UAE eGovernment ranked ةينورتكللإا اهتيجيتارتسا تقلطأ ......

The Official Magazine of Dubai eGovernment DepartmentIssue 102 - April 2012

UAE eGovernment ranked first in the Arab world and 7th worldwide in online services

أطلقت استراتيجيتها اإللكترونية

اإلمارات تتصدر المركز األول عربيًا والسابع عالميًا في خدمات الحكومة اإللكترونية

UAE Cabinet launches Minister’s

ePortfolio & Knowledge Centre

Dubai Trade Portal: boosting the UAE’s global competitiveness

Masar excels at eServices in the publishing and printing sector

UAE

The achievements around us indicate that the UAE is making confident steps to carry out the eTransformation process that started in the year 2000 with a mere 14 online services. This compares to the present when almost every emirate has a local eGovernment that makes it easy to interact or transact with the government electronically.

In the same context, the leader of the eTransformation process, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, recently instructed all Ministries and Federal authorities to complete the provision of comprehensive eServices to the public within two years, while at the same time approving the Federal eGovernment plan until 2014. At the same time, he underscored the importance of eTransformation in bolstering the UAE competitiveness and supporting all economic, social, educational and health sectors, thereby creating excellent services for both corporate and individual customers and easing the lives of people.

In an instant response to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed’s initiative, the Cabinet launched two eTransformation initiatives to upgrade the management of the Cabinet functioning; namely the “Minister’s ePortfolio” and “Knowledge Centre”. iPad Tablet devices were also distributed to the Cabinet members while Sheikh Mohammed could electronically monitor a dashboard to track the services of major projects in all ministries with the aim of enhancing the efficiency and expediting decision-making in the Federal government.

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A few days later, other elements completed the scene: The United Nations eGovernment Survey 2012 was issued unveiling an achievement that represented a worldwide precedent with the UAE advancing 92 positions on

the online service index, from the 99th rank in 2010 to the 7th rank in 2012.

This is a remarkable achievement and ensured that overall, the UAE rose from the 49th position in 2010 to the 28th position in 2012. The UAE therefore received the number one position in the Arab and GCC world, recording a new achievement in its march towards completing its eTransformation process.

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Thus, we find that the owner of the first eGovernment in the Middle East has not only envisioned the future but has allied with it in favour of his country. Why not, when he is the leader who taught us to be second to none and has always instructed us to combine our efforts. The local eGovernments, the teams working in the Federal ministries and that of the Emirates eGovernment as well as other unknown soldiers have contributed to this achievement, which has placed the UAE once again on the top tier of the world’s map of eGovernments.

This is part of the story of the quantum leap, which the UAE has achieved and that we can all be proud of. Its other part is dependent on how successful we are in recognizing what our prudent leadership always knew: that excellence is an ongoing process. We should therefore not slacken our efforts, since it is an honour that obligates all those working in this field to give practical answers to the most demanding question: What next?

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We must take into account the great strides we have made and the cumulative expertise we have gained over 11 years. Allied to this is our response to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed’s directives to focus on

converting all government services so as to ensure a comprehensive Federal eTransformation in the next two years. To consolidate our position that we occupied as per the UN report, we are ready to share our experience with our brothers to contribute to enhancing eTransformation, and providing services in line with the spirit of the UAE Vision 2021, enabling customers to get excellent services as desired by Sheikh Mohammed who remarked in his social media channels: “Our new government services should be delivered through online, mobile phones, land lines and even through eService kiosks”. He also commented: “eServices are meant to make people’s life easier. The goal is to reach out to our customers wherever they are.”

Congratulations to all those who have contributed to this magnificent achievement.

Director-General, Dubai eGovernment Department

Quantum leap in eGovernment achievement,

so what’s next?

e V i s i o n s

April 2012 - Issue 102

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Editorial

The vision of Dubai eGovernment is to ease the lives of people and businesses interacting with the government and contribute to establishing Dubai as a leading economic hub.

Dubai eGovernment’s mission is to achieve a virtual government through the provision of high-quality customer focused eServices for individuals, businesses and government departments and to promote eServices adoption through customer management.

Dubai eGovernment promotes eServices through www.dubai.ae - the unified official portal for Dubai Government that provides all residents and businesses of the emirate with more than 2000 electronic services.

e4all is the official magazine of Dubai eGovernment, and helps in creating awareness of eServices to all segments of society and spreading an electronic culture for the well-being of all.

