US e-gov problems sound strangely familiar

The US government has relaunched FirstGov.gov. But a framework that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of all critical activities will do more for e-government in the long run.

Event

On 27 February, the US government relaunched FirstGov.gov, a web portal giving access to the 51 million web pages of government information now online. The portal's vision statement reads: "FirstGov.gov, the official US gateway to all government information, is the catalyst for a growing electronic government. Our work transcends the traditional boundaries of government and our vision is global - connecting the world to all US government information and services."

First take

FirstGov.gov's improvements in navigation, government-to-citizen (G2C) and government-to-business (G2B) features, and constituent feedback - a big plus - do not compensate for the fact that an internet system allowing citizens to participate in government remains a long way away. Apart from better front-end capabilities, the portal doesn't yet have much new technology to enable real participation.

Nevertheless, the relaunch does mark a welcome shift in emphasis from information retrieval to providing online services to citizens. A total of 24 new online G2C and G2B services will roll out over the next couple of years.

To succeed at G2C and G2B, however, the government must take a collaborative commerce (c-commerce) approach, which includes delivering online services through private-sector channels. For example, citizens should be able to make reservations for a campground in the national parks at REI.com or other sites that serve outdoor enthusiasts.

Effective G2C initiatives must satisfy the constituencies they serve, and private sector vendors do much better with customer relationship management since it is critical for them. The federal government often comes up short in this area. A federal judge recently shutdown the web servers of the Department of the Interior because security vulnerabilities could have allowed cybercriminals to loot trust funds managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

A c-commerce approach requires improving back-office technologies and processes. A framework that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of all critical activities will do more for e-government in the long run than a better portal. Improving FirstGov.gov will help citizens but Gartner believes that federal agencies should be careful to not let portal strategies overshadow more important initiatives to improve their e-readiness.

Analytical Source: French Caldwell, Knowledge Management, Gartner (www.gartner.com)