E-Government: How’s It Working?

Generally, I loathe government Web sites. With few exceptions, I find them to be convoluted, jargon-filled, user-unfriendly, and difficult to navigate. Plus, server errors and broken links seem especially rampant on government sites.

Still, government sites tend to be more convenient and marginally more helpful than visiting or calling government agencies, in my experience – at least when I just want to get information or a form, not to try to resolve a problem. I would definitely rather search an online library for a form and download it than wrestle on the phone with an ill-informed bureaucrat who will then fax me precisely the wrong document.

It seems like my assessment of interacting with the US government online is not unusual. On May 24 the Pew Internet & American Life Project released a report, How Americans Get in Touch with Government, which “…takes stock of how e-government is faring by placing e-gov in the context of the other ways people get in touch with government, such as telephone calls, in-person visits, and letters.”

The bottom line? “Users say that e-gov improves their relationship with government. It is important to note, however, that there is no independent effect of Internet use on the chances of success with government.” Also, the report says that Americans still tend to use traditional channels of contact (phone calls or in-person visits) more than online channels (Web or e-mail) when dealing with government.

In other words, dealing with the US government remains frustrating, whether online or offline. It’s just easier to establish government contact online.

It doesn’t have to be so frustrating, though….

Tom Russo’s recent article, Usability on Government Websites – no more excuses now, lists several options to improve not just the usability but also the content of government Web sites.

Tom Braman wrote recently in GovTechNews that leadership is what’s needed to make e-government truly successful and popular. US. Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, appears in this article to be trying to provide that kind of leadership – but he just doesn’t seem to have Al Gore’s passion for the topic.

Ed Trimble wrote in Federal Computer Weekly that lack of funding is undermining the success of e-government. Personally I have my doubts about this, since I’ve seen fabulously successful online publishing and communication efforts done on a shoestring budget.

What it mainly takes to succeed, I think, is making successful communication a high priority, starting small and learning as your grow, and (above all) listening to what your audience or consistuency is telling you they want or need from you online. No amount of money can compensate for any lack in these areas – and so far most US government agencies are sorely lacking in all of these areas.

The larger issue, of course, is that it’s almost impossible to communicate clearly via any channel on matters that are inherently convoluted, complex, and even contradictory. Until the bureaucracy of government can find ways to simplify its own programs, structure, and procedures, I suspect that dealing with the US government (online or otherwise) will continue to be a challenge.

My tax dollars at work, folks….