Executive EditorAhmad Bin Humaidan

[email protected]

Chief EditorAmer Al Hamayda

[email protected]

Magazine CoordinatorJamal Khalifa Almulla

[email protected]

English EditorGarth Mitchell

[email protected]

Arabic EditorYaqdhan Mustafa

[email protected]

Graphic Designers Fatima Ibrahim

Ayesha Al [email protected]

Contact e4allDubai eGovernment Department

Tel: 04-4056274 Fax: 04-3532988

P.O.Box: 90300e-mail: [email protected]

An electronic version can be viewed on www.dubai.ae

The articles in this publication reflect only the author’s opinions and not

necessarily those of the eGovernment or its staff.

Republishing of material in this publication is not permitted without attribution of this publication as the

source.

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Our Vision

Content


UAE Cabinet launches Minister’s ePortfolio & Knowledge Centre



w w w . d e g . g o v . a e

Issue No. 102 - April 2012

The Official Magazine of Dubai eGovernment DepartmentIssue 102 - April 2012


أطلقت استراتيجيتها ا�لكترونية

ا�مارات تتصدر المركز ا�ول عربيًا والسابع عالميًا في خدمات الحكومة ا�لكترونية

UAE Cabinet launches Minister’s

ePortfolio & Knowledge Centre



UAE


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eLeadership

HH Sheikh Mohammed launches

Minister’s ePortfolio & Knowledge Centre

As part of the Government eTransformation in the UAE, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, chaired a Cabinet meeting on the 11th of March, during which, he launched two initiatives called ‘Minister’s eBriefcase’ and ‘Knowledge Centre’.

The UAE Cabinet Meeting was also attended by Lt.General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. During this meeting, all Cabinet Ministers were issued with iPads as part of a paper-less initiative to streamline cabinet communications and operations.

About eBriefcase & Knowledge CentreThe eBriefcase includes customized iPads that allows

ministers to maintain better communication with the Secretariat of the Council on an ongoing basis. This includes discussing the agenda of meetings and following up the implementation of the Council decisions thus enhancing the effectiveness and speed of decision-making in the Federal government. It also has apps that are personalized to carry updates on each minister’s department, tailored news reports, analysis and best practices.

The minister can electronically access reports on the implementation of Cabinet decisions, in addition to the reports of the Audit Bureau of his/her respective ministry.

Using their designated eKnowledge Centre, ministers will be assigned a portal through which they can access data and information related to their respective sector and access his/her ministry’s fiscal reports submitted by the State Audit Institution, as well as providing them with access to reports on best international practices and experiences in similar ministries in developed countries. •


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Firewalls: the strongest line of defences for government

data security

Cover Story

UAE

UAE eGovernment ranked first in the Arab

world and 7th worldwide in online servicesUN eGovernment Survey 2012 results released

The UAE has made a remarkable achievement worldwide in the field of eGovernment according to the UN eGovernment Survey 2012, rising to a rank of 28th overall. It is also ranked number 7 worldwide for online services.

The biennial survey which was released in February 2012 is the most comprehensive reference for eGovernment programmes in the world. The 2012 edition of the Report focuses on the role of eGovernment in sustainable development. The noteworthy advancement that the UAE has made is a remarkable achievement for a country since the UN started releasing the EGovernment Surveys in 2003.


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Earlier, the UAE’s rank had declined from 32nd in the 2008 Survey to 49th in the 2010 Survey. The 2012 report however, has proved that the UAE is capable of reversing this. According to the 2012 UN eGovernment Report, the UAE is ranked 28th in the world and ahead of other Gulf and Arab countries in eGovernment. Bahrain is ranked 36th, Saudi Arabia 41st and Qatar is ranked 48th.

The report shows that the UAE Government has retrieved its leadership position in the eInitiative among the region as part of its vision to occupy a global position in the eTransformation model and good governance.

From 99 to 7 in online services

The UAE has leaped to the seventh rank in the ‘online service index’, up from rank 99 in 2010. This noteworthy advancement is an excellent achievement for the UAE.

From 86 to 6 in eParticipation

The report also shows that the UAE Government has made great advancement in the field of eParticipation, another main factor in determining eReadiness. The UAE has advanced from 86 in 2010 to 6 in the 2012 Report. eParticipation is particularly important as a tool of communication between the Government and the public.

From 49 to 28 in eReadiness

This giant progress was reflected in the overall rank of the UAE in the eGovernment development index. The UAE has advanced from 49th in 2010 to 28th in 2012. Over this short period, the UAE eGovernment has succeeded in regaining the leading position of the UAE in the field of eReadiness in the region and the world. The UAE

had suffered a setback in that field before the activation of the Federal eGovernment programme.

Working in unisonFortunately, while the UAE ranking

in the eGovernment was in the decline phase, the UAE leadership was pushing towards a major leap in this field. This was highlighted clearly in the UAE 2021 Vision.

H.E Salem Khamis Al Shair Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director General, Information Sector and eGovernment, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said, “We were determined to focus on this issue, when the government empowered the General Information Authority to handle the Federal eGovernment project through the guidelines of the UAE Vision 2021.”

