Switzerland's web application, a pilot project mapping eGovernment services in cantons and communes, is successfully raising awareness on the country's eGovernment programme. The eGovernment Map presents Swiss authorities with an overview of the eGovernment services along technical, geographical and organizational dimensions.
The pilot lets providers of eGovernment solutions to update the information on their solutions, adding references to recommended interoperability standards and to the authorities already using these solutions. Authorities validate the data and manage online eGovernment contact point information.
“eGovernment Switzerland” is a joint program of the confederation, the cantons and the communes, enabling near-citizen services of the public administration. “eGovernment Map Switzerland” project is an outcome of a 2013 survey, that showed the programme was not widely known at commune level.
Policy Context
The Federal Council adopted a national eGovernment strategy in early 2007. The eGovernment strategy Switzerland was developed in close cooperation with the cantons and the municipalities by the Federal IT Steering Unit. The strategy aligns the efforts of the Confederation, the cantons, and the municipalities and sets principles and instruments for implementation. The implementation of the strategy is decentralised with coordination handled by the Steering Unit and Programme Office.
eGovernment Switzerland is the joint program of the confederation, the cantons and the communes. The Framework Convention of 2008 on this eGovernment cooperation expires at the end of 2015. In this context, the Steering Unit is further developing the institutional basis for collaboration on eGovernment in 2016.
Description of target users and groups
The project is aimed at the implementers of e-Government projects in cantons and municipalities. It provides information on the implementation and deployment of e-government services. Providers of government solutions can reference their solutions and products and present themselves on the Map as e-Government stakeholders.
The platform provides media, research institutions and others easy access to up-to-date information about the e-Government services.
Description of the way to implement the initiative
A pilot version of e-Government Map (E-Government-Landkarte) was launched in May 2014.
Based on information collected in an initial survey in 2013 , 48 government services in 26 cantons and 394 of the country’s 2324 municipalities are described in the current pilot version of the e-Government Map, together with technical solutions and their providers. If the pilot is successful, the e-Government Map will likely be expanded to other government services and to all of Switzerland as from 2016.
The Map describes eGovernment services and solutions, presenting information in four categories:
- authority service
- technological solution
- place of implementation: canton or commune
- ICT provider of the solution
The Programme Office of eGovernment Switzerland maintains the list of services and their providers on the platform. Providers can register with a valid UID (identification number) on the platform of the Programme office. After registration by E-Mail to administrator.landkarte@egovernment.ch, providers can modify their profile and list their services on the platform. After the approval of the providers’ services by the concerned authority, the administrator of the E-Government-Map can publish the information on the Map.
Technology solution
The Map eGovernment Switzerland is based on the inventory of eCH 0070 services of the authorities. The document eCH-0070 is the result of implementing the eCH-0073 standard: the directive for describing public administration performance in Switzerland. The standard targets process managers and enterprise architects.
Data from different sources is used in the web application:
- The electronic availability and implementation of the services inventoried
- The Swiss authority managing the service, with data from "the directory of the Swiss authorities" operated by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.
- Data from the standards repository of the eCH association – which promotes and adopts eGovernment standards in Switzerland.
The eGovernment Map describes which eCH recommended standards are implemented in the online services. These recommendations correspond to eCH standards that must be met when developing an eGovernment application. The online Map links the referenced standards to the current version of the standard on the eCH site.
The 2013 survey showed that most ICT service providers use the eCH standards.
The platform will provide linked government data (see Linked Data Service LINDAS) as from 2016.
Technology choice: Standards-based technology
Main results, benefits and impacts
Benefits include providing transparency about the implementation of eGovernment in the authorities in accordance with the standardised catalogue of administrative services. With easier access to information on existing solutions, best practices and contacts, authorities can identify possible synergies and use this information for decision-making and prioritisation. The Map provides an overview of recommended eCH standards for each administrative service.
ICT providers document the interoperability of their solutions on the basis of eCH standards. They reference online their solutions to potential future clients.
Researchers, media, policy makers, businesses and citizens use the eGovernment Map to simply obtain specialist information.
The results of the pilot are considered successful. According to Steering Unit, “there is a pleasant acceptance by authorities and providers”. The Map has 400 visitors per month, and the need for support is decreasing. Since the pilot’s start, the services listed, the data provided by the solution providers, the number of municipalities and cantons involved have increased.
The pilot shows also that there is some room for improvement. The validation process is still too complex for instance. Usability and import of data can be improved. New features are planned for 2016, and include the use of Linked Data Services supporting automatic collection of data.
Return on investment
Return on investment: Not applicable / Not available
Lessons learnt
In 2012, a comprehensive survey was needed about projects in process, at all levels of government. The resulting 2013 survey showed that eGovernment was not a high priority at all levels of government.
With easier access to information using the eGovernment Map, the obstacles for introducing new eGovernment services can be removed.
Thanks to the Map, the authorities are not those gathering and providing data on the eGovernment solutions, saving time. The solutions and their implementation will be covered by the providers of these solutions. The authorities only have to confirm the correctness of the data by means of a workflow. Providers have an interest in the compilation of their solutions on the public eGovernment map and the authorities are relieved of work.
By recommending eCH standards when implementing electronic administrative services, standardisation and know-how are actively promoted. Providers indicate which standards were implemented in their solutions. Future clients in the administration can then better assess the interoperability of planned solutions.
In terms of coordination and implementation at the strategic level, the Map is a valuable information instrument which highlights trends and gaps.
At the technical level, the map integrates existing data sources and structuring standards. Their further development will be supported by the map infrastructure.
The eGovernment map is a use-case for the development of innovative models; it exemplifies the use of linked data at the technical level and showcases Public Private Partnership at the organisational level.
The funding of the pilot by the Action Plan helped accelerate its implementation.
Scope: Local (city or municipality), National, Regional (sub-national)