eUser - Evidence-based support for the design and delivery of user-centred online public services
Framework Programme
European Commission: 6th Framework Programme
Duration
2004 - 2006
Description
eUSER supported the IST programme to achieve its key objectives to put the user and their needs at the centre of IST developments. It provided empirical information on key public eServices domains - eGovernment, eHealth, eLearning - identified as priorities by the European Council and in the eEurope 2005 action plan, and assessed the demand/supply match in these fields. Various eServices have been implemented at different levels in the European Union which directly address European citizens. Many of these eServices have been designed and implemented with a superficial understanding of the widely differing needs of its target groups. Online public service providers need to improve their ability and readiness to address generic user issues and their domain-specific needs. Only then Europe will achieve the benefits potentially associated with eGovernment, eHealth and eLearning for all its citizens. eUSER addressed generic user-related issues and developed a globally accessible repository of evidence-based knowledge, methods and best practice examples. It pursued an extensive programme of active knowledge translation, transfer and dissemination supported by sophisticated online knowledge dissemination tools. The knowledge base consolidated both existing knowledge and approaches, and novel data generated by the project through representative population surveys (demand side) in selected EU member states, and through comparative analyses of readiness to address user aspects of public eServices in each Member State (supply side). The project also provided robust benchmarking and prospective analyses of value for the eEurope 2005 action and for EU public administration, public health and education policy.
Over 24 months, partners located in four Member States and further ones from Canada cooperated on these issues. In addition, all other European Union Member States and two Candidate Countries were covered by national correspondents from the ENIR network.