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In the summer of 2006 a study grant for higher education could for the first time be applied for online. Since mid-August 2007, this is also possible for secondary education. In the summer of 2008 new target groups for study grants will be added: parents of children in nursery and primary education. As a result, the number of electronic family records (394,000 individual records) may grow from 152,000 to 317,000. The whole application system substantially facilitates the application procedure for citizens. Almost all the required information is automatically collected from the different authorities.
Digital Application Form
Up till now the Study Grants Division of the Education and Training policy area dealt with 150,000 study grant applications per year. That is why they opted in favour of online applications, replacing all the paper with a digital processing system. They started with the smallest and most complicated group of records: higher education, which accounts for 50,000 applications each year.
Security
There are two reasons why a strict security procedure is required. First of all, personal data are involved and therefore strict standards apply for the protection of the private life of the applicants. Secondly, the administration needs guarantees that bogus applicants will not hamper a proper processing of the applications.
There are two types of security keys: the electronic identity card or the token which the federal government uses, for instance, for tax returns via TaxOnWeb. The token is entirely free. The electronic identity card requires a specific card reader which can of course be used for other applications as well.
Equality
The government makes sure that all citizens continue to be equal before the law. That is why the paper application form will continue to exist. Anyone can download it from the website and print it, or simply apply for a paper copy.
Correct Information
When citizens log on using their tokens or e-identity cards, the system collects their personal data (including the family composition) from the MAGDA platform, which is linked to the unique registration via the State Register Number. The module gradually guides users through all the questions.
Fiscal information, such as income data and land registry information about the user’s house, is also retrieved.
Thanks to this procedure users have to fill in as little as possible. For secondary education, for instance, the correct school and course of study will be selected in drop-down lists. Users can attach appendices in no less than thirteen file formats (from .jpg and .tif to .pdf).
Great Freedom
Applicants have much freedom in the choices they make. Would they like to receive any further correspondence by post or by e-mail? Do they wish to upload appendices or send them on paper?
When they find out that they need to retrieve some additional information (for instance the rental agreement), then they simply save the entered data and pick up the thread later on. Once they have completed their application they can follow the status of their records – up to and including the payment.
Advantages for Citizens
It is practically impossible to make errors when entering data. With paper copies, applicants can misinterpret certain instructions, with delayed payment as a result. The intelligent module explains each step through clickable icons, which is much more orderly than the appendices to the paper application form.
Moreover, users receive a warning when they fill in something which is impossible. Or when they forget to complete part of the form. In this case they will simply be unable to continue.
The Minimum
Citizens only have to fill in what is strictly necessary. Do they own any properties in Flanders? Then these data are automatically collected from the dwellings database. If they own properties in Brussels and Wallonia, they will have to submit additional documents to the authorities.
Saves Time and Money
Citizens can save in two ways. They no longer need to send any application forms and thus save postal expenses. What most people like even better, however, is that applicants no longer have to leave their office chair to collect an application form.
And the cherry on the pie? There is a big chance that the effect will be visible sooner on their bank account, because the application is complete straight away and immediately at the right destination.
Advantages for the Administration
Everything is processed digitally and completely automated. Every evening the software makes a collection file which forwards the requests for information about the taxable income to the Ministry of Finance. Two days later these are in line for digital processing
At the same time a request is also sent to the dwellings database to collect information about the properties in Flanders.
Efficiency
The MAGDA platform for data exchange has huge advantages. A large number of data are collected from existing databases, others are entered only once. As a result, errors can only be made once. In addition, it saves considerably on logistics.
Today, efforts continue to make the whole application procedure for study grants as paperless as possible. Paper forms are scanned as much and as quickly as possible, so as to allow for electronic back office processing here as well.
And to make them widely available.
Questions about study grants are answered by the Vlaamse Infolijn (Flemish Info Line) at the free number (1700) of the Flemish government. Vlaamse Infolijn collaborators can consult the files of the study grant application. As a result, even letters or e-mails can be sent without any intervention from the people who handle the dossiers at the Study Grants Division.
Lessons learnt
Tip 1: Take your time
The first stage of this MAGDA project in 2006-2007 took six months to complete. It started with an analysis by a working group in which CORVE (Flemish eGovernment Coordination Unit) experts also participated intensively. The project managers reserved two months to thoroughly test it. Consequently, there were hardly any problems when the application entered into production.
Tip 2: Make an in-depth analysis
Problems must be thoroughly analysed. Think everything through and consider all the functional scenarios in detail (especially when authentic sources need to be consulted and integrated into both the front (application form) and back offices. Write trial scenarios already during the design phase, because when under pressure you are inclined to forget this.
Tip 3: Carry out user trials
Especially when developing an application for citizens, you have to call on specialists to perform tests among the end users. The hired usability specialists observed people at home and asked them questions while they were going through the application procedure. This resulted in a number of adjustments being made, such as the numbering of the input screens and a progress bar. Do certainly not forget to perform trials among people with a visual disability, for instance. The tips they give you are most of the time useful for other users as well. It is thus very important for you as a government not to exclude any target groups. |
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