Short answer

Prioritize understanding and influencing organizational structures and stakeholder dynamics to effectively embed accessibility into e-Government service design and implementation.

Field
User-Centred Design
Source
The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries (2024)
Method
Qualitative
Sample
12 participants
Evidence
Strong effect

The success of designing and implementing accessible e-Government services hinges on robust organizational structures and strong stakeholder support. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2024 study published in The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries. Using Qualitative with 12 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize understanding and influencing organizational structures and stakeholder dynamics to effectively embed accessibility into e-Government service design and implementation.

Study
User-Centred DesignRecentStrong effect

Organizational and stakeholder structures are critical for accessible e-Government service design.

The success of designing and implementing accessible e-Government services hinges on robust organizational structures and strong stakeholder support.

The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries · 2024

01

Key Findings

  • 01Organizational structures significantly influence the accessibility of e-Government services.
  • 02Stakeholder supporting structures are essential for the successful implementation of accessible e-Government services.
  • 03Four key practices facilitate accessible e-Government design: championing accessibility, adopting an omni-channel approach with digital learning, developing in-house guidelines and supporting assistive technologies, and engaging in reflective practices.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Prioritize understanding and influencing organizational structures and stakeholder dynamics to effectively embed accessibility into e-Government service design and implementation.

How to apply

When designing digital services for public sector clients, investigate their internal organizational structure and identify key stakeholders who can champion accessibility efforts.

Project actions

  • 01When researching a design problem, consider the organizational context of the client or user group.
  • 02Think about who the stakeholders are and how their support (or lack thereof) might impact your design.
03

Method & Evidence

AimWhat are the key factors influencing the design and implementation of accessible e-Government services in developing countries?
MethodQualitative
ProcedureSemi-structured interviews were conducted with government employees involved in the design and development of e-Government services, followed by thematic analysis of the collected data.
Sample12 participants
ContextE-Government service design and implementation in South Africa

Variables

IV["Organizational structures","Stakeholder supporting structures"]
DV["Design and implementation of accessible e-Government services"]
CV["Government employees' roles (developers, designers, business analysts, management)","Country context (South Africa)"]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Focuses on a critical area of digital inclusion.
  • +Provides practical insights into influencing factors and practices.

Limitations

The findings are based on qualitative data from a limited number of participants in one country, which might not represent all situations.

Reliability & validity

The use of qualitative interviews and thematic analysis provides rich, in-depth data, but the findings' generalizability may be limited by the sample size and specific context. Triangulation with quantitative data or broader surveys could enhance reliability and validity.

Think critically

How might a lack of strong organizational structures or stakeholder support hinder even the most technically well-designed accessible service?

05

Design Principles

"Systemic factors, including organizational structure and stakeholder support, are as important as technical design in achieving user accessibility."

For designers and researchers, understanding these systemic influences is crucial for advocating for and integrating accessibility into digital service development. It highlights that technical design choices are often shaped by broader organizational contexts and the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders.

06

What This Means for Your Design

To make government websites and apps easy for everyone to use, it's not just about the design itself, but also about how the government is set up and who is supporting the effort.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of organizational factors and stakeholder engagement in your design process, particularly for projects involving public services or large institutions.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights that the successful design and implementation of accessible e-Government services are significantly influenced by organizational structures and stakeholder support systems. Practices such as championing accessibility, adopting an omni-channel approach, developing internal guidelines, and engaging in reflective practices were identified as instrumental, underscoring the need for designers to consider these systemic factors in their projects.

09

Source

The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries

Factors influencing the design and implementation of accessible e‐Government services in South Africa

journal · 2024

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about organizational and stakeholder structures are critical for accessible e-government service design?
Prioritize understanding and influencing organizational structures and stakeholder dynamics to effectively embed accessibility into e-Government service design and implementation. Evidence: The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries (2024).
Why does "Organizational and stakeholder structures are critical for accessible e-Government service design." matter for design?
For designers and researchers, understanding these systemic influences is crucial for advocating for and integrating accessibility into digital service development. It highlights that technical design choices are often shaped by broader organizational contexts and the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders.
How can designers apply this research?
Prioritize understanding and influencing organizational structures and stakeholder dynamics to effectively embed accessibility into e-Government service design and implementation.
What were the main findings?
Organizational structures significantly influence the accessibility of e-Government services.. Stakeholder supporting structures are essential for the successful implementation of accessible e-Government services.. Four key practices facilitate accessible e-Government design: championing accessibility, adopting an omni-channel approach with digital learning, developing in-house guidelines and supporting assistive technologies, and engaging in reflective practices.
What research method was used?
Qualitative with 12 participants.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2024 journal from The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing digital services for public sector clients, investigate their internal organizational structure and identify key stakeholders who can champion accessibility efforts.
What are the limitations?
The study focused on a specific developing country context, and findings may not be universally generalizable without further research in different geographical and governmental settings.