Key Issues

33 of a possible 40 agencies answered the Key Issues Questionnaire.

Strategy

- 58% of agencies had changed their ICT strategy to meet the NZ E-government Strategy;

- 33% had not; and

- 9% of agencies did not answer this question.

Agencies have changed their internal strategies to meet the NZ E-government Strategy in various ways. Concerns included funding (for what agencies saw as increasing requirements and compliance costs) and the difficulty of balancing priorities. But most agencies commented that they did not have any problems changing their internal ICT strategy.

Web Guidelines

Of the 33 agencies, 30 (91%) reported that they had tested alignment with the Government Web Guidelines. This figure increased significantly from Round 1 when 80% of agencies had tested alignment. However, one agency (3%) had not tested alignment. A further two agencies (6%) had not tested alignment in Round 2 but planned to do so during 2003/04.

Web Access

78% of agencies' permanent staff members have access to the web from their desktop, an increase from 64% in the first round of data collection.

91% of agencies' permanent staff members have access to the web either from their desktop or from any work machine. This is a significant increase from 72% in Round 1.

e-GIF

We asked agencies if they had implemented or significantly upgraded information systems and processes in the last twelve months, and if the E-government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) was used:

- 33% of agencies had used the e-GIF in planning and tendering;

- 12% had not;

- 45% of agencies had not used the e-GIF, because they had not implemented or significantly upgraded in the last twelve months; and

- 10% of agencies did not answer this question.

Several agencies commented that the e-GIF had been useful. Two agencies commented that it was not relevant to the projects concerned.

Authentication

- 30% of agencies currently have services that require authentication;

- 18% are considering or developing this type of service; and

- 52% of agencies do not have services that require authentication.

Communication and Relationship Management

Agencies provided useful feedback on our communications and relationship management processes. Face-to-face meetings, Agency Leader and CIO meetings were considered to be the most useful, while the e-government AgencySpace [The E-government AgencySpace is a website for government people to support the dissemination and exchange of information about e-government within their organisation. The State Services Commission makes this information available In Confidence.] was regarded as the next most useful process. Several agencies commented that relationship meetings had been very productive and expressed the desire for more of them.

Several agencies also provided feedback on the issues they believed EGU should address or focus more effort on. Responses will be useful in future planning for the e-government programme. Some answers included a desire for more/better guidance for small to mid-size agencies on e-government generally. There was also a continued interest in projects like Authentication and Shared Workspace.