Debate among specialists marks the launch of the publication TIC E-Government 2013

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) by Brazilian public agencies was the subject of a debate organized by the Regional Center for Studies the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) at the launch of the TIC E-Government 2013 publication last Thursday (26) in São Paulo. Access to computers and the Internet, IT management, online public services, presence on social networks, and participation mechanisms were some of the topics addressed by the specialists.

At the opening of the event, the director-president of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br), Demi Getschko, thanked the involvement of experts in the field who collaborated for the execution of the survey, highlighting that besides unprecedented indicators, the publication includes articles that contribute to debate and action in the area.

The manager of Cetic.br, Alexandre Barbosa, reinforced the importance of data collection on e-government, noting that the TIC Household and TIC Company surveys have provided indicators on the topic since 2005. In 2010, the first edition of the TIC E-Government surveyed how citizens and companies demanded services from the sector, and in 2013, the survey focused on analyzing the provision of services by Brazilian public organizations, based on parameters that allow for comparison of indicators between different countries.

As a result, the survey presents the largest and most comprehensive national study on the topic, for which representatives of all administrative spheres were interviewed regarding ICT infrastructure and management; public services in digital media; availability of information on the Internet, and communication and participation on the Internet.

Debate

The event continued with the debate E-Government in Brazil: perspectives for delivering services and information to individuals and organizations, which brought together Andrea Thalhofer Ricciardi (Ministry of Planning, Budget and Management), Cristiano Ferri Faria (Chamber of Deputies), José Carlos Vaz (University of São Paulo), Maria Alexandra Cunha (Getulio Vargas Foundation), with moderation by Lidia Brito (Director of the UNESCO Regional Science Office for Latin America and the Caribbean).

The first to make her considerations about the challenges of e-Gov in Brazil, Andrea Ricciardi comments that there is a lack of maturity in public administration, especially regarding the concepts behind public services. "Often, agencies provide on their websites a range of information that is distant from the public service itself," she opined.

The interaction with citizens promoted by e-Gov was part of Cristiano Faria's considerations, who assesses that public portals need to expand this space. "We need to provide information in 2.0 format and facilitate participation and interaction processes with society." He also advocated for the use of more user-friendly tools that enhance the web user experience.

The challenge of expanding the offering of online services was again brought up by Maria Alexandra Cunha. "Many procedures could be carried out online, but the competent agencies require in-person service," she highlighted. Specifically addressing municipalities, the survey shows that over 80% of large Brazilian cities are on social networks. "The main question is what municipalities are doing in these channels and what kind of outcome they achieve with citizen interaction," she questioned.

José Carlos Vaz discussed the evolution of e-Gov policies in Brazil, pointing out institutional, political, and managerial barriers, and made recommendations for the next steps. "We need to respond to new demands for technology-based service production," he reinforced. Among the alternatives pointed out by Vaz is the use of open data, more flexibility for public sector contracts, and more space for collaborative development. "We have the challenge of designing incentive policies for innovation that can stimulate private sector offerings and lead to a profound change in the way ICT services are produced," he considered.

Watch the debate held for the launch of the publication, held on 02/26/2014 in the auditorium of the Real Estate Exchange Building of the State of São Paulo:

This content was automatically translated with the support of artificial intelligence.