E-government Report Presentation for Government Saudi Arabia Presentation by Richard Kerby, UNDESA
United Nations Global e-government Survey 2008: From e-government to Connected Governance
Presentation 1. Review of Methodology 2. E-government Survey 3. Web Presence 4. Results of e-government Workshop for Arab Countries 5. UNDESA Tools
Review of Methodology Among the objectives of e-government four are of paramount importance and of relevance here: Efficient government management of information to the citizen; Better service delivery to citizens; Improved access and outreach of information; and Empowerment of the people through participatory decision making.
Review of Methodology E-government survey is a composite index comprising the Web measure index, the Telecommunication Infrastructure index and the Human Capital Index. At the core of this Survey is the E-Government Readiness Index, which is a composite measurement of the capacity and willingness of countries to use e-government for ICT-led development. The e-government readiness indices are useful for government officials, policy makers, researchers, and the representatives of civil society and the private sector to gain a deeper understanding of the comparative benchmarking of the relative position of a country in utilizing e-government for the citizen vis a vis the rest of the world economies.
E-Government Survey Telecommunication Infrastructure Index The telecommunication infrastructure index 2008 is a composite weighted average index of five primary indices based on basic infrastructure indicators, which define a country s ICT infrastructure capacity. These are: PC s /100 persons; internet users/100 persons; telephone lines/100 persons; mobile phones/100 persons; and Broadband/100 persons. Data for UN Member States was taken primarily from the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Telecommunication Infrastructure Index Saudi Arabia Internet PC Cellular Main Telephone Lines Broadband Infrastructure Per 100 people 18.66 12.82 78.05 15.68 0.87 Global Minimum 0.000 0.020 0.420 0.020 0.000 Global Maximum 88.870 90.330 151.61 96.410 31.730 (Actual Min)/(Max Min) Index 0.210 0.142 0.513 0.162 0.027 0.2110 Data for UN Member States was taken primarily from the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Human Capital Index The data for the human capital index 2008 is a composite of the adult literacy rate and the combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio with two third weight given to adult literacy and one third to gross enrolment ration.
Human Capital Index Saudi Arabia Adult Literacy Gross Enrolment Education Index 82.9 75.966 0.8056 2/3 Adult Literary + 1/3 Gross Enrolment Data for UN Member States was taken primarily from UNESCO
Web Measure Index 1. Researchers were instructed to follow the citizen user approach, whereby they scored information and features based on a real user approach (that is, can they find it easily, quickly, intuitively) rather than making extraordinary efforts to seek out the information and features at a given site. This added rigor puts even greater pressure on countries to design their web systems with the citizen user in mind. 2. If researchers could not easily identify information and features, they were scored 0 for not being available. 3. There has been an exponential increase in the number of websites included in the Survey, the amount of information and services at those websites, and the scale of those websites. Thus, for many countries, especially those with poorly designed but expanding sites, the ability of researchers to easily find, identify, and score features within a reasonable amount of time and effort (the average citizen user approach) has decreased, and those sites may receive significantly lower scores.
Web Measure Index 4. Researchers score the information and features on whether they can be found and accessed, as opposed to whether or not they in fact exist. Thus, in surveying each site, reviewers are instructed and trained to take the approach and mindset of an average citizen user. This was an especially important factor in 2007-2008, as the number of websites surveyed increased significantly, and overall the amount of information and features provided at the websites increased dramatically. While it is possible, although implausible, to search the sites meticulously for all content and features, this approach misses the key point that the average user needs to find information and features quickly and intuitively for a site to be usable. 5. The survey team is charged with utilizing at least the six official United Nations languages to complete the survey: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. As in previous years, the international research team along with translators made every effort to review each country in its official language or in the pre-dominant language on its site(s).
