Guest Editors´ Introduction: Research in the Digital Government Realm

As they focus on the challenges that those who implement digital government face, computer science researchers practice nearly the entire spectrum of their discipline, working in collaboration with scientists from other disciplines in pursuit of answers to questions about information management, policy, and technology in government. Sidebar, p. 27. An IT View of Emergency ManagementJosé H. Canós, Technical University of Valencia, SpainMarcos R.S. Borges, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Gustavo Alonso, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Switzerland An emergency plan provides guidelines that government agencies can use for making management decisions promptly and efficiently when a critical emergency occurs. Sidebar, p. 28.Public Safety and Cross-Boundary Data Sharing: Lessons from the CapWin ProjectChristine B. Williams, Janis L. Gogan, and Jane Fedorowicz, Bentley CollegeThe CapWIN project represents one of the first integrated multistate transportation and public safety wireless networks in the US, enabling data interoperability for first responders wherever they are. Sidebar, p. 29.In the Real World of Digital Government: Successes and Challenges of E-RulemakingNeil Eisner, US Department of TransportationThe government currently uses electronic technology in all aspects of the e-rulemaking process, and it is working to develop additional methods that will help the public provide good data to use in making governmental decisions. Sidebar, p. 30.Research Issues in Healthcare InformaticsSylvia J. Spengler, US National Science FoundationAddressing both citizen needs and professional interests, which will be critical to gaining acceptance of a multifaceted approach to healthcare informatics, requires the kind of multifaceted approach that has been a hallmark of the NSF digital government program.