The participants divided into five homogeneous groups to brainstorm about approaches to linking government practice and academic research. The three government groups (comprising Federal, state, and local practitioners, respectively) were asked to identify government's current and future administrative and service delivery needs that advanced IT can help meet. The two research groups (in information technology and social sciences) were asked to identify research topics and approaches that can contribute to more effective use of advanced technologies in government. From these discussions, eight key needs and opportunities emerged:

• Interoperable systems that are trusted and secure.
• Citizen participation in democratic processes.
• Electronic public service models and transactions.
• New models for public-private partnerships and other networked organizational forms.
• Intuitive decision support tools for public officials.
• Better methods of IT management.
• Archiving and electronic records management.
• Matching research resources to government needs.

In subsequent discussions among the participants, a number of issues emerged that need to be addressed to make research collaborations more effective.

• Although academic research can have a significant influence on government practices, the government and research communities have very different value systems that need to be taken into account. Government is risk-averse by design, and research is quite the opposite. These competing values need to be addressed through the development of new models for informing and integrating practice and research.
• With the devolution of government services and increased demand for measurable performance at every level, all levels of government need to be accounted for in the research program. Since citizens and businesses most often interact with government at the state and local levels, the needs for intergovernmental support and research are significant. Similarly, the not-for-profit and private sectors are important actors in the delivery of government services and need to be represented in the research topics explored under Digital Government.
• In order to be successful, the research program will need to address the technical, management, policy, and organizational factors that go into successful systems. With this diverse set of research questions and objectives, the research effort should include a variety of research methods, including case studies and experimental testbeds.
• Given the wide gap between the academic and government practitioner communities, and the significant opportunity for improved practices through collaboration, new methods are needed for disseminating research into practice and for infusing research with the problems of practice. NSF should consider the development of organizational structures and funding methods to bridge the gap between these two cultures.
• Information technology can play a significant role in transforming not only government services and administration, but also the working of democratic institutions. Projects that focus on the nature and effects of "digital governance" should be included in the Digital Government research program.