Accenture's fifth annual global e-government study

eGovernment for service transformation
Tad Anderson, associate administrator for eGovernment and IT, shares his thoughts on the role of eGovernment
in transforming service delivery in the United States.
What is the US government’s goal for eGovernment
The president’s vision for eGovernment is guided by three principles. Government should be citizen centered,
results oriented and market based.
How does your eGovernment program fit into this picture of broader service transformation
There has to be the proper application of technology. You have to think in terms of how do we transform...
Without centralized eGovernment, you see agencies applying “e” wherever they think it’s appropriate.
What are some of the biggest challenges in developing cohesive eGovernment
Any time you meet with an agency, they say, “We’re different. We can’t collaborate to accomplish this goal—
our mission is different, our agency is different.” You hear that from everyone. This is partially for some
legitimate reasons. But it’s also a fear of change—fear of losing control over ownership of the system.
What lessons have you learned about eGovernment to date
The challenge is not the technology. That’s the easy part. It’s change management issues...that are difficult.
What will eGovernment look like if you are successful
What is fun to think about is what it would look like if it were based on service delivery…There is a common
perception among businesses and citizens that if I am calling the government to do something it wants me
to do, I don’t care where the answer comes from, someone should be able to give me the answer.
What happens 10 years from now when eGovernment is the norm, when citizens expect to get their service
from Firstgov.gov If we do it right, we will be out of a job!
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