Then the government teams started to analyze and study the steps needed to make a major leap in the eGovernment ranking to retrieve its leadership position. An important case study that was evaluated was the experience of Bahrain as a success story in the 2010 report.

The strategy consisted of seven phases, starting with evaluation and understanding of the index criteria. Then the plan started to analyze the strength and weakness factors in the eGovernment model in the UAE. The decision makers in UAE then gave their strong support and backup for the new strategy. All stakeholders involved in the evaluation process including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labour in the UAE got together for this purpose. A series of workshops with all stakeholders and government entities helped to create awareness about the UN evaluation process.

Power of the UnionH.E Salem Khamis Al Shair Al Suwaidi

said, “The Emirates eGovernment team presents this success as a token of gratitude to the wise leadership of our beloved country and to its people. We present this achievement to President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and their Highnesses, the


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Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates. On behalf of Emirates eGovernment team, I promise them that we will carry on the hard work to enhance the competitiveness of our beloved country.”

Al Suwaidi said that the success that has been achieved requires greater efforts to maintain it and achieve many more milestones. “We are ready for the next phase with its requirements. Experience in the field of eGovernment has affirmed what we have learnt from our wise leadership that achieving excellence is a non-stop process in which one cannot afford to take a break or be slow. A step that doesn’t take us forward is in fact a step backwards,” he said.

Al Suwaidi thanked all those who contributed to this success. He said, “I particularly thank our brothers in the Ministries and other Federal entities whose portals have been part of the evaluation process. These are Ministries of Health, Education, Labour, Social Affairs and Finance in addition to the Emirates Identity Authority.” He also thanked all the teams that managed the project working day and night to bring out such a remarkable result.

The online service index measures development of online service delivery to citizens and businesses through the Internet and other digital means. The Human Capital index is a composite of the literacy rate and school enrolment ratio. The telecommunication infrastructure index is a composite of five indicators: number of personal computers, number of Internet users, number of telephone lines, number of mobile phone subscriptions and number of fixed broadband subscribers per 100 persons. The eParticipation index is indicative on how governments create an environment in which citizens can be more active and supportive of their governments.

Emirates eGovernment works in line with the strategy of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, and is responsible for formulating and overseeing the implementation of the eGovernment strategy at the federal level, ensuring robust shared infrastructure for federal government entities, and enhanced government services.

The UAE eStrategyThe UAE Cabinet has endorsed the

Federal eGovernment plan till 2014 to enhance government eServices, set up an advanced electronic infrastructure and provide an appropriate legal basis for provision of advanced eServices.

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister said that all ministries and federal institutions are required to provide comprehensive electronic services to the public within the next two years. The shift to electronic services would further boost the UAE’s competitiveness in all the economic, social, educational and health sectors, adding that it would also save effort and time.

Sheikh Mohammed noted that during the next period, the Cabinet would focus on completion of the transition to eGovernment through different channels such as the Internet, fixed and mobile phones, kiosks besides the traditional service centers, which provide integrated and comprehensive services.

The Vice President urged all Federal entities to cooperate and coordinate to achieve the shift towards a Federal eGovernment, being a national mission that must be achieved by all, stressing the need for adherence to the schedule.

The Strategy ComponentsThe UAE eGovernment Strategy

contains many initiatives till the year 2014. These initiatives are classified into four main categories:

The legal category: This category includes many initiatives such as

creating a legal and comprehensive framework for the whole eGovernment project, improving the organizational structure of IT in the federal government and creating standards to define the quality of eServices.

Improving the IT Infrastructure: This includes building and operating the Federal Government Information Network. It includes government call centres, data centres and disaster recovery sites in order to protect government data.

Providing innovative applications: These include the launch of the first UAEpedia, and launching of apps and eServices over mobile phones to ensure mobile on the go services.

Effective performance management methodology: This includes improving the eGovernment UN ranking as well as increasing customer satisfaction, building high availability policies and assurance that the government eServices will be available all the time. Moreover this category concentrates on the awareness campaigns and eServices marketing to increase user adoption.

Comprehensive contact channels

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum posted on his Facebook page and Twitter account that the government should provide its services through as many innovative channels including: internet, mobile phones, kiosks and more; so that the people do not have to come to government for services, and government services are made easily accessible for all. •


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The number of services provided through the Abu Dhabi eGovernment Portal rose to 870 from 95 government and private departments in the emirate, according to H.E Rashid Lahej Al Mansouri, Director General of Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Center (ADSIC).

Every day, around 100,000 users visit Abu Dhabi eGovernment Portal, which was launched in 2008, with 152.9 million hits, and 20.9 million visitors since its inception.

