KPI of the Day – % Government basic services available online

Written by Andrei Costea on April 9, 2021. Posted in News

Definition

Measures the percentage of government services available online from a defined pool of basic government services.

Purpose

To monitor if basic governmental services are interactive, relevant and accessible online for all citizens.

Recommendations

On-line availability of government services indicates advancement to a higher, better adapted governance structure, commonly known as the e-government. This particular form of governance is known to facilitate administrative processes, improve the quality of the services delivered and increase the overall efficiency of the public sector.

A great number of basic services offered online reduces the administrative burden placed on citizens, as well as on businesses, by simplifying their interaction with public authorities and making it more convenient, quick, comfortable and cost-efficient. Digitization of public services has been constantly increasing throughout recent years.

Close monitoring and rigorous reporting on % Government basic services available online is thus implied, if objectives related to modernization are to be achieved. However, a high degree of ICT use does not only require updated equipment and infrastructure, but also a redesign of government structures, processes and procedures.

If implemented correctly, the e-gov format is not only convenient for the beneficiaries, but also for authorities, since it is proven to lead to massive cost savings.

A smooth transition towards digitization within state apparatus environments has to take into consideration the following aspects:

Maintaining access to physical government services, alongside digital ones. Despite the rapid increase in internet users, there are citizens which can or will not use this medium;
Continuously re-thinking and re-designing processes so as to easily adapt to changes;
Ensuring the highest degree possible of protection as far as personal data and privacy are concerned.

This KPI is used by the European Commission. It developed and published a list of 20 public services that need a detailed survey for data gathering.

At a global level, various countries started to implement electronic government, generally known as e-government, due to the potential of these services to improve the convenience, accessibility and quality of interactions with citizens and businesses.

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