Opening Gateways: A Practical Toolkit for Designing Information Access Programs Sharon S. Dawes

Research motivation Government responsibility to provide public access to information Accelerating growth in the quantity and complexity of electronic information & records Growing user preference for information in electronic form Need to conceptualize access as a program rather than a mechanism DOJ funded most of that activity, but synergistic with both EOT and our DG work.

Project goals Create practical research-based tools to support the design of electronic access programs that consider: needs and capabilities of users character of usage data characteristics organizational commitment and capacity technology capabilities and limitations interaction of all of the above

Layers of Complexity Program, Policy & Economic Context Organizational Setting Technology Solution Business Processes

Methods and data sources Three action research cases Homeless Management Information System Kids’ Well-being Indicator Clearinghouse New York State GIS Clearinghouse Interviews Administrators of 22 data repositories in the US and Europe national and state governments for profit and non profit fee and paid services

Results: Four integrated tools Assessment Users-uses-suppliers-content Organizational structure and context Diagnosis Interaction and interdependence among dimensions Program Design Modest, moderate, elaborate features Cheaper, faster, better benefits Cost Estimation For implementation and ongoing operation

Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Assessment Cost Estimation Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Diagnosis Program Design

Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Purpose & independent consideration of dimensions Assessment Cost Estimation Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Diagnosis Program Design

Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Purpose & independent consideration of dimensions Assessment Cost Estimation Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Consider interaction of dimensions and compensating strategies Diagnosis Program Design

Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Purpose & independent consideration of dimensions Assessment Cost Estimation Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Consider interaction of dimensions and compensating strategies Diagnosis Program Design Features and expected benefits at 3 levels of aspiration

Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Purpose & independent consideration of dimensions Assessment Cost Estimation Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Consider interaction of dimensions and compensating strategies Three levels of implementation and operating cost Diagnosis Program Design Features and expected benefits at 3 levels of aspiration

Assessment Preliminary program description Two categories of dimensions Users-uses-suppliers-content Organizational structure and context Treats each dimension independently

Preliminary Program Description The foundation of the program design effort Describes the initial conditions, e.g.: What is the purpose of the access program? Who are the expected users & uses? How and by whom is information collected? What legal requirements pertain? How will technology be used? What staff skills are needed?

Two categories of dimensions Users-uses-suppliers-content Organizational structure and context

Users-uses-suppliers-content Characteristics of users Predictability of users Sensitivity of content Frame of reference needed to interpret & use content Status of meta data Uniformity of data/record sources Degree of integration among sources Usefulness of content over time

Organizational structure & context Relationship with data/record users Relationship with data/record suppliers Role of access provider in data/record acquisition Extent of value-added service by access provider Nature of data flows among suppliers, access provider, users Suitability of existing technology Relationship of access program to organizational mission

The dimensions - example 1 highly variable and homogeneous and Characteristics of users unpredictable predictable some similarity in organization or profession Same purpose for which data were collected Predictability of uses unrelated to original use some relationship to original purpose Non-existent Complete, current, explicit, readily available Status of meta data Flawed in known or unknown ways

The dimensions - example 1 highly variable and homogeneous and Characteristics of users unpredictable predictable some similarity in organization or profession Same purpose for which data were collected Predictability of uses unrelated to original use some relationship to original purpose Non-existent Complete, current, explicit, readily available Status of meta data Flawed in known or unknown ways

The dimensions - example 1 highly variable and homogeneous and Characteristics of users unpredictable predictable some similarity in organization or profession Same purpose for which data were collected Predictability of uses unrelated to original use some relationship to original purpose Non-existent Complete, current, explicit, readily available Status of meta data Flawed in known or unknown ways

The dimensions - example 2 Relationship with data suppliers community market Some level of formal rules Layperson’s knowledge Frame of reference needed to interpret & use content Subject matter expert’s knowledge Some knowledge or professional experience in the field none Extent of value-added services to be offered extensive Some value-added processing

The dimensions - example 2 Relationship with data suppliers community market Some level of formal rules Layperson’s knowledge Frame of reference needed to interpret & use content Subject matter expert’s knowledge Some knowledge or professional experience in the field none Extent of value-added services to be offered extensive Some value-added processing

The dimensions - example 2 Relationship with data suppliers community market Some level of formal rules Layperson’s knowledge Frame of reference needed to interpret & use content Subject matter expert’s knowledge Some knowledge or professional experience in the field none Extent of value-added services to be offered extensive Some value-added processing

The dimensions - example 2 Relationship with data suppliers community market Some level of formal rules Layperson’s knowledge Frame of reference needed to interpret & use content Subject matter expert’s knowledge Some knowledge or professional experience in the field none Extent of value-added services to be offered extensive Some value-added processing

Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Purpose & independent consideration of dimensions Assessment Cost Estimation Practical Guidelines for Building Electronic Access Programs Consider interaction of dimensions and compensating strategies Three levels of implementation and operating cost Diagnosis Program Design Features and expected benefits at 3 levels of aspiration

Now . . . Program Design (selection of features, tools, and policies compatible with the diagnosis) 3 levels of aspiration (modest,, moderate, elaborate) Cost Estimation modest, moderate, elaborate initiation and ongoing operation

Results A research-based framework for planning and evaluation Dawes, Sharon S., Pardo, Theresa A. and Cresswell Anthony M. (2004). “Designing Electronic Government Information Access Programs: A Holistic Approach,” Government Information Quarterly, 21(1): 3-23. A practical integrated tool set A companion on-line expert system to aid in planning and generation of alternative designs http://www.ctg.albany.edu/projects/pubs?proj=gateways&sub=pubs

Extensions of this work . . . Sharing Justice Information: A Capability Assessment Toolkit Building State Government Digital Preservation Partnerships: A Capability Assessment and Planning Toolkit

http://www.ctg.albany.edu info@ctg.albany.edu