The portal provides a wide spectrum of services that include ID, passports, residence visas, house and land transactions, driving, travel, work, jobs, services for Emiratis religious affairs, health, safety, security, law, entertainment, culture, paying zakat, paying water and electricity bills, and pharmacies on duty.

Site visits most popular included commercial guides, touristic events in the capital, paying water and electricity bills, looking for a flat, restaurant or a hotel, paying traffic fines, and obtaining information about industry and entrepreneurship sectors.

Services of the portal 95 government and private departments provide about

870 online services through Abu Dhabi e-Government Portal. There are 273 links to online services, 50 links to integrated services, 251 pages of general information, 360 pages for government news, 33 links for how to deal with the services, 120 subgroups, and 15 newsletters.

Abu Dhabi eGovernment Portal, with its elegant design, serves as a safe haven for people to apply for and carry out their government transactions. 2011 witnessed a noticeable increase in public usage with the portal receiving about 11 million visitors, and more than 65 million visits.

The portal displays more than 50 online services provided by 14 government departments, and more than 800 information services provided by 95 government and semi-government departments. The portal is linked to all local and federal entities in the country.

A number of services have been launched in accordance with Abu Dhabi Plan 2030 which includes paying Zakat online, vehicle services, certificate of good conduct, and services of Al-Ain Municipality.

The portal serves as the main gateway for all services from Abu Dhabi Government. It has been viewed by more than 15 million visitors since its inception in 2008.

Registered users can submit enquiries, complaints or ask for information about different government department capacities and specialties. They also can view the status of their online applications through the internet, telephone, or email.

Live ChatThe Abu Dhabi e-Government Portal provides a “Live

Chat” service which enables registered and unregistered users to discuss their issues with customer service agents through the live communication window in the website.

In the latest survey which has been carried out on 700 visitors, the overall satisfaction was 85%.

eUAE

Abu Dhabi eGovernment Portal provides 870 services from 95 departments

Health Authority Abu Dhabi announced that the Emirate’s residents can now obtain birth certificates at government health departments in Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, and health clinics in the western region without a need to visit the authority. The new online system enables all citizens and residents to obtain birth certificates from these departments provided that they have all needed documents with them.

The new system speeds up birth certificate issuance and saves time and efforts to all related parties. The new system has been installed in five government hospitals: Corniche, Rahba, Mafraq, Twam and Al-Ain. To obtain

a new birth certificate, you must have the original birth notification, which is provided by the hospital, citizenship proof (for citizens only), parents’ passports, marriage certificate, and the national ID if available.

According to the new system, the hospitals then scan original documents and send them online to the authority which sends back its approval, if all documents are complete, to the hospitals and health centers which then issue the eCertificates.

According to the Authority’s statistics for 2011, there were 31,965 new born babies, out of which 15,710 were females. 11,674 births were born to Emirati citizens.

Obtaining online birth certificates in Abu Dhabi


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eCommerce

Trade continues to increase in importance in Dubai over the generations. This is what the founding fathers wanted it to be, and in the same manner, government leaders in Dubai are following the same path. The launch of the Dubai Trade Portal in 2003, and its transformation to an independent entity in 2006 that became an integrated network that went beyond the boundaries of government departments, authorities and ports to serve the wide spectrum of all trade sectors has boosted Dubai’s status as a major hub for business and trade.

e4all met up with Mr. Mahmood Al Bastaki, Director, Dubai Trade and one of the innovators who follows the steps of the founding fathers. He spoke about the latest achievements which urged the Emirates Competitiveness Council to focus on Dubai Trade Portal’s role in catapulting Dubai to a globally recognized hub for trade.

How do you evaluate eServices currently in the Dubai Trade Portal? And how did you succeed in turning these services into a success?

After we had transformed more than 95% of our services in shipping and loading sector to be fully electronic, we felt it was necessary for more adoption of these eServices. We visited prospective users in their workplaces and benefited immensely from their feedback. We spoke to them in their own languages, so it was a great campaign to get feedback and tweak our eServices to ensure greater adoption. The eToken service for trailer entry for example has achieved a 99% adoption.

We also launched a wide spectrum of communication channels through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Our own website serves as an important communication channel as it sends regular newsletters via email.

However, we did not stop at this point. We came up with free training sessions on eServices and these workshops

helped us to brainstorm and exchange ideas with our clients. We consider training as one of the most important tools in the process of implementation and development of eServices, since it also spreads awareness and prevents ignorance.

We also have partnerships with major companies to consult with them before launching the new services to ensure that we identify the best practices from the client’s perspective. However; do keep in mind that running this large number of training courses and workshops is costly and must be budgeted for in advance.

