A Public Value Impact Assessment Framework for Digital Governance

Impact assessmentsImpact assessment have long been used for policy evaluationPolicy evaluation as well as for assessing (emerging) technologies. Within the field of Digital GovernanceDigital Governance, impact assessments are often used to analyze policy implications or to assess the impact of technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence on public services. Furthermore, within this research field, impact is expected to not only include economic impact, but also deliver public valuePublic value and address societal challenges. Therefore, impact assessments performed need to take into account a broad, and sometimes conflicting, range of impacts, requiring tailored impact indicators and frameworks for measurement. This chapter presents an Impact Assessment Framework for Digital Governance aimed at measuring public value. Using three exemplary case studies we demonstrate its use for policy makers as well as for scholars aiming to understand the policy context of Digital Governance. The three cases were carried out using action research combining an analysis of policy, organization, and technology elements of government-to-businessGovernment-to-business and government-to-citizensGovernment-to-citizens public servicesPublic services. Based on these cases we present six findings that need to be taken into account when performing public value impact assessments within Digital Governance.