Web Measure Index The Web Measure Index is base upon a five-stage model. For countries that have established an online presence, the model defines stages of e-readiness according to a scale of progressively sophisticated citizen services: Emerging Presence Enhanced Presence Interactive Presence Transactional Presence Networked Presence
Web Presence Emerging presence. Stage I - e-government presents information which is limited and basic. The e-government online presence comprises a web page and/or an official website; links to ministries/departments of education, health, social welfare, labor and finance may/may not exist. Enhanced presence. Stage II - the government provides greater public policy and governance sources of current and archived information, such as policies, laws and regulation, reports, newsletters, and downloadable databases. The user can search for a document and there is a help feature and a site map provided.
Emerging and Enhanced Presences Information dissemination/outreach Existence of a national website and ministerial websites including: education, finance, health, labor and/or social services Existence of a one-stop-shop national portal Existence of a Head of State website Existence of an e-government section Sources of archived information (laws, policy documents, priorities, etc.) News and/or updates on government policies Access to back office applications Chief Information Officer (CIO), or similar officer with a leadership role, to manage national cross-agency e- government programs/projects Information concerning government officials responsible for the provision of specific online services/queries Personal account/profile of citizens, with the objective of enhancing dialogue between government and citizens Information for citizens on the usage of the website
Web Presence Interactive presence. Stage III - the online services of the government enter the interactive mode with services to enhance convenience of the consumer such as downloadable forms for tax payment application for license renewal.
Interactive Presence Access/Usability Search feature Contact us feature Audio and video features Multiple languages availability Use of wireless technology to send messages to mobile phones or devices Security (secure link) feature available/indicated Electronic signature feature Online payment by credit, debit, or other card methods E-mail sign-up option, either as a formal list-serv or simply for news items Existence of features to enable access for people with disabilities
Web Presence Transactional presence. Stage IV - allows two-way interactions between the citizen and his/her government. It includes options for paying taxes; applying for ID cards, birth certificates/passports, license renewals and other similar C2G interactions by allowing him/her to submit these online 24/7.
Transactional Presence Service Delivery Capability One-stop-shop for online services Downloadable/printable forms Online forms Job opportunities Online transactions E-mail alerts for e-participation Really Simple Syndication (RSS) use for e-participation Set turnaround time for government to respond to submitted forms/e-mails
Web Presence Networked presence. Stage V - represents the most sophisticated level in the online e-government initiatives. It can be characterized by an integration of G2G, G2C and C2G (and reverse) interactions. The government encourages participatory deliberative decision making and is willing and able to involve the society in a two-way open dialogue.
Networked Presence Citizen participation/interconnectedness E-participation policy or mission statement Calendar listings of upcoming e-participation activities Archived information about e-participation activities E-participation tools to obtain public opinion (polls, surveys, bulletin boards, chat room, blogs, web casting, and discussion forums, etc.) Citizen feedback on the national strategy, policies and e-services Provision for publishing the results of citizen feedback Archive on responses by government to citizen s questions, queries and inputs
E-Participation Index The goal of e-participation initiatives is to improve the citizen s access to information and public services; and participation in public decision-making. Increasing e-information to citizens for decision making; Enhancing e-consultation for deliberative and participatory processes; Supporting e-decision making by increasing the input of citizens;
Sites Surveyed in Saudi Arabia National Site: http://www.mofa.gov.sa Ministry Sites: Education Health Labor Finance Social Services http://www.moe.gov.sa http://www.moh.gov.sa http://www.mol.gov.sa http://www.mof.gov.sa/ar/default.asp http://www.mol.gov.sa