We believe that training is a long term investment for us as part of the overall customer service training. We observe the number of phone calls that we receive at the customer service center to assess the success of the training process. Less phone calls means we were successful in training and knowledge dissemination. Unlike other departments, we boast of the lower number of phone calls.


Ceremony of Dubai Trade eServices Excellence Award 2011


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Is this enough to motivate companies and urge them to adopt eServices?

This motivates the willing ones, but we cannot build motivation from scratch. This is why we launched the eServices Excellence Award which is now into its fourth year cycle. The award is a sign of appreciation for companies who adopt eServices.

The award‘s committee has adopted precise standards to assess level of eService adoption by the 50,000 companies that use Dubai Trade Portal. The 2011 Award included 8 categories: 1. Clearing agent of the year 2. Importer of the year 3. Exporter of the year 4. Haulier of the year 5. Free Zone company of the year 6. Shipping agent of the year-

containers7. Shipping agent of the year- general

cargo8. Freight forwarder of the year

Is the infrastructure available proportionate with the rise of number of eService clients?

We gave this issue exceptional priority last year because it determines our credibility in front of our clients. When we ask them to adopt eServices, we have to be ready for that, and services should be as quick and efficient as expected. So, we boosted the capacity of servers and doubled access speed to these eServices while considering information security and protection from disasters.

These steps to secure information and protect the privacy of our clients had a positive effect in attracting clients

towards our eServices. We enhanced the means of trust between us and the companies because some of them used to refrain from dealing with eServices due to security issues. We obtained accreditation from the Computer Emergency Response Center.

Were these efforts behind the Emirates Competitiveness Council’s report which commended your role in the field?

Yes of course, what we have done contributed to developing Dubai’s status as a global competitor. However, dealing with international reports and organizations is a different issue. These international organizations including the World Bank, which issues “Doing Business Report”, is an international major indicator that assesses trade and investment climate. They usually select a city that has the biggest port, so Dubai was selected to represent the UAE. Then the World Bank’s team sends surveys to a number of companies which fill out these forms

and answer the questions that turn later into indicators.

Many a time in the past, we have not been graded fairly, since some of the survey takers are ignorant of our efforts. To amend this, we contacted the World Bank team and opened our books in a transparent manner, for them to evaluate actual performance. We even took them on actual field trips and ensured they could contact random companies who have dealt with our eServices. In addition, we trained employees of different companies on how to fill out surveys set by the World Bank and explained to them their different fields.

Such communication with the team in charge of the World Bank’s “Doing Business Report” contributed to developing eServices and enhanced our competency in facilitating procedures and following the best international practices and even surpassing them in many times. We managed to reach the top against many evaluation items; something that could not achieved by any other country in the world because of the international organizations’ regulations that govern international shipping, export and import protocols.

Our communication with the World Bank’s team helped us develop certain tactics and plans ensured a top ranking. This helped us preserve and maintain the high status that we reached and protected us from going down or relying on coincidence or luck. •

Dubai Trade eServices improved the UAE rank in cross boarder trade No. of

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Mahmood Al Bastaki : We visited our users in their workplaces. We spoke to them in their own languages and we trained them, since we consider training as the most important tool to develop eServices


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Dubai eGovernment represents an excellent model and a unique experience among the regional eGovernments. In providing its services, Dubai eGovernment is built on five pillars, these being Direct Public Services; Core & Channel Enabling Services; Government Resources Planning Systems; Collaboration, Connectivity & Infrastructure Enabling Services; and Policy & Advisory Services.

We continue our analytical study of the Government Resources Planning (GRP) Systems, which represent an excellent model at the level of regional eGovernments. In this issue we will give you an overview of the Asset Tracking System and Project Budgeting System as applicable in Dubai eGovernment Department.

Government AutomationAutomation in the government sector is essential for

the sector to be able to contribute to the economy and development. In terms of automation, Dubai eGovernment has a leading experience in this field, thanks to its methodology, which combines centralization of similar sectors among the different government organizations and decentralization of specialized sectors of each department as per the definition of its vision and mission.

However, there is another feature of this automation experience: starting with a prototype of a system used by a department which is an incubator of development and subsequently testing the system in an operating cycle subject to control and evaluation. After being mature and complete, the experience can be passed over to Dubai government and its departments.

Many departments have played the role of technological incubators of these solutions, including Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, RTA and other departments. We will examine a prototype in which Dubai eGovernment plays the role of incubator: Dubai eGovernment has lately implemented two new systems: Assets Tracking System and Project Budgeting. This makes Dubai eGovernment the first department among Dubai Government departments to adopt the two mentioned systems to automate and enhance its financial and logistical operations.

Assets Tracking system Specifications:1. Tracks all asset-related logistic, administrative and

financial operations and processes within GRP without the need for using external systems.

