1. Critical Success Factors in e-Governance Projects
Mukund Nadgowda
Associate Professor and Head of Department (IT),
Kundal Forest Academy, Kundal, Sangli

2. Overview
We will share experiences of a few e-Governance applications. These illustrations will help you understand how e-Governance applications can be designed in many different ways for achieving different types of goals and objectives.
We will discuss various delivery models that get round the constraints of capacity and infrastructure.
We will then look into various Critical Success Factors that play key roles in e-Governance projects.

3. Contents e-Governance: various perceptions and delivery models
Illustrations of e-Governance applications.
Benefits from e-Governance for various stake holders
Critical Success Factors in e-Governance projects
Key Challenges in e-Governance in India
Measuring impact and assessing readiness

4. Essence of e-Government
Involves process of reform in the way Governments work, share information and deliver services to external and internal clients
Clear intent of greater transparency in functioning
Achieving greater efficiency
On-line delivery of services to citizens/ businesses targeting concrete benefits such as convenient access (time and place), reduced transaction time, and lower costs.
Harnesses information technologies such as WAN, Internet, World Wide Web, and mobile computing to connect computerized back-ends that enable process reform with front-ends that service the citizens electronically.
(“Online” does not necessarily imply the Internet. It implies that transactions access / update databases immediately to minimize errors and speed-up processing. If applications are submitted electronically, the movement and processing of documents is also done electronically.)
The resulting benefits could be more transparency, empowerment, greater convenience, less corruption, revenue growth, and cost reduction.

5. Different types of applications
Back-end automation of processes
Payroll Accounting, Integrated Financial Management Systems, Personnel Database
Data gathering and MIS
MIS and Monitoring and Evaluation Systems
Electronic delivery of information and services
G2C: Property registration, Municipal services, Drivers license, Land records
G2B: e-Procurement, Business Registration, Sales Tax, Online customs
G2G: Electronic work flow and file handling, Treasury Computerization, Transfer and appointments.
e-Participation
Web sites for sharing information on budgets and expenditure in federal and local Governments, e-discussion, e-voting

6. Key Outcomes Automation and Process Reform MIS use by supervisors
Reduce delay, less discretion, less mistakes, minimize face to face contact, improve quality, improve efficiency
MIS use by supervisors
Detects inefficiency and corruption, monitor performance, enhance accountability, improve processes
Sharing information with public
Builds transparency and trust, supports complaint process, enables tracking, enhances accountability, involves civil society, deterrent
Intelligent Decision Support and audit
Analyze data and build models to spot outliers

7. Choice(s) of Delivery Mode(s)
Characteristics of service
Complexity
Information intensity
Environment
Level of Trust
Value of time
Characteristics of clients
IT literacy
Homogeneity
Affordable access to Internet
Spatial dispersion
e-Readiness
Back end computerization
Robust networks
Laws for e-transactions
Level of standardization

8. Different Delivery Models
Departments going online
Citizens visit many departments, each one may be more efficient
Could be a first step in the absence of high band width network
Assisted; restrictive timings, single agency-complete service
Conveniently located Community Service Centers
Assisted counters manned by public / private agencies
Services from single / multiple agencies under one roof: payment, licenses, certificates
Larger time window but not 24X7
Self Service through a Portal
24X7, multiple agencies, partial service (like submitting applications)
Back-end computerization and integration needed for data sharing
High internet penetration, willingness and ability of citizens to use
Security and mutual trust (builds with successful outcome)
Usage builds up gradually. Adoption rate has to be driven.
Access through mobile phones, Call centers, ATMs etc.

9. Delivery of Services - How Channels Differ
Self use versus assisted by staff
24X7 operation versus restricted days and timings
Services offered by single agency versus multiple agencies from different levels of Government
Online delivery of one step in a service versus the entire tasks or several steps done in one go
Location of access point: anywhere through Internet, departmental counters, conveniently located service centers, Internet kiosks

10. Four phases of e-Government

11. Scale and scope defined on many dimensions
Targeted outcomes: automation, process reform, effectiveness and transparency
Coverage in terms of basket of services
Extent of online support - for different stages (processes) in delivery of a service
Integration : horizontal (across agencies) and vertical (levels of Government)
Choice of channels to clients
Reach across geography and economic strata of citizens

12. Examples of e-Government Applications
Property Registration, Land Records, MPSC, Rly.Reservations
Integrated Service Centers for multiple services-eSeva, Bangalore one
Municipality: Bangalore, Ahmedabad
Income Tax online
E-procurement
New Business Registrations
Customs online
Integrated Financial Management System; computerized treasuries
Appointment and Transfers in Karnataka and SmartGov in AP
e-Chaupal, Akshaya, Drishtee in Rural India
Lokvani (Sitapur)
eBharat (National E-Government Program)

13. Benefits to Citizens Reduced transaction time and elapsed time
Less number of trips to Government offices
Expanded time window and convenient access
Reduced corruption (need for bribes, use of influence)
Transparency (clarity on procedures/documents)
Less uncertainty in estimating time needed
Fair deal and courteous treatment
Less error prone, reduced cost of recovery
Empowered to challenge action-greater accountability
Levy of use charges

