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Master Plans and Pilot Projects
Master plans for e-Government can help prioritize projects and promote system interoperability and cross-agency cooperation. In forming an e-Government master plan, policymakers can not only set a clear course for the design and implementation process but also attract the attention and support of senior leadership, which is crucial to the success of e-Government projects. The process of developing a master plan can also generate public interest and support.
A master plan can be thought of in multiple tiers, and can even consist of separate documents. At the most conceptual level, there will likely be a strategic vision – a document that sets out overall goals and objectives for e-Government. This strategy might then be the basis for an action plan. Governments should also recognize the value of an “enterprise architecture” – a comprehensive description of the government’s information systems to ensure that they align with the day-to-day “business” operations of the government. (In turn, each agency may have its own enterprise architecture aligning its IT systems with its operations.) The U.S. government, for example, has developed a very detailed Federal Enterprise Architecture in an effort to manage its huge IT investments. An example of a somewhat less complex but equally comprehensive enterprise architecture is that of the state of Virginia.
Master plans have typically been prepared by special committees or commissions convened under the leadership of the President or Prime Minister. Their implementation may be overseen by working groups or task forces under the Cabinet or Council of Ministers.
For countries at all stages of development, it is often wise to start smaller, trial (“pilot”) projects to discover how various e-Government applications are going to be used by their intended audiences before pushing into major overhauls of departments and processes. Pilot projects can identify opportunities, barriers, and risks. Pilot projects may proceed alongside strategy development, creating knowledge that enhances strategy.
Also, since e-Government is unlikely to yield significant benefits when levels of Internet access remain low, the e-Government planning process should be integrated with broader government strategies for ICT development. For example, when Mozambique sought to develop more efficient communication and information sharing within and between agencies and to increase its ability to communicate with society at large, it assigned a high priority to the establishment of a Government Electronic Network (GovNet) in both in both its Public Sector Reform Strategy and its National ICT Policy Strategy. Likewise, Cape Verde integrated its e-Government plan into its ICT development strategy.
To prioritize e-Government projects, some countries are using the “business case” model, in which a business model for a project must be developed and justified or “sold” in competition against other proposals vying for limited funds. In 2006, the OECD developed a set of indicators designed to support the development of business cases for e-Government, and the Local e-Democracy National Project in the UK has developed a Business Case Toolkit, which will produce a generic business plan that can later be edited into house style to support the implementation of e-democracy tools. (The tool is specifically customized for the UK.)
A master plan can be thought of in multiple tiers, and can even consist of separate documents. At the most conceptual level, there will likely be a strategic vision – a document that sets out overall goals and objectives for e-Government. This strategy might then be the basis for an action plan. Governments should also recognize the value of an “enterprise architecture” – a comprehensive description of the government’s information systems to ensure that they align with the day-to-day “business” operations of the government. (In turn, each agency may have its own enterprise architecture aligning its IT systems with its operations.) The U.S. government, for example, has developed a very detailed Federal Enterprise Architecture in an effort to manage its huge IT investments. An example of a somewhat less complex but equally comprehensive enterprise architecture is that of the state of Virginia.
Master plans have typically been prepared by special committees or commissions convened under the leadership of the President or Prime Minister. Their implementation may be overseen by working groups or task forces under the Cabinet or Council of Ministers.
For countries at all stages of development, it is often wise to start smaller, trial (“pilot”) projects to discover how various e-Government applications are going to be used by their intended audiences before pushing into major overhauls of departments and processes. Pilot projects can identify opportunities, barriers, and risks. Pilot projects may proceed alongside strategy development, creating knowledge that enhances strategy.
Also, since e-Government is unlikely to yield significant benefits when levels of Internet access remain low, the e-Government planning process should be integrated with broader government strategies for ICT development. For example, when Mozambique sought to develop more efficient communication and information sharing within and between agencies and to increase its ability to communicate with society at large, it assigned a high priority to the establishment of a Government Electronic Network (GovNet) in both in both its Public Sector Reform Strategy and its National ICT Policy Strategy. Likewise, Cape Verde integrated its e-Government plan into its ICT development strategy.
To prioritize e-Government projects, some countries are using the “business case” model, in which a business model for a project must be developed and justified or “sold” in competition against other proposals vying for limited funds. In 2006, the OECD developed a set of indicators designed to support the development of business cases for e-Government, and the Local e-Democracy National Project in the UK has developed a Business Case Toolkit, which will produce a generic business plan that can later be edited into house style to support the implementation of e-democracy tools. (The tool is specifically customized for the UK.)