Perhaps you've noticed the billboards, magazine ads or other media that have been touting the availability of online Canadian government resources If you haven't noticed yet, chances are you will soon, as the Canadian government has captured the attention of the world and has been ranked the best e-government for the third straight year.
In the fourth annual survey conducted by global consulting firm Accenture, Canada finished first among 22 governments monitored. Each of the examined countries was judged according to the extent and complexity of their respective government's Web site.
Higher-ranking scores were given to countries with Web sites that offered advanced functions to visitors, including offering citizens the opportunity to go online and complete transactions, such as calculating and paying taxes.
Countries that scored lower in the survey had set up Web sites but the functions available to citizens through the sites were limited only to viewing information as opposed to interactive functions.
When gathering information for the rankings, Accenture researchers conducted online tests of the government Web sites to determine the quality of the information and services provided. The researchers considered factors such as the publication of information, electronic interaction and transaction quality between the government and users of the Web page.
Interviews were conducted with executive representatives within governments to obtain a clearer indication of their government's e-development level of sophistication.
The information obtained was compiled so each government could be categorized into one of five plateaus, with each plateau representing their respective level of online maturity.
The first plateau was the lowest overall maturity and a government Web site that represents little more than just an online presence.
A government ranked in the fifth plateau, considered the highest, represents the highest maturity level and provides the best overall online service transformation.
For the first time, Canada scored in the fifth plateau this year. The move upward in the ranking can likely be attributed to the increased focus on providing online interactive services to Canadians and an overall internal reorganization within the Canadian government to facilitate better online access.
The extra services include online tax filing, employment opportunities and benefit information -- all considered to be of the highest importance to Canadians.
Canada ranked ahead of such countries as Australia, Denmark, Singapore and the U.S., which all provide online services capable of being ranked in the third or fourth plateaus.
The higher Canadian ranking should be seen as a significant dividend reaped from the Canadian governments annual injection of $880 million into e-government services.
While the Accenture survey was focused solely on federal government Web sites, Canadians can be sure to expect more online services to be provided by provincial governments and other government-owned subsidiaries.
Quelle: The London Free Press
