The user panel groups
We set up the user panel groups after the first research, which gave us the answer, who really need the e-services solution.
 
Phase 1

I Citizens  
Tamsalu municipality started to develop e-Services by demand from the citizens: Tamsalu information list, webpage; e-Services for better information changing process between citizens and municipality personnel, libraries, schools and other municipal organisations. We have comprehensive e-Service offering on the state level — it is e-Government (in Estonian — e-riik), which can use everyone, who has computer and internet connection. Citizens are aware of the possibilities on Tamsalu webpage. The know less about information list, but it is used by members 15-17% of all citizens. The information list is very effective and works well. All of our citizens, from the age 5th to the age 50th, can use computer (off cause with small differences of skills). Elder citizens, who haven´t the need to use the computer, haven´t these skills. Usually in Tamsalu municipality the senior citizens look for possibilities to learn use the computer by themselves.
 
National e-Services, like banks, e-riik etc, are available for all people. Using of these depends on existing of computer, internet connection and citizens´ interest on it and their level of education.
 
The most of the citizens have internet connection at their home. There were some citizens, who don´t need the internet connection and who hasn´t possibility for it. Some citizens have wireless network at their home and they were mostly citizens living in Tallinn. Citizens use internet at home and in the office every day. The most of the citizens visit the municipality hall once per 3 month or once a year.
 
The homepage is the one of the most important information channels. The citizens find the information sometimes or all the time from the municipality´s homepage. The citizens suggest developing the next e-services in Tamsalu:
 
  • The quick and adequate answers to the questions;
  • The plans and schedules for the department and local authorities;
  • The active databases;
  • The possibility to fill and send the application via internet;
  • The possibility to speak with the social workers via internet;
  • The possibility to register to the appointment to the headman and other public servants;
  • The possibility to ask the questions from the headman and other public servants;
  • The possibility to send documents with the digital signature;
  • The active news folder on the website, where the citizens can add the information;
  • The questionnaires;
  • The forum.  
II Civil servants
The civil servants use computer and internet every day. The civil servants answer to the citizens´ question by e-mail 2-3 times per week and by phone 2-3 times per day. The next drawing characterizes how many percents of the civil servants and how often answers to the questions in the office, by phone and by e-mail. Civil servants think that the internet should not to be the only way of communication with the citizens. The information transferred once or more times per week to the newspaper and homepage.
 
For the easiest work, the civil servants need the next e-services: 
 
  • The projects of the decisions;
  • Plans;
  • Application forms;
  • The electronic newspaper;
  • The profession-manuals of the public servants;
  • The event calendar;
  • The information about the environment;
  • The information for the entrepreneurs.
E-services are very new approach for our citizens to create more effective information changing between municipality leaders, personnel and citizens. It means that we need more and more trainings and seminars to inform people about the new approaches. We have to use more practical trainings with the examples for the citizens. Younger generation are very aware about e-Services and use these very actively. But the senior citizens have the problems with it.
 
The other user panel groups:
  • The members of the board and council.
  • Local and foreign people.
  • Enterprises.
  • Nongovernmental organisations.
  • Teachers.
  • Parents.
  • Children and youth.  
Phase 2  

We have tested the new solutions and the most of all user panel groups are satisfied. In the future we would like to have more information about the needs from all user panel groups. During the project time we always called the users to participate in our seminars. The participation of users was very high all the time, including the demonstration event about the new e-service system in our website. It means that the users were actively participated in the demonstration events giving, afterwards, its impressions and comments to be used to improve the system. User panels (local people, civil servant, the members of the board and council, teachers and the leaders of municipal organisations, for enterprises and for nongovernmental organisations) are better informed now.
Updated: 2008-04-10