2. Avails full integration between purchasing on one hand and inventory and assets on the other through hand held machines that will be used for asset receipts, transfers, exclusion and regular inventory.

3. Simplifies the asset tracking processes by using hand held machines for asset tagging and tracking.

4. Assigns the mentioned hand held machines to a specific user, a specific asset category or specific departments.

Project Budgeting system Specifications:1. Monitors and controls budgets and funds at the project

level from the purchasing requisition through payables invoices.

2. Avails fund control and reporting at different levels on one screen: project, task, expenditure organization and expenditure type.

3. Ensures flexible addition of new projects to the budget and transferring budget between projects.

4. Avails online reports that help decision-taking.5. Helps know the project status (in progress, cancelled or

completed).6. Maintains different budget versions.

FeasibilityIn previous issues we had discussed the importance of

the feasibility of fixed asset systems. We will now focus on the feasibility of the project budgeting system, which has a great effect on the work system and performance of the government body.

The project management methodology adds value to the ability of the government work team to make highly efficient and cost-effective achievements. Efficient management of projects helps improve the employees’ performance and puts an end to the disguised unemployment, which results from the lack of a mechanism that places each employee in a location where his/her capabilities and expertise are needed.

This methodology helps the massive government workforce turn into a momentum that achieves success and excellence and a source of financial and moral gains for the government sector instead of a major source of spending that burdens the government.

One of the most important guarantees of success for these projects in the government sector is the existence of a vessel that deals with their financial implications in terms of expenditures or revenues while monitoring completion indices and determining success and failure rates. This is exactly what the project budgeting system launched by Dubai eGovernment does. The system is hoped to direct the efforts of Dubai government employees in general in terms of achievement and delivery, which are invaluable. •

The importance of Asset Tracking System and Project Budgeting System as part of GRPS(DeG example)

GRP


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eJustice

“There is no place for impossible in a leader’s dictionary.”. This quote from HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE’s Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai is more than a mere sentence inside the halls of Dubai Courts. It has become an inspiration for a work culture and ethic that makes Dubai Courts in a league of its own.

IntegrationTyping offices have become an important component

of the e-integration process because they fill out the courts’ electronic forms for clients. The case management department at Dubai Courts held meetings with these offices to discuss and agree on a uniform service price and also ensure free typing for labourers. Development and updating of forms are discussed regularly and a legal consultant appointed to follow up the work of typing offices to minimize errors and save valuable time. A number of coordinators from Dubai Courts and typing offices will be appointed to communicate with each other in case any further enquiries or procedures arise.

Electronic forms for Courts of First Instance

The Courts of First Instance have issued a decree so that heads of judiciary departments can view forms directly through the Dubai Court’s website, saving the applicant from having to physically be present.

This decree is meant to follow the recommendations submitted by the civil case management which made a state of the art study that aimed at fostering internal performance’s efficiency and raising clients’ satisfaction.

Courts of First Instance have received 72,771 e-forms in 2011 compared to 48,409 forms in 2010 out of which 4,689 are electronic.

There are more than 300 e-forms on Dubai Courts’ website and work is still going on to further develop e-form registration system in coordination with the IT department. This is expected to be a turning point in facilitating and speeding up litigation procedures especially with the increasing number of submitted e-forms.

Electronic car auctions Dubai Courts in cooperation with the Emirates Auction

Company sold 313 vehicles in 19 online auctions worth more than 11 million dirhams.

This value, that is estimated to be 64% more than the vehicle evaluation that preceded the auction, was reached thanks to reliance on advanced auctioning technologies which increased the number of auctioneers and widened their geographical spectrum to cover the whole world unlike before where it was restricted only to ones attending the auction.

Dubai Courts has started auctioning movables such as furniture and home appliances in a step to hold online auctions and outsourcing them to Emirates Auction Company. Last year, two auctions, which generated more than 400,000 dirhams, were held.

Online auctioning has speeding up selling and collection processes thus aiding the litigation process related to these auctions. Furthermore; auctions at Dubai Courts are now held on a monthly basis, unlike before where they were held at distant intervals.

“Bashir” service for personal status The Department of Personal Status at Dubai Courts has

recently launched “Bashir “service which provides a wide spectrum of channels of e-applications for 74 services that include marriage applications, payment of monthly alimony, and replying to enquiries; all without a need to attend in person to Dubai Courts.

The Department of Personal Status has worked hard since 2005 to develop services and provide them online to facilitate the process for clients without any need to come to Dubai Courts and apply for them. To ensure speed and efficiency, a team from the department has been formed. The team is in charge of following up “Bashir” e-applications which is delivered without fees and according to regulations adopted at the department’s website.

