eGovernment at W3C
Better Government Through Better Use of the Web.

Two weeks ago, we held a series of discussions of eGovernment topics at the W3C Technical Plenary and Advisory Committee meeting (TPAC) in Lyon, France.

The first day consisted of a broad ranging discussion across eGovernment issues, lent some shape by presentations from W3C staff members. Some of the topics provoking the most discussion were licensing, privacy, open government data, identity, and eGov outreach.

The second day was focused on Government Linked Data (GLD). In the morning, thanks to the presence of key participants in these efforts, we had presentations on GLD efforts in the UK, Spain, France, and Germany. In the afternoon, we worked through a list of possible work items for a proposed W3C Working Group in this area. That work should emerge as a draft charter in the coming weeks.

In line with its anticipated focus on Open Government Data, the eGovernment Interest Group announces today a first draft of Publishing Open Government Data, which provides step-by-step guidelines for putting government data on the Web. Sharing data according to these guidelines enables greater transparency; delivers more efficient public services; and encourages greater public and commercial use and re-use of government information.

Thanks to the wonderful job of the W3C Brazil and W3C Spain Offices, the Improving Access to Government through Better Use of the Web Note is now also available in Portuguese and Spanish. Both Offices have already started to distribute hundreds of printed copies among the local eGovernment communities.

Today W3C Advisory Committee Representatives received a Proposal to
revise the eGovernment Activity (see the W3C Process Document
description of Activity Proposals). This proposal includes a draft
charter for the eGovernment Interest Group.

As part of ensuring that the community is aware of proposed work at
W3C, this draft charter is public during the Advisory Committee review
period.

W3C invites public comments through 2009-09-28 on the proposed
charter. Please send comments to public-new-work@w3.org, which has a
public archive.

Other than comments sent in formal responses by W3C Advisory Committee
Representatives, W3C cannot guarantee a response to comments. If you
work for a W3C Member, please coordinate your comments with your
Advisory Committee Representative. For example, you may wish to make
public comments via this list and have your Advisory Committee
Representative refer to it from his or her formal review comments.

If you should have any questions or need further information, please
contact José M. Alonso, eGovernment Lead.

Ian Jacobs (W3C Head of Communications) had the chance last week of testifying at a New York City Council hearing on opening up data and open source software use. The handouts at the hearing had a reference to the eGov IG’s Improving Access to Government through Better Use of the Web Note. Ian has blogged about his participation. Thanks, Ian!

The eGovernment Interest Group has just formed an Editorial Task Force. The mission of the Task Force is to ensure the documents published by group can be easily understood by non-technical readers, to bridge the gap between technology and policy.

The eGov IG is discussing its new charter. There is a rough draft already available. Some of the areas of most interest so far are those around Open Government Data and how to put government data on the Web, and also how that data could be best consumed and accessed by citizens and other interested parties. The group expects to work on the draft in the coming days and deliver a final version before the end of July.

As part of its ongoing online process for public engagement in policymaking, the White House launched on May 21^st the Open Government Dialogue to collect ideas to inform the development of open government recommendations and the writing of subsequent policy and the development of open government projects.

Kevin Novak, co-Chair of the eGovernment Interest Group, submitted on behalf of the group an “idea” to the Dialogue entitled Ensuring Availability and Accessibility of Government Data and Information, where the importance and benefits of adopting Web standards is highlighted.

The group intends to monitor this and similar initiatives and provide input where necessary.

The eGovernment Interest Group charter has been extended until 30 September 2009.
The group published its primary deliverable, an Interest
Group Note on Improving Access to Government through Better Use
of the Web, and has also met its other success criterion to form a community bringing together various perspectives on eGovernment and the Web.
The eGov IG has asked for additional time following the publication of this Group Note to prepare a draft charter for subsequent eGovernment work in W3C. The Group hopes to deliver this draft in the coming weeks for W3C review.
If you are still not a group member but want to join the group or subscribe to the group’s mailing list, please see the information on participation.

The eGovernment Interest Group has published a Group Note of Improving Access to Government through Better Use of the Web. This document is an attempt to describe, but not yet solve, the variety of issues and challenges faced by governments in their efforts to apply 21st century capabilities to eGovernment initiatives. It provides examples of existing, applicable open Web standards. Where government needs in the development of eGovernment services are not currently met by existing standards, those gaps are noted.