eGovernment policy testing and design tool

eGovernment is an Information System that is dynamically complex, due to the dynamic interactions among the system and individuals, groups, organizations and even other arms of the government. Yet, only few mathematical modelling frameworks have dealt with that, leading to a basic need for a decision support tool based on a robust scientific methodology, that enables decision maker to take informed decisions.

The objective of this part of the eGovMon project is to build an eGovernment policy testing and design tool, based on a System Dynamics simulation model. Users of this tool should be able to test their conceived policies and possible decisions in terms of suggesting new values for the control variables (instruments) of the eGovernment system, and realize how could their decision affect the overall performance of the system in terms of the four main eGovMon indicators.

Users of the tool will be able to build what if scenarios to compare different sets of policies, aiming at decreasing the design reality gap. What if scenarios involve changing one or more of the parameters associated with the model and observing the effects of this change. By observing, or speculating on, the possible effects of the change, assumptions about the model and hence the system can be uncovered, and implications of different policies can be explored.

The use of simulation models should not be limited in the area of eGovernment policy design. Still, the models are known not only to facilitate investigations of the effect a particular policy intervention may have on the overall, long-term system performance, but also to support effectively discussions among the stakeholders. This could be valuable to increase citizen participation.

Additionally, System Dynamics models can aid in enhancing users' mental models – understanding – about the system by giving them more deep insights into the system's underlying causal structure captured in the model.

The tool is planned to allow for aggregations of the measurement results on different levels starting from a local municipality up to region and country level. This can support policy development and monitoring of policy implementation on those levels.

The tool will use data collected by the eGovMon project, in addition, National Norwegian sources like Statistics Norway could be relevant.

Planned activities

  • Prepare a state of the art paper on use of modelling in eGovernment.
  • Prepare a document on data and data sources that could be useful for the eGovernment Policy Testing and Design Tool.