What is Needed to Advance Transformational E-Government and Why

Abstract

Throughout the millennia, project management methodologies were developed, and as projects were completed, both theoreticians and practitioners contributed to the development of project management science and codification. Throughout this time, project management science grappled with the problem of delineating project activities from on-going operational activities. Projects require project management while operations require business process management or operations management (PMI, 2008). In the project methodology world, a project is defined as unique, temporary, a definite start and finish (PMI, 2008). Without this definition, the science of project management cannot be applied. It is this definition that provides the credence for the creation and application of project management processes, tools, and techniques. However, the science of project management exists irrespective of a project. In fact, it is the application of project management to any endeavor that creates a project. Effective project management that will drive the design and implementation of transformational e-Government must be enhanced. This chapter proposes project management enhancements to the design, direction, management, and implementation of e-Government projects that focus on project problems rather than methodological processes. The enhanced project management solution provides the tools and educates the user to take into account the impact of the holistic, synergistic challenges and barriers that surround and influence e-Government projects – heretofore, in an unmanageable way that has inhibited change instead of promoting it. The enhanced project management solution is “exogenous” of the e-Government solution; it is its external driver.