CDT & infoDev E-Government Handbook
Introduction
The Phases of E-Government
Transforming Governments
Challenges and Opportunities
Reports and Other Resources

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Benchmarking

Governments must regularly evaluate the progress and effectiveness of their e-government investments to determine whether stated goals and objectives are being met on schedule.

Calculating the value and progress of e-government investments is a difficult but necessary step if governments want to maintain support for projects. Benchmarking can include quantitative or subjective measures. Benchmarks can include: number of agencies and functions online, reduction in average time for processing citizen requests or applications, reduction in number of complaints about the level and quality of government services, increased voter registration and/or turnout, increased citizen participation in consultations and comment proceedings, lower costs to government in delivering services, and increased revenue.

Benchmarking Recommendations:

  • Create measurable goals during early planning stages.
  • Designate an office to oversee e-government implementation.
  • Make sure the office is sufficiently funded and is recognized by all relevant agencies and departments.
  • Conduct regular audits to ensure progress is being made to achieve stated goals.
  • Review benchmarks regularly to ensure that accurate measures are appropriate for rapidly changing technology.
  • Create a data collection system to support program operations and before and after surveys of knowledge, skills, and applications among participating organizations to assess program impact.
  • A common IT infrastructure and architecture standard is key to ensuring that ongoing development takes place in a coherent and integrated way.
  • Advanced planning of common IT infrastructure standards result in a shortened development time and system compatibility.
  • Quantitative measures can be as beneficial as qualitative ones.

e-Government Readiness Assessment Methodology

This draft e-Government Readiness Assessment Methodology by the Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) offers a menu of complementary surveys measuring various aspects of e-government readiness. As of September 2003, the methodology was being tested in the field in several countries and feedback was being solicited. http://www.unpan.org/dpepa-kmb-eg-egovranda-ready.asp

Government on the Web II, United Kingdom: Report on e-government deployment efforts from the National Audit Office.

The National Audit Office issued a report analyzing in great detail the progress of e-government efforts in Great Britain with an eye on costs and benefits to the taxpayer. In deficient areas, the report provides detailed recommendations on how to improve quality and return on investment. Notable in this report are the numeric goals for e-government service delivery, such as delivery of specific services by certain dates, so officials and policy makers can be held accountable for results. http://www.nao.gov.uk/pn/01-02/0102764.htm

International Benchmarking Report: Case Studies of e-government sevices: Interoperability and Data Standards, by the Office of the e-Envoy in the United Kingdom: http://www.e-envoy.gov.uk/publications/reports/benchmarkingV2/interop_hkong.htm

European Commission's "Top of the Web" survey - Summer 2003

The "Top of the Web" survey will provide instantaneous feedback to webmasters about the quality of their e-service, based on a number of carefully selected criteria. At the same time, the questionnaire results will point to those aspects of e-service delivery which can be considered "best practice", within such areas as filing an on-line tax return, registering a change of address or applying for a copy of one's birth certificate. The benchmarking results are posted on a dedicated web site as they come in and the findings will be disseminated via European e-government meetings and conferences during 2003 and again in 2004, when the survey will be repeated. http://www.topoftheweb.net

Citizen Advantage: Enhancing Economic Competitiveness Through e-Government

This study, by Deloitte Consulting, offers an approach for evaluating the return on investment of government technology investments. According to the study, public sector organizations should evaluate IT investments not only by the cost savings they generate for government, but by the financial benefits they create for citizens and businesses. The study brings a new dimension to the valuation of IT, suggesting a direct correlation between e-government and economic competitiveness. http://www.dc.com/Insights/research/public/citizen_advantage.asp

European Commission, A survey on the quality and usage of public electronic services.

By focusing on the views of users rather than on the supply side, this study follows a new approach to benchmarking eGovernment, and offers a set of recommendations to public e-service providers in the further development of eGovernment. http://www.topoftheweb.net/docs/Final_report_2003_quality_and_usage.pdf

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