University of the Aegean
International experiences on Interoperability
Yannis Charalabidis
Georgian Cyber Security and ICT Innovation Conference
November 28-29, Tbilisi, Georgia
The Greek Interoperability Centre (GIC)
A European Research Infrastructure, supported by the FP7 Programme, launched in 2008
The centre aims at:
• Promoting Interoperability in eGovernment and eBusiness in South-Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean
• Demonstrating state of the art solutions for Interoperability in Digital Public Services
• Contributing to Interoperability Standardisation and Research
• Acting as a dissemination and engagement point for research centres, administrations and enterprises.
• The Centre is already in close collaboration with FOKUS (DE), NCC (UK) and other interoperability excellence centres
Motivation for Interoperability in eGovernment
Too many public organizations that need to cooperate during service provision (i.e. in Greece 20 ministries, 13 prefectures, 52 districts, 330 municipalities, 1800 public admin. organizations, 10000 Governmental “Points of Service” in total)
Not manageable knowledge around the services. Sometimes even the exact number of services cannot be estimated (in Greece: more than 2,000 governmental services)
Many large- and small-scale projects that have not been based on any interoperability standards (need for retrofit)
Most approaches to finding solutions to the interoperability challenges are targeting technical specifications of the proposed systems
We need approaches not stopping in paper-based specifications, but providing a real system supporting interoperability in the public sector
EU initiatives on interoperability
Source: European Commission (2010), European Interoperability Framework (EIF) for European public services Version 2
Interoperability Standardisarion Initiatives
How are public services to be provided
Source: European Commission (2010), European Interoperability Framework (EIF) for European public services Version 2
The Greek National Interoperability Framework
Service Portals Standards Government Systems
Architecture Electronic ID Standards
Interoperability Standards
(Legal, Organisational, Semantic, Technical)
Service Registry Training Material
A systems-supported NIF
Enterprise Architecture /
Organizational Interoperability
(Guidelines for Service Documentation,
Business Process Alignment & Re-engineering ,
Legal Issues)
“Standards & Specifications” Level
Web Portals &
Multi-channel
Access
Specifications
(Accessibility,
Ergonomics,
Structure, GCL)
Technical
Interoperability
Specifications
(Communication,
WS stack, storage
standards,
vertical standards)
Authentication
& Security
Specifications
(eID, Trust levels,
authentication
mechanisms,
encryption)
Computational Architecture /
Technical Interoperability
(System & Components Topology, Design guidelines)
Information Architecture / Semantic Interoperability
(Guidelines for XML, Standard Schemas, Codelists,
Development Tools)
Certification Framework
(For organisations, systems, data and people)
Training Activities (Skills Management,
Training Process, Training Material)
Co-ordination Strategy (Vision and Strategy for
Interoperability & e-Government, Goals & Metrics,
Maturity Matrix & Roadmap for PA)
Co-ordination Activities (Marketing & Comm. Plan, Co-ordination & Acceptance
Mechanisms)
“Coordination” Level
Maintenance Processes (Update, Change Management,
Versioning Processes)
Services &
Processes
Repository
“Systems” Level
Systems Reference
Repository
Web Services
Repository & UDDI
XML Schemas &
Core Components
Repository
Certification Tools
Access &
Collaboration Tools
The Contents of the Interoperability Registry
Interoperability Registry Architecture
Web Services
XML Schemas & Core Components
Services, Documents, Systems &
Organizations Metadata
BPMN Process Models
Process Modeling
Tools (incl. COTS
software)
Ontology Management,
Population & Reporting
Tools
XML Management
Tools (incl. COTS
software)
Services Registry
(Authorized Access)
Common Access Control and Application Engine
Interoperability Framework Web Site
(Free Access)
Registry UDDI Interface
(Limited Access: Systems)
Relational Database Management System
The Interoperability Registry in service composition and provision
How to develop an eGov Interoperability Infrastructure
Phase Α
Analysis of current
situation and of the
international
experience and
practices
Consultation with
contractors of
eGovernment/Interop
erability projects
Draft Version of the
Framework
Phase Β
Consultation with
enterprises and public
organisations
Interoperability registry
development (Metadata
templates and XML
schemas)
First Public Version of
the Framework
Training,dissemination
material
Phase C
XML Schemas,
Codelists development
Incorporation of the
framework in IT
projects and systems
Framework
maintenance from
public organisations
Semi-annual versions
Training of PA staff
The Interoperability Registry in Service Redesign
The Greek eGIF today
500 pages with standards for all levels
eGOV Ontology, XML Schemas for basic public documents
1 public web site
1 interoperability infrastructure (services registry), for administrations
Training Material (9 modules - 3 levels - 200 hrs)
One University Post-graduate course for Framework Experts
Certification Material (for administrations, industries, practitioners, training centres)
10,000 pages supporting documentation
Best eGovernment Paper
Nominee, 42nd HICSS Conference, 1/2009
Lessons Learnt
Nation-wide initiatives for one-stop service provision have to combine content syndicating portals, service registries and relevant standardisation in a coordinated effort.
Service digitization has to be coupled with transformation, in order to ensure service delivery to citizens but also long-term growth and sustainability.
Interoperability standardisation has to be supported by collaborative platforms, than just be in paper format, in order to assist diffusion within the public sector.
Training and dissemination has to get a significant amount of a large eGovernment project effort and budget, as diffusion within the public sector and citizens is of key importance.
Interoperability Infrastructures need to be supported by appropriate changes to the legal framework at national level in order to be applied in e-Government services.
The follow-the-service approach is a very valuable tool, greatly assisting focusing on actual and measurable goals.
More ?
ERMIS results have been effectively promoted towards standardization bodies, such as CEN/ISSS, SEMIC.EU, IDABC EIF 2.0 and ETSI
Applications now ongoing in Lithuania, Thailand, Western Balkans, designed by Greek Interoperability Centre
Interoperability Infrastructures in cross-country lighthouse projects (STORK, PEPPOL, SPOCS)
Best eGovernment Paper Nominee, 42nd HICSS Conference, 1/2009
Best BPM Application, OMG/BP Trends Competition 3/2009
The top-10 countries
in Western Asia
Georgia:
72nd in the world,
9th in the region
The top-10 countries
in the world
The European “model”
Conclusions and Next Steps
• Interoperability in digital public services cannot be achieved without process re-organization, legal system re-structuring and data re-work
• Interoperability Infrastructures can greatly assist in driving innovation in eGovernment, rather than just providing the “standards”
• At European level, the coordinated management of pan-european services is needed (Services Directive, SEMIC, CEN/ISSS). Interoperability Infrastructures will have to be deployed at cross-country level.
• In Greece, more emphasis laid now on tools like:
- XSDGenerator: automated XSDs development and management
- Tools for Management of eGIF Standards and Specifications
- Tools for Assessment of public sites and administrations
- Advanced eParticipation functionalities for governmental committees
• Interoperability solution sourcing and deployment needs specialised centres of excellence
• Go on – you can do it !