Using a common architecture in Australian e-Government - The case of smart service Queensland

In this paper, we present the findings of a case study which examines the use of enterprise architectures in the context of the development and implementation of an Electronic Government (e-Government) Services Delivery initiative by the Queensland State government of Australia. The paper employs strategic alignment theory to critically examine the progress of the initiative from the development of public policy and business case documents, through to the pilot program, and progressive implementation of an electronic government environment that includes a number of redesigned Internet gateways, integrated contact (call) centres, electronic kiosks, and web-enabled customer service counters. The case is also compared with similar e-Government initiatives and provides an interesting example of how governments can use the electronic domain to service a diverse range of clients in a large and wide spread community.