SPECIAL FEATURE
CISCO
THE SMART +CONNECTED eGOV WAY Excellence in governance is about experience that’s engaging, where information access is simple, and services accessible
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he way governments are run is changing like never before, as citizens increasingly expect the same flexibility, responsiveness from government services as they do from private organisations. This demands a change in vision, and in the way operations are run and citizen services delivered. This is not a small thing to ask of any government machinery, given that it is typically constrained by stringent budgets and procedural lags. The answer is Cisco Smart+Connected Communities, which uses intelligent networking capabilities to weave together people, services, community assets, and information into a single pervasive solution.
through smooth service delivery. Two vital facets of the Cisco Smart+Connected Communities framework facilitate efficient delivery and management of services within a community. Community+Connect helps deliver comprehensive services to residents and businesses in a connected community Community+Exchange helps enable the management and operation of a connected community and sharing of information across an ecosystem of government agencies and private sector partners Both Community+Connect and Community+Exchange are facilitated by the underlying Cisco Service Delivery Platform.
The elements of change
Community+Connect
Cisco Smart+Connected Government solutions provide organizations the ability to stay connected with constituents, while managing operational costs. It provides governments with the technology and facilities that enable highquality constituent engagement
With the network as the underlying service delivery platform, the Community Connect framework leverages real-time information and applications to help governments deliver improved and more efficient citizen services.
egov / www.egovonline.net / August 2010
One of the core responsibilities of governments is to protect and serve citizens. Whether it is crimes, fire, accidents, or natural disasters, governments can leverage the power of information at the right place and at the right time to quicken emergency response. Healthcare delivery and community transportation are other areas of influence for the government, where the power of collaboration and connectedness can transform the way these services are run. The result would be a government experience that is engaging, where information access is simple, and services more accessible. For example, citizens would be able to renew their driver’s license from the comfort of their homes. Commuters can look at bus schedules, expected delays and plan their journeys to work better.
Community+Exchange Cisco’s Community+Exchange is a back-office operations center that connects community
clusters to create a networked ecosystem. By leveraging the network as a highly secure and resilient service delivery platform, government agencies can share information and collaborate with private sector partners to facilitate utilities, transportation, telecommunications, safety and security, health, and government social services. A networked ecosystem ensures that data delays do not occur. For example, a driver’s license procured from a service bureau may be used as identity proof for other government documentation. Verifications such as these can be done quickly by simply accessing the license database to validate authenticity of the licence. Another example would be an address-verification for