A Web site that is not just pretty but functional, says Anne Reed, head of global government business at computer services giant EDS, involves marrying that front-end piece with streamlined internal systems. That's not always easy. Governments don't have to worry about losing their markets for many services. Still, governors see a competitive advantage in cutting private business's overhead costs. E-government companies, for their part, know the value of political connections.
Stakes are high both for politicians and for technology companies.
What's more, if citizens believe government is misusing information obtained online, the move to E-government will be slowed. But for now, the E-government train is gathering steam. New services flower when bureaucrats start thinking of citizens as customers. This spring, Arizona will introduce a Web service that lets drivers design personalized plates. Read E-government technology news from IBM's Institute for Electronic Government .