14. Benefits to Agency
Reduced cost of delivering service-manpower, paper, office space
Reduced cost of expanding coverage and reach of service
Growth in tax revenue-coverage and compliance
Coping with growth in transaction volume
Improved image( service, corruption and fraud)
Improved monitoring of performance and fixing responsibility
Improved work environment for employees
Better quality decisions

15. Tackling Corruption through e-Gov
Introduces transparency in data, decisions/actions, rules, procedures and performance of Govt. agencies
Automates processes to take away discretion
Entry point for simplification of rules and reengineering
Makes decisions traceable - tracks actions
Builds accountability - greater access to information through web publishing-role of civil society
Provides documentation to citizens for follow up
Introduces competition amongst delivery channels
Standardized documentation of comments / objections leads to effective supervision- through comparative indicators
Centralizes and integrates data for better audit and analysis.
Enables unbiased sampling for audit purposes

16. Assessment of Consulting Companies
Few “real life” examples of successful e-Government
Many examples of attractive web sites with “same old back office procedures”
Confusion between “a pretty website” and a successful portal
No “best in class” state or local e-Government solutions have gained widespread adoption
Governments, in their rush to the web, often underestimate their security, privacy, interface and infrastructure requirements
Citizens are becoming increasingly demanding (want more, not just faster service in exchange for convenience fees)
Migrating private sector “best practices” to public sector often fails to achieve desired results
Most Governments have not fundamentally changed their processes in any way, though some have automated a flawed process.

17. Overall Assessment Impact not assessed through independent evaluation.
Limited scope and scale-implemented in a few departments
Service delivery has become efficient but impact on transparency and corruption is marginal
Focus on urban areas. Access points in rural areas is a key challenge.
Largely bottom-up, driven by reformist civil servants with some political support. Lack of central coordination.
Large number of Web sites are not used. Citizens unwilling to engage. Intermediaries are needed.
High enthusiasm for implementing e-Government across political spectrum. Lack of understanding of implementation difficulties
Bulk of the applications are simple. Limited integration. Data sharing, scalability, security not adequately addressed.
Inadequate re-engineering, a broader context of reform is missing.

18. Critical Success Factors
Strong Political and Administrative Leadership
Availability of funds and human resources
Clearly identified goals and benefits
Significant Process Re-engineering required
Detailed Project Management
Ownership by people who are most affected
Adopt established standards and protocols – minimize customization
In-source Analysis and outsource design, software development, data preparation, training, etc.
Manage change process-unfreeze, move-refreeze
Invest in training all stake holders on application and its use
Explore Public Private Partnership
Create awareness of how things have changed for clients
Think Big, start small, evaluate and learn, scale up and evaluate

19. Enablers of e-Government
20 % Technology + 35 % BPR / GPR +
40 % CM and CB + 5% Luck !

20. Risk Factors for Sustainability
Not implemented in a context of wider change / administrative reform.
Inadequate ICT infrastructure and enabling policies.
Poor costing or lack of resources-creeping commitments.
Short tenure of implementers and hurried implementation.
Management of change-resistance from vested interests.
Use of untested fancy technologies.
Inadequate attention to monitoring and evaluation.

21. Key Challenges in Moving Ahead
Designing projects to deliver value
Making projects sustainable
Expanding the coverage to multiple departments
Providing services in the rural areas
Enhancing impacting on transparency and corruption
Organizing for scaling up

22. Organization for implementing e-Government
A champion at the political level
Ministerial level co-ordination committees
A central support group
Departmental champions and co-ordination committee
Institution for training / CB
Private sector partners

23. Centralized versus decentralized Approach
Type of Approach
Strengths
Pitfalls
Centrally Coordinated and executed e.g. UID
Can benefit from the authority of a strong central leader
Can encompass all components of ICT development
Leads to improved utilization of resources-shared infrastructure
Adherence to standards facilitates data sharing and integration
Donor coordination is easier
Scaling up pilots is easier
Projects can have a tighter fit with overall development strategy
Lack of departmental ownership may thwart significant changes
Local initiative and innovation potential is curbed
Project becomes complex and increases chances of implementation failure
Decentralized e.g.
Many States in India
Departmental ownership-easier to re-engineer and implement
Quicker to implement
Breeds innovative uses
Demonstration effect is quicker
Applications can evolve and improve quickly
Projects can benefit from attention of political leadership-easier to de-bottleneck
Flexibility in administrative arrangements
Quality is hinged to the capability of the champion
Sustainability can be hurt due to change in leadership
Data sharing is difficult
Variable quality of design as standards are not followed
Applications may be out of tune with an accepted development plan or direction of reform

24. Role of the Central Support Group
Assessing and enhancing preparedness
Developing a strategy and implementation plan
Resources for re-engineering, application development and change management
Guidelines, standards and best practices
Developing public private partnership
Identifying departmental champions
Monitoring progress and impact
Overseeing a few key projects
Building / managing shared infrastructure

25. Time to think…
Is e-Government just the next “new and greatest” government solution? OR
Is it really going to make a difference?

26. e-Governance is an investment for tomorrow…
Remember…
e-Governance is an investment for tomorrow…
…at today’s expense