The UK government has proposed a plan for easier online access to central and local services.
The technology for this vision, which is currently under development, is a big undertaking on its own, but the process re-engineering work required for all local and central UK government departments to get connected will be an even greater undertaking.
For example, all service-related processes will have to be assessed for security risks and an authentication level for online log-ins allocated to them. The authentication and log-in process will have to cope with changes ranging from low-risk transactions to high-level ones in the live environment (e.g. from citizens logging in to check library catalogues online to going on to completing their tax returns during the same session).
Another challenge will be gaining citizens’ trust and encouraging take-up. A clear communication strategy is essential, or take-up may prove to be absurdly low.
In addition, this government, which coined the phrase joined-up government, is not fully living up to the motto. Although there is some degree of cooperation between government departments on delivering Government Connect, there seems to be a lack of joined-up working elsewhere. For example, the Government Gateway, which was implemented by the OeE (the Office of the e-Envoy, now the e-Government Unit of the Cabinet Office) is the backbone of Government Connect, which is itself an Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) initiative. However, on the authentication front, Government Connect appears to be competing with the Home Office’s identity card project. Both are massive projects, and require smart cards for high-level secure authentication purposes.
So whatever happened to joined-up government? Is this a case of double vision or split identity? On the plus side, Government Connect promises a number of other end products, such as a single business account, a single property account for Home Information Packs, a secure website for local government email, and GC Pay, an e-purse for online payments.
Source: OpinionWire by Butler Group (www.butlergroup.com)
