Open Illinois.org

ForeSee Results, a customer satisfaction research firm, recently released a study furthering the argument for government transparency.

Applying an existing customer satisfaction model, ForeSee concluded that government agencies operating with transparency enjoy higher citizen satisfaction which in turn, promotes active citizens:

“…increased transparency drives satisfaction, and citizens who are highly satisfied with a given federal website (satisfaction scores of 80 and higher on the study’s 100-point scale) are much more likely to engage in desired outcomes than less satisfied citizens (<70). Highly satisfied website visitors are:

• 49% more likely to trust the agency or department overall;
• 54% more likely to participate in communication with the agency online or offline in the future;
• 73% more likely to collaborate with the agency online in the future using interactive features such as wikis or blogs;
• 54% more likely to return to the site;
• 78% more likely to recommend the site;
• 77% more likely to use the site as a primary resource for interaction with the agency overall.”

This data underscores the importance of transparency in all levels of government.  Not only is transparency vital to the protection of public interests, but evidently can foster a more collaborative environment between government and citizen.  Policy is a two-way street and developing a more engaged citizenry ensures that legislation better fits the public’s interest.

It is essential, then, that government seeks to not only become more transparent, but to do so in an efficient, navigable manner.

Be sure to check out the transparency section of the Illinois Policy Institute for further information on the subject.