State and federal e-gov

The Brookings Institution published a report assessing state and federal electronic government in 2008. It ranks websites based on 18 criteria such as access to publications, databases, and audio and video clips; no ads or user fees; and having privacy and security policies; and additionally the number of online services executable on the site. Among the states, Delaware is first, while Hawaii ranks 46th. The top federal site is USA.gov.

Author Darrell West concludes with ways to improve e-gov, among them that websites should have: strong privacy and security policies, agency layouts similar to the portal page, navigational guides and site maps, search engines, and foreign language accessibility.

State and Federal Electronic Government in the United States, 2008 (pdf, 19pp/544kB), Aug. 26, 2008

Executive Summary