www.e-envoy.gov.uk

John Borras

Director Technology Policy

Interoperability Standards for e-Government in UK

Our e-Gov vision (04/2000)

• We are in the middle of an Information revolution which is changing the way we work and live

• The UK to be at the forefront of the new global knowledge economy – this is vital for our future prosperity

• We must ensure that everyone in our society benefits from the new technology and economy

• But we need to change the way we think and operate

e- Government Leadership

e-Envoy Andrew Pinder

Supported by the e-Champions Network across government

e-Minister in Cabinet

Patricia Hewitt

Prime Minister

e-Government Minister

Douglas Alexander

the service delivery challenge

• Deliver all government services online by 2005 with key services achieving high levels of use

• Over 66% of our services are now on line

• So what’s the problem?

The Target

We still have some major challenges

• Risk of non delivery

• Risk of non use

• Risk of excessive cost

• Identity and Authentication

• Data Sharing

Local AuthoritiesDepartmental

SystemsOther Public

sector Systems

Channels

CentralInfrastructure

Citizen &Businesses

Government Systems

GSI

Government Gateway

Private Sector Portals

Government portalwww.directgov.gov.ukLocal

Authority Portals

Multiple Access Channels

DTV Mobile Call Centre PC

Users

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e-Government service delivery infrastructure

Portals

Standards - Why e-GIF?

Joined-up Government needs Joined-up Information Systems

• e-GIF sets out the government’s policy and standards for interoperability across the public sector

• Focuses on 5 aspects:• Interconnectivity

• Data integration

• Access

• Content management

• Business Domains

e-GIF – Headline Decisions

• Adopts Internet and World Wide Web Standards for all public sector systems

• Adopts XML as the key standard for data interchange

• Makes the Browser the key interface for access and manipulation of all information

• Assign Metadata to government information• Adopts open, international standards that are

well supported by the market• Internet based Implementation Strategy

through UK GovTalk website

e-GIF - Interconnectivity

• Specifications for systems interconnection

– HTTP, E-mail, Directory, Domain Naming, File Transfer,

LAN/WAN, Security

• Policy for migrating to IPv6

• Policy on future use of Web Based Services

– SOAP, UDDI, WSDL

e-GIF - Data Integration

• Specifications for data integration – XML compliance with W3C Recommendations

– XML, XML Schemas, XSL, UML, UTF-8, XML Signatures

• Data Standards

• Policy for future use of Xforms for forms based e-services

Adopting XML Schemas for e-Service delivery

Two alternatives:

• Use international schemas, eg ebXML, XBRL, where appropriate. – Those adopted are listed in e-GIF

• Write own schemas for specific government services, eg tax return filing, passport applications

– Using data standard fragments– Those we’ve written are available on GovTalk

e-GIF - Content Management

• Specifications for content management

– e-GMS, GCL, Data Standards, XML Schemas

• e-GMS based on Dublin Core with additional elements to support government information

– Records management

– Data Protection Act requirements

– Freedom of Information requirements

– e-Services

e-GIF - Information Access

• Specifications for information access – HTML, document types, presentation types, spreadsheet

types, UNICODE, Graphics, Scripting, Audio, Animation,

• Specs vary for each channel device

– DTV, PCs, Mobiles, PDAs

• Specifications for smart cards

e-GIF - Business Domains

• Specifications for business domains of government

– finance, procurement, HR, voting, legal, learning,

• Specs are at various stages of maturity

– e-GIF adoption indicated under “Status” heading in

table 10

• OeE running ad-hoc working groups to study maturity, market take-up, international adoption, etc

• e-GIF is mandated for all UK Public Sector Systems

• e-GIF Compliance Assessment Service

– Operated by NCC on behalf of OeE

– e-GIF Skills Accreditation

– NCC setting up new Accreditation Authority

e-GIF - Implementation

UK GovTalk Provides

• Interoperability and Metadata Standards

• XML Schemas

• Government Data Standards

• Government Category List

• e-Service Development Framework

• Change Control Procedures

• Discussion Forum

• RFC and RFP on a global business

• Other ICT frameworks

www.govtalk.gov.uk

e-GIF Governance

Industry Consultation

Group(Industry &

Government)

InteroperabilityWorking Group

e-Government Programme Board

MetadataWorking

Group

Gov’t ProcessesWorking

Group

Gov’t SchemasWorking

Group

SmartCards

Working Group

e-GIF – the International Dimension

• European e-GIF – Project underway to support pan-European

services

– OeE representing UK

– Using UK e-GIF as basis

• OeE working with major standards bodies, eg BSI, OASIS, W3C– chair OASIS e-Government Technical Committee

– chair OASIS Election & Voter Services Technical Committee

www.e-envoy.gov.uk

OASIS e-GovernmentTechnical Committee

Overview & Progress

Committee Membership

• Approx 150 to date• Many Governments and their agencies

– UK, USA, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Malaysia, Korea, Australia, New Zealand

• ICT suppliers – small and large• Members of other OASIS TCs and

other Standards Bodies• Individuals

Deliverables

• Recommended standards for delivery of e-Government Services Either existing standards, or enhancements of

existing ones, or new ones,

• Best Practice, Case Studies

• Pilots

• Specifications for support tools

e-Government : benefits of using Open Standards

• More choice of products and suppliers

• Less dependency on a single supplier

• Avoid proprietary lock-in

• Stability or reduction in costs

• Accommodate future changes more easily

e-Government TC : Who will benefit?

• Governments planning to deliver electronic services using Internet technology.

• Governments planning to develop inter-agency and/or inter-government transactions.

• Governments seeking to ensure the interoperability of current and future computer systems.

• Governments ensuring the standards are not just developed for the benefit of the private sector.

• ICT suppliers to government should be able to contain their development costs because of standardization.

• Citizens and businesses will benefit from a more coherent delivery of government services both within and across national boundaries.

Asia/Pacific Branch

• Workshop yesterday to organise TC sub-committee for Asia/Pacific

• Ensure participation from this region

• Share your best practice

• Address your priorities

• Please join!

UK e-Gov - Next Steps

• Develop Enterprise Architecture for whole of government

• Set standards for Back Office systems and infrastructure

• Ensure interoperability between back and front office

• Define future data architecture for government

• Develop shared service centres and self service facilities

Summary

• UK’s e-government strategy is about harnessing the information revolution to improve the lives of our citizens and the performance of UK’s economy

• Delivering e-government, building the knowledge economy and delivering pervasive access is going to require pervasive technologies – that’s the Internet and XML

• The delivery requires the involvement of, acceptance by and partnership with the public and private sectors, in the development and implementation of the e-GIF

www.e-envoy.gov.uk

Thank You

john.borras@e-envoy.gsi gov.uk

www.govtalk.gov.uk