasing Cost of Applications
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The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
(MeGAP)

• What does the MeGAP help us understand?

• How well are local governments using technology
  to foster new approaches to delivering services?
• To what extent and in what ways are new
  technologies changing local governments?
• Is technology redeeming its promise to make
  government more efficient, effective and better
  utilized by its constituencies?
• Are cities serving as model technology users for
  the community?
• Do local governments understand the role they can
  play in local economic development and
  competitiveness?
• Are new technologies fostering new forms of
  citizen engagement in local government?

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The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project
(MeGAP)
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Information DisseminationThe Basics
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Information DisseminationBudget Finances
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Information DisseminationPublic Meetings
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Interactive Features-CRM
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Interactive Features GIS
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Interactive Features GIS
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Interactive Features GIS
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Interactive Features Job Applications
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eCommercePayments
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eCommercePermitting Licensing
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eCommerceAuctions
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eCommerceBids
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eCommerceParks Recreation
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eCommerceData Sales
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TransformationAssessing the Evolution of
Participation
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Evolution of Participation
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Transformation

• Indianapolis Online Forums

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Transformation

• San Diego Streaming Media

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Transformation

• Virginia Beach eMail Sign Up

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Transformation

• Dallas Neighborhood Information

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Transformation

• Jacksonville Volunteer Opportunities

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Transformation

• Portland Participation Opportunities Page

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Transformation

• My San Francisco

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Results Evolution of Participation

• Characteristics of Change
• No real shift in focus for municipal governments
• Larger cities tend to recognize participation as
  important
• Very few experiments with online citizen
  participation
• Planning departments (visualization, GIS, etc)
  lead the way

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TransformationAssessing the Evolution of
Participation
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Markers of Successful eGovernment

• Strategic planning ? develop a community-specific
  model of service delivery
• Organizational change ? revamping city hall with
  technology as an enabler
• Cultural Changes ? new duties, functions and
  purposes for city staff
• New focus ? Thinking of city as role model user
  of technology creating excitement and
  competitive edge for the organization and
  community as a whole

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Organizational Change
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The Gray ZoneEffects of Size
National Standard
No Official Website 1-25 26-50 51-75 76
Note Twin Cities eScores are represented here as
a percentage of the Wave II national leader
Portland, OR.
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The Gray ZoneEffects of Size
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The Gray ZoneEffects of Size
1999/2000
2000/2001
March 2002 September 2002
February 2004
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Searching for SolutionsA Regional Approach?

• Many government services are delivered more
  effectively on a regional basis
• The use of web based technologies can enable
  multiple governments to provide services
• Shared application development
• Collaborative strategic planning
• Regional organizations and local governments
  working collaboratively and proactively to
  provide seamless services

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Examples of Regional Collaboration
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Questions and Comments

• Charles Kaylor
• Public Sphere Information Group
• 617.699.9429
• ckaylor_at_psigroup.biz
• www.psigroup.biz