A lot of strategy papers have been written and inititiaves launched to further e-government. The topic is important - for enterprises competitiveness and tax payers.

But too often these programs tend to become lengthy letters to Santa Claus - thus not having the needed focus on what is really important and also isolating public sector services and processes. Isolation does not make sense as the public sector part is only a fraction of what is needed to satisfy the citizen's need in specific contents. 

A checklist should have the following items:

1. Start with services that are needed often by many - and use already familiar tools (like e-id, e-payments, e-salary, e-invoices) in the private sector - where the volumes are much bigger - and thus have created the habit.

2. Then move to services that are needed seldom by many - and use the same tools and user experience.

3. Services needed often by few or seldom by few can wait - focus should be to get the critical mass in place first.

4. There are no corporate customers - only human customers in different roles - private, employee, citizen, third sector. The tools and user experience should be the same x-roles and x-services whenever possible.

5. Give highest priority to actions that improve competitiveness of the SME-sector. They are the ones who bake the welfare state cake.

6. Use global open standards - also when building the EU Single Market

7. Make sure that citizens are aware of what demands cost - thereby avoiding some of the initiatives needed seldom by few.

By this you will speed up adoption, save tax payer's money and get satisfied users.