All governments aspire to the nirvana that technology is supposed to deliver – making the lives of its citizens easier and businesses more successful by connecting us all together. This is no more so than the current government who from the start in 1997 made e-Gov a centre piece of their policy. But the future could be more inspiring and fulfilling if the government took steps to realise the value of the information it holds, writes Tony Crowhurst, FSN senior writer.
This ambition has continued unabated through various pronouncements including in 2005 the Cabinet Office document Connecting the UK: the Digital Strategy which was prefaced by a statement from Tony Blair and the Secretary of State:
“This Government has always recognised the impact that information and communication technology can have on our everyday lives, at home and at work. We have worked successfully with industry and invested in a range of ground-breaking programmes to transform the UK from a poor relation to a digitally rich nation in just a few years. We now have a world-leading position in digital TV. We have the most extensive – and one of the most competitive – broadband markets in the G7. And virtually all households in the UK are within easy-reach of a UK online centre where they can access the internet in a safe, secure and supportive environment.”
It is certainly true that we are much better connected than we were 10 years ago, however, whether government policy drove this technological leap or not is up for debate. What is clear is that we are now in a new stage of technological advancement – with broadband capability growing and capacity stretched to almost breaking point, our “world leading” position is under threat.
As the above quote amplifies, nobody can doubt the zeal of government in this arena – it’s in the delivery that the report card shows worrying signs.
Various attempts have been made to digitise our lives some successfully (e.g. car tax renewals) whilst others (for instance, ID cards) have been less successful. In the business arena the push has been faster with electronic filing of VAT (April 2010) and Corporation Tax Returns (April 2011) now a reality for most.
What happens to all that information? Of course, it is stored and eventually becomes part of Official Statistics but it’s not readily available. For public bodies such as the Bank of England, HMRC and the EU, government realises that it is absolutely critical to the successful running of the state but it does not place the same value on that data may deliver in terms of what it may deliver to the providers of that information. If it was available online in edited form to businesses it would become an invaluable tool.
Being able to spot trends in (e.g.) VAT paid on computers by month would help organisations flex their plans. Understanding how many Vauxhall Vectra’s were sold in Cardiff in May 2009 (for instance) would also be a boon to other bodies including local councils who could plan roads and parking spaces.
Managed appropriately it could also be a revenue stream with a certain level of free services and then premium options for more detailed content.
BI vendors should become involved as they could tailor the information and aggregate it with other sources of data. These BI vendors all have the capability to deploy their services in the cloud and there is huge monetary value in this statistical information. If government plays its cards right it could outsource the analysis and delivery at no cost. But for that to happen there needs to be a step change in how government deals with us.
Unfortunately, as with VAT and Corporation Tax data, government fails to quantify the value of the information it stores and how that information could be utilised to make the UK more agile and more competitive.
Rupert George, who runs a site called eGov Monitor (www.egovmonitor.com) explains: “All too often, public-sector investment in technology has been wasted by administrations unable to tackle the cultural change necessary to realise its potential.”
If we are to embrace online technology there are four key actions that government needs to take. Firstly, the state needs to personalise the services that it offers. Simply putting a user-friendly front on a collection of government agencies that remain deeply inefficient is not the solution. It may be scary but if we had an e-Gov page that reminded us about doctor’s appointments and deadlines for tax returns/refunds we may see some value. If it also allowed us to email the relevant department and receive a meaningful response then we may start taking it a little more seriously. In turn it would validate the investment.
Second, it has to provide round-the-clock access – government needs to move away from the 8am to 6 pm concept – the private sector does not work like that and neither should government.
Next, we need to make those public services not only easy to use but also secure. You probably know what your login is for your online banking is but do you know your Unique Taxpayer ID? Part of this is a technological challenge as Kim Cameron (an Identity and Access Architect for Microsoft) points out: “There is no consistent and comprehensible framework allowing them {users} to evaluate the authenticity of the sites they visit ... they don’t have a reliable way of knowing when they are disclosing private information to illegitimate parties. At the same time they {the users} lack a framework for controlling or even remembering the many different aspects of their digital existence.”
Finally, we need to ensure that we do not exclude those who do not wish to become part of the digital world. Not having a computer is not a disability and should not be a stigma. In fact by utilising public spaces such as libraries we can bring the unconnected together with the connected and enhance social contact between generations.
It’s a tall challenge but with the anticipated squeeze on public finances around the corner, government needs to take a leap in faith and truly reconnect us all to Government.
