By Robert D. Atkinson It's been 12 years since the U.S. government went online. The first stage of e-government meant a passive presence on the Web based on information, but not citizen interaction. The public sector evolved to the second stage: developing Web applications that allowed individuals to interact with government, such as paying parking tickets and renewing drivers' licenses. But most governments have been slow to move to the third stage of e-government -- creating functionally oriented, citizen-centered Web presences by breaking down bureaucratic barriers. Too often, existing e-government applications are user-unfriendly, designed around agencies' needs rather than citizens'.
http://www.public-cio.com/story.php?id=Turbo-Charging%20E-Government-99814&story_pg=1