COURSE NOTES - WEEK SEVEN - November 14-20, 2005

Blackboard for posted readings. Return to Schedule

We have a visitor this week and next - N. Vijayan from Temesek Institute in Singapore. Because we have quite a few readings already available to you, I will recommend only one additional reading this week on a new topic, records management. It will relate well with next week's readings on knowledge management.

As you examine the "Opening Gateways" reading, think about all the requirements that an organization might have to create a virtual library or even just a website with access to reports, policies, and other kinds of information just as a government agency might produce. I suspect most of the developers of virtual libraries and electronic information centers don't do the amount of planning recommended in this reading ahead of time but they probably do eventually realize that thought has to be given to issues of who the users are, how the information posted will be used, whether the content is sensitive, and what kind of "meta data" or information about the content needs to be made available.

The program design tool in the reading identifies many questions dealing with who the customers are or will be and how customers will gain access to services. There is also a good section on costs beginning with the statement that most people underestimate the amount of needed to develop and deliver effective electronic information services.

If this topic interests you, please be sure to visit the site for this report and other reports on related topics. The site is the Center for Technology in Government and can be found at www.ctg.albany.edu. There is a whole section on "Enabling E-Government" that may be of interest to some of you.

Revised November 14, 2005.
If you have questions or suggestions, please contact Evelyn Daniel