Conceptualizing and Preplanning for a Digital Government Project

A digital government project is often thought to begin with the implementation of a new technology or new information systems. However, prior experience and research have shown that it is important to understand the problem at hand and the context in which the problem exists. It is possible to argue that the planning that occurs before the start of a digital government initiative is even more important for success than its development and implementation processes. It is important to clarify that when we talk about conceptualizing and preplanning in this chapter, we are referring to a series of steps at the very beginning of a project, which generate valuable information in order to increase the probability of success; this information includes (1) the definition of the problem, (2) the identification of stakeholders (or interested groups), (3) the creation of scenarios with solution alternatives, and (4) the evaluation of said scenarios according to risk, cost, and the benefits they can potentially generate. What is most important is the understanding that information technologies are not the only solution to complex public problems and are unlikely to be an end in and of themselves. Within the context of a digital government project, information technologies are a very important component, but they require a complementary series of changes in the organizational structure and processes and in the public policy and laws that affect the project both directly or indirectly. Thus, the individual responsible for a digital government project needs to consider all such elements and become a facilitator and leader of a diverse project team. This chapter describes each of the steps necessary to conceptualize and preplan for a digital government project and argues that these kinds of activities are the foundation for developing a successful project in the long term.