Speaker's information
Funda DENIZHAN is the manager of the "24-hour web" - Guidelines for design of public web sites at the Swedish Agency for Public Management (Staatskontoret). She works as usability architect and analyst at the department of electronic administration. Her main working area concerns policies and promoting of the development of public electronic services, including the development of 24-hour public administration.
Information sur l'auteur
Funda DENIZHAN est responsable de "24-hour web" - le guide de recommandations pour la réalisation des sites Web publics à l'Agence Suédoise pour la Administration Publique (Staatskontoret). Elle travaille en tant qu'architecte et analyste des usages au département de l'administration électronique. Son principal domaine d'intervention concerne les politiques pour le développement des services publics en ligne, comprenant le développement de l'administration 24 heures sur 24.
Short paper
Goals and vision - the 24/7 agency
The Swedish Government's political objectives are symbolized by the notion
of the '24/7 agency'. This term refers to services provided by public administration
through constantly available electronic information and self-service functions
but also through telephone service centres that can be reached during a larger
part of the day than an individual agency's local offices.
The government
have stated as a goal that different needs and conditions must be met so that
no citizens are excluded from the new opportunities offered by e-government.
A third objective is that citizens and businesses should always be able to use
single points of access.
A fourth objective is to provide easy access to public information online
and electronic channels whereby the public can participate in policy-making
and decision-making.
Regulations
The Government goal is to make Sweden accessible by 2010. This is seen in the working plan for disability policy, Från Patient till medborgare (From Patient to Citizen), Government Bill 1999/2000:79. This applies to one and all - authorities, county councils, municipalities, companies and organizations. IT products and services should be accessible to and usable by everyone as far as this is at all possible, including people with disabilities. Laws regulating this work are the Swedish Work Environment Act and the Ordinance SFS 2001:526.
Swedish Work Environment Legislation
The purpose of this Act is to prevent ill-health and accidents at work and generally to achieve a good working environment. The working environment shall be satisfactory with regard to the nature of the work and social and technical progress in the community. Working conditions shall be adapted to people's differing physical and mental aptitudes. The employee shall be given the opportunity of participating in the design of his own working situation and in processes of change and development affecting his own work.
Ordinance SFS 2001:526
According to Ordinance SFS 2001:526, government authorities are to make a special effort to ensure that their premises, operations and information are accessible to people with disabilities. This work includes conducting inventories and drawing up working plans.
Public actors influencing e-accessibility
There are four main actors influencing e-accessiblity in Sweden:
The Swedish Agency for Public Management
The Swedish Agency for Public Management provides support to the Government and Government Offices. Their main task is to conduct studies and evaluations at the request of the government and to promote the development of public electronic services. They also coordinate the state procurement activities.
The Disability Ombudsman (Handikappombudsmannen)
The Disability Ombudsman (Handikappombudsmannen - HO) monitors the rights and interests of people with disability. Among other things, they haver produced Guidelines for an Accessible Public Administration.
The Swedish Handicape Institute
The Swedish Handicap Institute aims at improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. Its major tasks is to ensure access to high quality and well-functioning assistive technology and to work for an increased access to society. The Institute's work includes stimulation of research and development, analyses of needs and testing of assistive technology.
The Government Interoperability Board
By January 1st 2004 the Government appointed the Government interoperability board (GIB) whose mission is to support and promote secure and effective electronic information exchange within the administration and between the administration and citizens. Their roile is to coordinate the work of independent governemental agencies. The GIB can issue regulations that are mandatory for all agencies, as well as non-mandatory guidelines. Regulations will not be binding for municipalities. The GIB is an agency in its own right, but its day to day business and planning activities are managed by the Agency for public management (Statskontoret). Its regulations and guidelines will be prepared in joint projects, involving major agencies and other stakeholders. GIB have published down several guidelines: "The 24-hour web - guidelines for design of public web sites", "Guidelines for Government Use of Certificates and Electronic signatures", and "Guidellines for User Interfaces That Meet Legal requirements.
Availability of e-accessibility expertise on the market
The availability of accessibility expertise on the market is restricted to smaller specialised companies. In Sweden there is mainly one company who has the leading position in this area; Funka Nu. In the bigger IT companies there is still a lack of understanding of the importance of including usability and accessibility issues in the development process.
Tools for affecting the market and the authorities
The main tools for affecting the market and the authorities are:
- Public procurement
- Guidelines and Awards
- Monitoring and evaluations
