The foundation of the Five Maturity Levels of e-Governance rests on the acknowledgment that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) brings about crucial capabilities such as speed, openness, and completeness. These defined maturity levels serve as an essential mechanism for organizations to gauge and benchmark their efforts in the implementation of e-Governance.

E-Government Maturity Models typically consist of five maturity levels that represent the evolutionary stages of a government organization's digital transformation. 

• Closed
• Initial
• Planned
• Realized
• Institutionalized

• Level 1 - Closed:
  • Characteristics: Limited or no use of technology for governance. Processes are manual, decentralized, and lack standardization.
  • In this scenario, an organization refrains from utilizing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a facilitator for good governance and does not have any immediate intentions to adopt such practices.
  • This situation may be attributed to a lack of exposure to ICTs and their associated benefits, influenced by factors such as remoteness or limited resources.
  • Consequently, the organization remains isolated, with limited connectivity and information-sharing capabilities in the realm of "E-governance." Despite this condition, it is noteworthy that the organization may still operate efficiently.
• Level 2 - Initial:
  • Characteristics: Basic use of technology with some standardization. Processes are defined and documented but may not be consistently followed.
  • During this phase, the upper management is familiar with Information and Communication Technology (ICT), its applications, and the advantages it can bring to organizations.
  • However, there have been no structured endeavors to initiate e-Government practices. Typically, efforts made during this stage are experimental and lack clear direction.
  • Towards the conclusion of this stage, it is anticipated that the organization will recognize the necessity of embracing e-Government.
  • Key criteria for this stage include the level of ICT knowledge within the organization, the perception of the advantages and disadvantages of e-Government, administrative initiatives, and the assessment of productivity resulting from these efforts.
• Level 3 - Planned:
  • Characteristics: Standardized processes that are consistently followed. Integration of technologies across departments is more prevalent.
  • This phase commences with a systematic approach, marked by the formulation of an information technology strategic plan from a strategic standpoint.
  • During this stage, comprehensive need assessments are conducted to prioritize implementation areas and gauge the level of e-readiness.
  • Building on the insights gained from the need assessment study, thorough planning ensues, outlining policies, strategies, diverse activities, stakeholders, roles, responsibilities, and the requisite resources in terms of time, finances, and manpower for embarking on the e-governance initiative.
  • Key criteria for this stage include vision definition, need assessment, the formulation of an e-Government plan, and meticulous documentation.
• Level 4 - Managed or Realized:
  • Characteristics: Data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and increased automation. A high level of integration across processes and departments.

Following the formulation of strategies in the previous stage, the current phase involves the implementation and assessment of these strategies. Based on the formulated strategies, an action plan is established, detailing the budget and timeline. The planned actions are then executed, and their outcomes are subsequently measured and monitored.

a) Retroscoped:

• Business processes are aligned with the overarching vision and the broader objectives of e-governance.

b) E-Ready:

• The organization has established a robust infrastructure, encompassing technological, institutional, legal, and human aspects, to effectively implement e-governance. Additionally, customers/users are well-oriented and motivated to utilize e-governance services.

c) Partially Open:

• In this stage, some e-governance services have been deployed, leading to partial information exchange among entities. Organizations at this level may focus solely on internal or backend processes, facilitating information exchange within the organization while remaining isolated from external entities. In such cases, the Government-to-Employee (G2E) interface is visible, while interfaces like Government-to-Citizen (G2C), Government-to-Government (G2G), and Government-to-Business (G2B) are not yet established. Alternatively, partial deployment may result in a visible G2C interface with limited emphasis on building G2E, G2B, or G2G interfaces.

d) Open:

• The organization has achieved an integrated system that facilitates seamless information exchange both within and outside the organization. Established interfaces such as Government-to-Employee (G2E), Government-to-Citizen (G2C), Government-to-Government (G2G), and Government-to-Business (G2B) are well-founded on a robust framework of e-governance building blocks (the essential components of e-readiness). The organization prioritizes meeting the needs of users accessing e-governance services.

• Level 5 - Optimized 
  • Characteristics: Mature and optimized processes. Continuous innovation, high adaptability to change, and a strong focus on citizen-centric services.
  • The organization's e-governance system operates through a firmly established Knowledge Management System, empowering the organization to adapt to new requirements over time.
  • E-governance seamlessly integrates into the organization's operations, becoming a habitual practice for stakeholders and customers/users.
  • At this advanced level, the organization operates entirely in a paperless environment.