All applications can be submitted through Dubai Courts’ website www.dc.gov.ae or through typing offices approved by Dubai Courts such as Tasheel, Ontime, and Emirates Businessmen. A coordinator from the department has been appointed to reply to different enquiries related to typing centres to facilitate sending and receiving online applications. Clients who find it difficult to archive their applications that need signature can send their applications to e-application fax 04 – 3366157.

Applicants can obtain a user name and follow up with the status of their applications through the courts’ e-portal. In case there is a notice or delay, feedback can be sent to the email: [email protected] and they will receive a response within one working day. •

Justice in Dubai – Online services enhanced at Dubai Courts


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ePress

Dubai Government has launched a number of initiatives with some of them in non-traditional government sector fields. One of them is Masar Printing & Publishing, a strategic unit of Dubai Media Incorporated. Masar has quickly emerged as Dubai’s leading high quality printing and publishing house in the region.

e4all interviewed HE Faisal Bin Haider, the CEO of Masar. Bin Haider spoke about the period that preceded the project’s launching. He said his team did a thorough market survey, which showed there were more than 400 printing press companies in Dubai. To generate revenues from such a highly competitive market was not going to be easy, since quality needed high capital and operational cost. However, all barriers should be overcome and Bin Haider said that their approach drew inspiration from HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s Vice-

President and Prime Minister, Ruler of Dubai. All hurdles and barriers were converted into business opportunities and they entered the market with a differentiated approach that included advanced printing technologies and complete automation.

Global benchmarkingBin Haider added that the team in

charge of this had done all necessary communication with other leading companies that manufacture printing projects looking for the best ones in automation processes. They visited more than 40 presses and noticed that most of them weren’t sufficiently automated because they had legacy printing machines that could not be upgraded or integrated. After market research, bench-marking and analysis,

a complete end to end automated state-of-the-art printing press was created at Masar.

High operational capacityThe system integrates and automates

all phases of printing and production. All information goes to a central

database where even the many variables such as the management of paper, ink supplies and other consumables are calculated automatically and connected with procurement and pricing. This also becomes useful for maintenance, efficiency and reduction in operational costs. A dashboard indicator means every aspect can be remotely monitored for all logistic and administrative systems, without the need for physical supervisors.


Faisal Bin Haider: “Information Technology has helped us to maintain a competitive edge.”

Mr Faisal Bin Haider demonstrates the online services provided by Masar Press to HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum during GITEX 2011


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Electronic servicesBin Haider explains that “Al Masar”

enjoys a high competitive value due to its advanced automated system when compared to its counterparts in the market. The automation ensures they pass on the benefits to their customers. An example is the ‘pricing guide’ – an interactive program which even a layperson can use to take a tour of the system, understand pricing specifications, type of paper, binding and printing and total costs. As a result of this clear and transparent pricing policy, Masar has become a first choice for many advertising and design companies.

ID cards Another popular service is that

of printing ID cards for government departments and large private establishments. The process used to be very labour intensive with employees recording their name and information

on an excel file or email; but any error meant completely redoing the printing. Masar provides an electronic interface with the design and name in a draft mode that can be verified before actual printing. Once the client approves the electronic files, the actual printing begins. The client can electronically monitor every step of the printing life-cycle.

Success stories Bin Haider believes that the

automation and value-added services give Al Masar a highly competitive edge in the market. As a result of this, they bagged the contract for printing the Ministry of Education’s curriculum books with delivery ahead of schedule. This ensured that the Ministry was able

to distribute books at the beginning of the academic year without any delay compared to previous years when five different printing houses were used with some of them delaying the printing till well after the start of the academic year. The Ministry is also satisfied since they can monitor the printing of books through automated devices, instead of having tension and relying on outdated modes of printing.

This is a success story of a national organization that has managed to utilize advanced technologies and IT for its critical operations and boost financial revenues while at the same time providing state-of-the-art quality services in the field of printing and publishing. •

Faisal Bin Haider: “The ‘pricing guide’ – is an interactive online program for pricing specifications, type of paper, binding and printing and total costs.”


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eStandards

Among these vital services that Dubai eGovernment provides, the Policy, Advisory and Knowledge Services may be considered the corner stone of the eTransformation initiative in Dubai government.

Since Dubai eGovernment was the first eTransformation initiative in the region, the Policy, Advisory and Knowledge Services set the standards for providing eServices to customers. A typical example of this is the Government Websites Excellence Model (GWEM), which creates the standards and policies for government websites in Dubai. In this article, e4all reproduces the most important parts of GWEM so that readers beyond government circles can benefit from eTransformation policies. In this issue we will cover the “Usability and Design” guidelines part A.

What is “Usability and Design”?

