IT

This report evaluates the use of biometrics in governmental organizations as well as the private sector. It makes recommendations on how biometrics can be implemented effectively. A key lesson is that organizations need to develop a clear business case that explains the need for biometrics. Technology and E-Government

Public services are traditionally delivered through a number of government agencies via programs that are not connected to each other. In the midst of this decentralized fragmentation, two trends - a citizen-centric philosophy and network model of service delivery - are driving demands to integrate the delivery of citizen-oriented services across levels of government. The rapid increase in technology allows this new collaborative approach to service design and delivery to be a successful substitute for the old hierarchical approach.

Traditional plan-driven software development has been widely used in the government because it's considered to be less risky, more consistent, and structured. But there has been a shift from this approach to Agile methods which are more flexible, resulting in fast releases by working in an incremental fashion to adapt to the reality of the changing or unclear requirements.

Boeltzig and Pilling identified specific groups of people who typically are not connected to the Internet and examined the circumstances of each - rural, poor, disabled, seniors, and ethnic minorities. They focused on how these groups of people, such as homebound individuals, could benefit most from using online government services. They also identified technical as well as social barriers that limit access. Their recommendations are aimed at both increasing access for these targeted groups and increasing use by individuals in the targeted groups.

A confluence of factors has recently made municipal wireless networks (MWNs) an increasingly feasible and attractive option for municipal governments seeking to promote more equitable and universal access to the Internet within their communities. To provide a better understanding of this approach, this report describes the drivers and inhibitors to MWNs. These insights are based on a case study of the development of the Philadelphia municipal wireless network, illustrating the practical application of the MWN concept and specific lessons learned from the Philadelphia experience.

Dr. Wyld examines the phenomenon of blogging in the context of the larger revolutionary forces at play in the development of the second-generation Internet, where interactivity among users is key. This is also referred to as "Web 2.0." Wyld observes that blogging is growing as a tool for promoting not only online engagement of citizens and public servants, but also offline engagement. He describes blogging activities by members of Congress, governors, city mayors, and police and fire departments in which they engage directly with the public.

This report examines five diverse case studies in which collaboration depended on the effective use of information technology. The authors assess the political, administrative, and technical challenges that occurred in each of these five case studies and find commonalities across the cases in both the challenges faced and lessons learned. They conclude, "Interestingly, the technical challenges tended to be the least difficult to surmount...."

In less than a decade, the number of taxpayers filing their tax returns electronically has gone from 20 percent in 1998 to 57 percent in 2006. In evaluating the IRS e-file program, Dr. Holden uses an "innovation adoption model" to describe what the IRS did to increase taxpayers’ use of the e-file system. Holden provides new and valuable insights into key factors involved in the successful adoption of e-services. He identifies the critical challenges and key steps that agencies can take in assessing their approach to adopting innovative ways of delivering services.

Since 1998, the IBM center for The Business of Government has been studying the substantial changes that are under way at all levels of government within the United States and in other nations across the world. These changes are being driven by a series of new imperatives in the United States. Fortunately, there is now a set of trends that seems to be responding to these imperatives and is leading to more results-oriented government.