In the Techniques section:
Techniques
Avoiding eTransparency Failure: Ideas About Overall Vision/Strategy
This page offers ideas about how to address one factor identified as important to the success or failure of e-transparency projects. Follow this link for more information about such factors (and some related case examples).
Idea 1: Ensure Your eTransparency Strategy Has A Sound Underlying Architecture
To create a building, you need a sound underlying architecture for that building, based on an architect's plan. The same is true for e-transparency. The 'architecture' for e-transparency consists of five elements:
- Data architecture: an overall plan for the data items (and their relationships) necessary to deliver e-transparency.
- Process architecture: a plan of the key activities that e-transparency will support and undertake.
- Technology architecture: how computers will be sized and connected for e-transparency, and an outline of the software to be used.
- Data management architecture: how data input, processing, storage and output functions will be divided across the information technology architecture.
- Management architecture: the policies, standards, human resource systems, management structures, financial systems, etc. necessary to support e-transparency.
As noted below, all of this needs to be set within the broader context of a wider e-government strategy.
(From: Richard Heeks & Alan Mitchell)
Idea 2: Don't Let Strategy Become Detached From Local Realities
In an overall sense, e-transparency strategy asks three questions:
- "Where are we now?" (Here)
- "Where do we want to get to?" (There)
- "How do we get from here to there?"
The danger is that asking such questions ignores local realities, creating a hypothetical vision of "There" that can never be achieved. Government is only one player: rather than thinking it can design its environment, it should instead design TO its environment. This means infusing question 1 with a sense of where clients (e.g. local citizens, local businesses, local communities, local NGOs, local agencies) currently are: their current rates of ICT access and use; their current needs; their current priorities for transparency and accountability. It means infusing question 2 with a true sense of where those clients are headed: forecast trends in ICTs, needs, priorities, etc. By doing this, you create a realistic rather than idealistic e-transparency strategy.
Another way of putting all this is to say that e-transparency strategy designs must take good account of existing realities.
(From: Horace Mitchell)
Idea 3: Set Clear "Go/No Go" Criteria
Thinking in a high-level, strategic manner, work out a set of criteria for decision-making about e-transparency projects. What criteria will you use to decide whether or not an e-transparency project should be supported and funded? What criteria will you use to decide that a project - once funded - will be abandoned?
(From: Horace Mitchell)
Idea 4: Fit eTransparency Into A Broader Structured Strategy Exercise
The diagram below summarises a step-by-step approach to the creation of strategy. eTransparency should be seen as part of a broader e-government strategy which, in turn, should itself be seen as the servant of a broader good governance vision for reform. Thus an 'e-transparency strategy exercise' should really be seen firstly as an exercise in good governance strategy; second as an exercise in e-government strategy; and only thirdly as something specific to e-transparency.
(From: Richard Heeks)
Idea 5: Integrate And Sequence Transparency Changes
As Idea 4 makes clear, e-transparency isn't just about technology: adding ICTs to a badly-run government will just create a high-tech, badly-run government. To deliver the goal of transparency, technological change has a role, but you must also change cultures, processes, skills, etc. in an integrated manner. Sometimes, this requires sequencing, with institutional strengthening coming before you try to introduce the 'e' component.
(From: Moshtaq Ahmed)
Idea 6: Do Something
Don't become so wrapped up in visions and strategies that you never actually do anything. And don't let strategy-making be an excuse for inaction. Small, useful e-transparency projects can proceed alongside strategy, and can create knowledge that feeds into strategy-making.
(From: Lishan Adam)
Online Resources:
Follow this link to access online resources on e-transparency strategy.