Saudi Arabia Web Measure Index National Web Site I II III IV V Total Pts. Max Points 8 22 44 34 12 120 Saudi Arabia 8 13 14 4 2 41
Saudi Arabia Web Measure Index Health Web Site II III IV V Total Pts. Max Points 14 16 10 3 43 Saudi Arabia 10 12 2 0 24
Saudi Arabia Web Measure Index Education Web Site II III IV V Total Pts. Max Points 14 16 10 3 43 Saudi Arabia 7 7 0 1 15
Saudi Arabia Web Measure Index Social Services Web Site II III IV V Total Pts. Max Points 14 16 10 3 43 Saudi Arabia 8 14 0 1 23
Saudi Arabia Web Measure Index Finance Web Site II III IV V Total Pts. Max Points 14 16 10 3 43 Saudi Arabia 7 12 1 1 21
Saudi Arabia Web Measure Index Labor Web Site II III IV V Total Pts. Max Points 14 16 10 3 43 Saudi Arabia 8 7 0 0 15
Saudi Arabia Web Measure Index Total Score for Web Sites I II III IV V Total Pts. Max Points 8 92 124 84 27 335 Saudi Arabia 8 53 66 7 5 139
Saudi Arabia Rankings Country Web Measure Index Infrastructure Index Human Capital Index E-Government Readiness Index Saudi Arabia 0.4649 0.2110 0.8056 0.4935
UNDESA Web Measure Rankings 124 7 12 50 55 0 Kuwait 57 139 5 7 66 53 8 Saudi Arabia 70 117 4 7 54 44 8 Lebanon 74 145 5 16 68 49 7 Oman 84 77 1 0 20 50 6 Iran 108 72 3 7 34 28 0 Syria 119 32 2 1 8 13 8 Iraq 151 117 0 22 52 36 7 Qatar 53 214 10 50 84 63 7 U.A.E. 32 155.5 7 22.5 55 64 7 Bahrain 42 181 9 19 78 67 8 Jordan 50 22 0 0 5 10 7 Yemen 168 Total V IV III II I Country Global Ranking
Way Forward Outcome of the Regional EMGKR Meeting for Arab Countries On Key Area 1: Citizen Engagement Awareness and training, e.g. UNESCO initiative Citizen engagement in multiple levels, including Youth engagement Conduct surveys before program implementation Conduct post-evaluation, e.g. Blog and online communities Building trust Encourage and monitor take-up Efficient methodologies Identify and use existing channels, e.g. Post Offices, community centers Non-technical team to set drivers
Way Forward Outcome of the Regional EMGKR Meeting for Arab Countries On Key Area 2: Efficient Government and Integrated e-services Performance management Need of check and balance Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) Different execution methods, by Ministry or by agency Identify risk, maximize end outputs with minimized change in organizational structure Select senior officer as champion, or establish system for sustainability Start with Local Reform
Way Forward Outcome of the Regional EMGKR Meeting for Arab Countries On Key Area 3: e-government Implementation Ensure functional scalability Need of modifying existing laws to meet needs of e-government Sustainability, which includes political support, budget, resources, capacity Integration of all existing and new applications Strengthen local capacity at technical and managerial level
Way Forward Outcome of the Regional EMGKR Meeting for Arab Countries On Key Area 4: Capacity Development Documentation of best practices and failures, etc. Promote knowledge Management at all levels Public-Private Partnership, which includes transfer of knowledge Identify needed skill sets and actual skills of individuals Offer tailored training to meet exact needs Build local capacity through on-the-job experience Develop stronger IT curriculum at high schools and universities Institutional Development Each Ministry/Agency should establish its own training needs
Way Forward Outcome of the Regional EMGKR Meeting for Arab Countries On Key Area 5: Arabic Content Local content and User-friendly content (concise and simplified) Offer other languages like English, Hindu, and others in needed areas Documentation and Develop a Taxonomy Knowledge Management Translate from print to online Localization and Personalization Interact and Transact interface Translate content from English to Arabic (to build capacity) Alternative like voice and video service and mobile medium
Way Forward Outcome of the Regional EMGKR Meeting for Arab Countries On Key Area 6: E-Government Structure Need of Authority role and Link to highest authority in the government e-gov structure more flexible to traditional civil society structure Co-ordination and setting standards Responsibilities Coordination and setting standards Get buy-in Leadership Two main pillars or divisions: Technical and functional Marketing, Capacity Building, etc
UNDESA E-Government Tools E-Government Survey Electronic/Mobile Global Knowledge Repository (EMGKR) Online e-government Training METER 2 Compendium on Innovative Practices Database of Experts Advisory Services
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