Using the Web to improve government services

The Promise of eGovernment Jeff Jaffe <jeff@w3.org>

Overview
Goals and Challenges of eGovernment
A Web agenda for government
The value of standards and W3C's role

Goals of eGovernment
Empower citizens
Increase trust
Improve efficiency / lower cost
Government-to-Citizen
Government-to-Business
Government-to-Government
W3C report: Improving Access through BetterUse of the Web

Expectations for eGovernment
Digital access is becoming a “right” not a privilege
Government must keep up with other sectors of society regarding user expectations
Digital infrastructure is critical infrastructure
Digital infrastructure key to cost-cutting (e.g., smart grid, Web as flexible distribution channel)

Challenges
Social
status quo inertia, laws may need to change
factionalism and vested interests, fear of job loss
diverse tools, skills of target audiences
Big Brother shadow
Technology
integration of technology (wifi, rdfid, biometric, TV, mobile, ...)
rapidly changing technology landscape
tools usability
accessibility

A Web Agenda for Government
Regulatory Environment
Net neutrality, broadband, privacy, ...
Good Governance
Accountability, transparency, participation, government leadership ...
Digital Inclusion
Accessibility, usability, aging population, ...
Efficiency
Easier collaboration, lower costs through open standards, easy growth path, ...

The Value of Open Standards
Lowers costs (seamless integration)
Promotes reuse of data (colleagues, departments, agencies, citizens, companies, other governments, other partners)
Promotes longevity of information
Shifts focus from software to data (avoiding vendor lock-in)
Encourages research

W3C and eGovernment
Create standards of interest to government
Convene relevant communities (policy-makers, data experts, citizens)
Good practices (see our technical reports )
Education and Outreach
Tim Berners-Lee direct work with UK, US govts
Egovernment Interest Group
Participation in conferences

Web Standards of Interest
Web for ubiquitous services
Browser as application platform (HTML5, CSS, SVG, ...)
Linked Data (Semantic Web)
Mobile Web
Accessibility (WCAG), Internationalization
Privacy, Security
...in other words, much of what we do

Web 1.0: Browsing
URLS + HTTP + HTML
Passive experience; no interaction
Limited bandwidth
Few devices (no mobile)

Web 1.0 for Government
Document distribution
Online forms (tax returns, grant applications)
Public notifications (holidays, service announcements)

Web 2.0: Interaction
Same architecture + CSS + Javascript + Flash
People (user content)
Bandwidth (video, ...)
Explosion of devices (mobile web, ...)
Beginnings of data (mashups)

Citizen-provided data
Campaign tools
Mobile Access (“bus tracker”)
Twitter, blogging, etc.
Lots of success stories, including some dramatic

Internet Response to Haiti Earthquake
World used Open Street Map to locate services
Mobile access to maps helped people on the ground
Image: Open Street Map

Colombian Mission in Haiti Response See more: Tim Berners-Lee's TED talk “ The Year Open Data Went Worldwide “ “ I was able to use OSM maps on my GPS. Thanks to everyone who has helped to upgrade the Port a Prince platform and its environs. After several days of intense work, three (3) lives rescued under the buildings and more than 5,000 patients that Colombian doctors and nurses have treated are another reason to thank all the support silent and anonymous people around the world have provided our humanitarian teams.” FredyRivera

Web 3.0?: Web of Data
Build on Web 2.0
Full integration of linked data into the Web
Highly dynamic, data-driven, user-configurable applications (“Mashups on Steroids”)

Success stories beginning to appear
Open Data Example – Ordnance Survey (UK map data)

Why Linked Open Government Data
Allows machines to do useful work (efficiencies, capabilities)
Well-suited to social realities
Distributed (Web-scale) creation, ownership of data
Data merging (like databases) at global scale (RDF more adapted to merging than XML)
Serendipitous reuse (e.g., cross department)
Evolving data models
Evolving human relations (e.g., changes in groups of people or relations to other groups)

Semantic Web: W3C's Open Standards for Linked Data Linked Open Data cloud

Principles for Public Data
Complete: All Public data is made available online.
Primary: Public data is as collected at the source
Timely: Public data is made available right away
Accessible: Public data is available to all
Machine readable: Public data allow automated processing.
Non-discriminatory: Public data is available to anyone, no registration
Non-proprietary: Public data is encoded using Open Standards.
License-free: Public Data is available at no cost.
More in original open government data paper

W3C eGovernment Activity
Past: W3C held several Workshops on eGovernment
Current: Interest Group with international participation
In discussion: Working Group focused on good practice for publishing data. See early work on publishing open government data

W3C Value Proposition – One Member's view
international organization
track record
patent policy that works
neutral ground to do things that benefit the entire industry
mobile and internet industries both represented
strong academic credentials
participatory and strong staff
developer clout
strong sense of community

W3C Members "...Deutsche Telekom...is an active participant in W3C activities. Deutsche Telekom's Internet Media Technology - using open standards - allows for flexibility and speed in adapting new technologies." "Ericsson is committed to the use and development of W3C Recommendations to continue mobilizing the World Wide Web." "Fujitsu supports many W3C specifications in its products and services." "Nokia sees that contribution to, and adoption of, W3C specifications are essential for widespread use of the Web, with any user device." "We believe the W3C's open, consensus-driven process and associated rigorous public reviews make it uniquely positioned to guide the Web's technical evolution." More Member Testimonials .

W3C Approach to Standards
Work directly with industry, research leaders
Engage global community; liaisons
Maintain vendor neutrality
Coordinate work via expert staff
Provide safe IPR environment
Balance speed, quality, transparency, accountability

Input to the Standards Process
W3C Workshops (Video, Augmented Reality, Privacy, ...)
Member Submissions (WOFF, SPARQL Update, ...)
Many Submissions have moved to Rec track
Incubator Groups (Library Linked Data, Audio, Social Web, ...)
About ½ of XG work moves to Rec Trac
Process includes public feedback, accountability
Research – staff connectivity, research institutes see W3C as bridge from research to standards

Vision for W3C
Strengthen core mission
Make W3C the place for new standards
Drive a global and accessible Web
Increase the value proposition for users

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Using the Web to improve government services

by Israeli Internet Association technology committee on Jun 16, 2010

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Using the Web to improve government services — Presentation Transcript