Since the dawn of electronic government in the 1990’s, politicians have been keen to set targets. Now that we are some way downstream in time and delivery, there has been realisation or revelation that what is really useful for a citizen point-of-view is a measure or measures, and some earlier benchmarks would have been useful, too!
There have been a few attempts at establishing models for measuring the progress of electronic government. Di Maio of Gartner has reported on a number of international attempts, along with publications coming out of the OECD and the European Union. If anybody hasn’t seen them and wants to, I’ll provide links here:
USA
http://www.cio.gov/documents/ValueMeasuring_Methodology_HowToGuide_Oct_2002.pdf
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/egov/documents/How_to_PRM.PDF
Germany
Australia
http://www.agimo.gov.au/government/damvam
OECD
http://webdomino1.oecd.org/COMNET/PUM/egovproweb.nsf/viewHtml/index/$FILE/expert_seminar.htm
Unfortunately, they are complex and, I consider, only suited to national or large central government departments.
In the U.K., the Treasury produced a guidance booklet in 2003 as a supplement to the Green Book entitled ‘Measuring the expected benefits of e-government’, which is basically about cost-benefit analysis beforehand. Otherwise there has been little of value since, although bodies including CIPFA, NWEGG and I&DA have considered it.
The Great E-mancipator 