Overview
Why a Flemish Flemish Integration Platform?
The Authorities of Flanders seek to use eGovernment to offer an accessible demand-driven, integrated and simplified range of services to citizens and companies. The authorities are now faced with a situation in which tasks, business processes and data have become fragmented and redundant.
A typical problem is file composition and maintenance: the same basic tasks have to be carried out time and time again, citizens (or companies) regularly have to re-enter the same information, and in the event of amendments the information is not passed on with the result that information is out of date without the relevant services being aware of this. This means the authorities are often operating suboptimally at internal level, so they often fail to offer a streamlined image to the outside world.
The aforementioned situation is obviously not specific to the authorities because (large) businesses are experiencing similar problems, hence the heavy pressure being applied with a view to overcoming these obstacles.
Specialist providers now offer a number of technical solutions in the form of so-called integration infrastructures. As the expression suggests, this takes the form of software environments making it possible (and even comparatively easy) to integrate data, processes and work flows on a large scale (i.e. for interoperability). The approach is comparatively straightforward. All databases and applications that should be able to work together are converted into services, so that platform-dependent interfaces are provided. What is involved under this heading is SOA (Service Oriented Architecture). The services may communicate with each other via a number of open standards. These standards support data exchanges within a local network and over the Internet. New applications may be produced fairly easily and quickly on the basis of the services available. These new applications may also in turn become services. The order in which they are required, the conditions that have to be met towards this end and the decisions that need to be taken on the basis of the information available all form one or more business processes. In other words, the business process orchestrates services. Software that allows these services to work together is called a Service Bus which is the basis for the Flemish Integration Platform.
The VIP fits in within a general approach to integration of customer service where the administrative burdens are minimised. More effectively integrated applications are required in the light of this approach. In other words, the need for application integration (EAI) is a result of specific business requirements for the policy aims to be achieved.
Flemish Government Video Case Study
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The Flemish Integration Platform is much more than a data exchange system
As well as acting as a data exchange channel, the Flemish Flemish Integration Platform facilitates data processing co-operation between administrative entities.
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The VIP covers the following services:
- Messaging services: Messaging services ensure that messages are sent in a reliable way (so delivery is guaranteed, including the delivery sequence).
- Transformation services: These services ensure that an application requiring services or data receives the data in the required format. The transformation service can convert messages from the data supplying application into the required format.
- Proces control service: Stages often have to be completed in a specific order, while process steps have to be taken at a specific time. The processes to be followed may be designed with the process control module.
- Workflow services: Business processes are generally not fully automatically performed but require user actions. The process steps that have to be undertaken to achieve a specific final result represent the workflow.
Finally, the VIP has a number of in-built resources that incorporate the data flow monitoring and logging.
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Added value for stakeholders
The added value of the VIP lies in streamlining the processes with the authorities and in better harmonising the processes, including the internal exchange of data for a more efficient and more effective service.
Added value for citizens and companies
- Data have to be notified to the authorities only once;
- When data form a part of authentic sources of information these may be used in several applications;
- Solely data amendments are passed on.
Added value for the Authorities of Flanders
- A saving in costs in due course for applications development;
- Applications may communicate with each other and exchange information. Information that could not be used earlier on for an application may be accessed via the VIP;
- Back-office processes are harmonised so as to keep down processing costs.
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Following up to progress of egovernment projects
The eGovernment co-ordination unit is due to develop a scorecard for monitoring the progress of eGovernment within the Authorities of Flanders in the light of the various target groups (such as citizens, companies, institutions and associations). Key items due to be assessed are: use, availability, familiarity, value for the customer, confidence, price (once-only investments and recurrent exploitation).
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