SGML for e-governance: the case of the Finnish Parliament

The public sector as an information-intensive area has the characteristic feature that a major portion of its information management consists of document management. Hence, a critical factor in the implementation of electronic governance (e-governance) is effective implementation of electronic document management. SGML and its subset XML are definition languages by which standard document structures for both e-commerce and e-governance can be defined. The paper describes the ongoing SGML standardisation in the Finnish Parliament and outcomes of the standardisation. The standardisation has been a major redesigning and rethinking effort. The paper shows that the SGML standardisation on the way to e-governance has not only technological effects but also effects on workflows, cooperation within and between agencies, and democracy