The branding elements of a website should convey a single, unified message to all users. Brand elements should include and utilize Dubai Government’s as well as the entity’s imagery, iconography and visual cues.

Following are the set of guidelines to achieve a nominal level of usability and common design across the Dubai Government websites:

Guideline: Provide a Clearly Defined Website Header and Footer:

The header & footer of the government entity website should be:• Clearlydefinedandseparated from

the rest of the content. • Consistently used throughout the

entire website (on all the pages of the website).

The website header must contain:• Government of Dubai official logo

on the left side and the entity’s official logo and name on the right side at the top of the page header. These components must appear on

a white strip and as identified by the Government of Dubai Brand Identity Guideline Book, Section 5.9: Websites; “The composite government entity logo structure should appear as a header on entity website. The white strip has to occupy the entire width of the portal and should appear at the top of every page. (The same official brand structure should be used for both Arabic and English pages). Within the header white strip or above it, the use of images, other logos, text and other distracting elements must be avoided.

The website footer should be designed to provide the users with easy access to common important information available on the website in addition to other elements explained in the below table.

The table below provides the minimum elements that must/should be available within an entity webpage header and footer; further guidelines of the elements are provided in the subsequent sections:

The Government Websites Excellence Model provides Guidelines for Dubai Government Websites(Part 3/A of the GWEM Model)

ـةمي

ـوك

حلـ

ة اني

روكت

إللع ا

قـوا

لمز ل

يـتم

الذج

ـوـم

ن

1

ظةفو

حم

ق قو

حلع ا

ميج

ة، ني

روكت

إللي ا

دبة

ومك

حة

ئردا

2 ل01

1 خ

سلن

ق اقو

ح

Element We b p a g e HeaderWebpage Footer Comments

Entity official Logo Mandatory Not recommended Must be located on the top right side of the page and available in all pages.

Dubai Government

Logo Mandatory Not recommended

Must be located on the top left side of the page and available in all pages.

Homepage Link Mandatory Optional A link to home page should be available in all pages.

Search Tool Mandatory Optional An effective and efficient Search function should be provided.

About us Mandatory Optional A link to about us should be provided.

Contact us Optional Mandatory A link to contact us should be available at least in the website footer.

Bilingual Language

Link Mandatory Optional A bilingual language link should be provided.

Dubai.ae/دبي.امارات

logo Mandatory Not recommended

Dubai.ae official logo (English/Arabic) should be provided in the header.

Sitemap Optional Optional A link should be available either in the header or in the footer.

Website Policies Not Recommended Mandatory A link to website policies should be provided.

Copyright

Statement Not

Recommended Mandatory A copyright statement should be available as part of the footer .

Site Last Updated Not Recommended Mandatory The site last updated date should be available as part of the footer.

FAQ Optional Optional A Link should be available either in the header or in the footer.

Site Maintained By

Message Not

Recommended Mandatory The message should be available as part of the footer.


15

Voices

Do you use eSuggestservice from Dubai

eGovernment?

Engineer Jumaa Yousef:eSuggest is a great innovation from

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to empower people to participate and interact with government departments. I personally have had good experience using this service and was impressed seeing how much more efficient it is to reach with my ideas to the government department directly.

However, it is more important to have a mechanism for how the government department handle the suggestions once it is delivered by the eSuggest service. Dothe suggestions and ideas take the fair amount of assessment and care to be converted into real projects? Unfortunately the answer according to my personal experience is no in most of the cases. I was not satisfied from the way departments evaluate and handle my ideas. I really hope that I can demonstrate my case to a decision maker to take serious action regarding this issue.

Yahya Kayed:Yes, I think the system is an easy

and effective way to deliver ideas to the government. It saves the time and effort for both the suggestion owner and the government department.

Ali Murad:Personally I have not used the

eSuggest service. However my father uses it regularly since he spent many years in UAE and has much experience in the country. I believe that the system is useful to the government as a platform to develop creative ideas and improve the work flow.

Mohammed Mahmoud:I had no idea about the eSuggest

service and have never used it. All what I know is the suggestion box I usually see inside the government departments.

On the home page, at the side,youwillfindaphotoof the Director General of GDRFA.

For more information about your case or any other services of GDRFA you can call the contact centre of GDRFA through the toll free number:

800 5111

This service is available through the portal of GDRFA www.dnrd.ae

1 3

3

2

2

1

Contact the GDRFA Director General


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eServices Wizard

Once you click on the photo, your email will automatically open, so you can write a message directly to the Director-General.

To follow up on your message, you can enquire about it by calling the contact center of GDRFA “Amer” using one of the multiple contact channels listed in the footer of the page. One of the most convenient ways is the online chat option.

UAE eGovernment ranked ةينورتكللإا اهتيجيتارتسا تقلطأ ......

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