E-participation and enterprise architecture frameworks: An analysis

The success of innovative e-participation solutions depends heavily on the organizational planning and the incorporation of such initiatives into the different stages of the policy life-cycle. E-participation often demands to introduce new participation facilities into the traditional processes of policy formulation and decision making. Accommodating the various requirements from distinct perspectives calls for a holistic engineering approach for e-participation systems analysis and design. Enterprise Architectures (EA) have evolved in information systems research as an approach to give guidance in developing complex socio-technical systems. This paper analyzes the application of EA frameworks in the context of e-participation. E-participation domain and implementation models are investigated to identify crucial tasks and aspects in e-participation project development and implementation. Related to the tasks identified, two EA frameworks are analyzed: the Zachman Framework and TOGAF. We explain how EA frameworks can support the development and implementation of e-participation projects. Finally, the needs for a reference framework for e-participation are argued and a reference framework is presented.