IDPM Working papers
This Working Paper is part of the iGovernment Working Papers series
Most eGovernment-for-Development Projects Fail: How Can Risks be Reduced?
Richard Heeks
Abstract
eGovernment can make a valuable contribution to development. However, at present, the majority of e-government-for-development projects fail either totally or partially. This paper explains the underlying cause of failure: the oversize gaps between project design and on-the-ground reality (known as 'design-reality gaps'). The dimensions of these gaps are identified, as are archetypal situations in which failure is likely to occur. The paper then provides a step-by-step guide to identifying and addressing failure risks for e-government projects. It concludes with a real-world case study of using the design-reality gap approach to reduce risks in an e-government project.
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