Accessibility, Usability, and Functionality in T-Government Services

Abstract

The transition process from analog to digital system, above all in the broadcasting field, and the development of Third Generation standards in mobile communications offer an increasing number of value-added services: the incumbent actors (i.e., local and central administrations, local health structures and hospitals, dealers of public services) have the opportunity to provide e-services to citizens by exploiting the new technologies (digital television, mobile). The centrality of technology for citizens is a central issue in the Information Society policy, at a local, regional, national, European, and global level. In Europe, the action plan called “eEurope 2005”1 aims to increase productivity, better public services, and above all guarantee to the whole community the possibility to participate in a global information society, promoting new offers based on broadband and multiplatform infrastructures. Therefore, new devices, such as digital television and mobile systems, are becoming innovative and complementary solutions to the PC. As service providers must guarantee an adequate interface to the citizen, it is also important to identify the critical variables influencing the design of the new t-government services. We explore in this chapter accessibility, usability, and functionality of the systems as the key drivers to build a pervasive offer.