Framework enables interoperability of information systems
24 - 10 - 2002

The Government has set up an Interoperability Framework (IF) to enable seamless integration of government applications and facilitate the provision of citizen-centric one-stop public services.

Speaking at a web services award-presentation ceremony today (October 24), the Director of Information Technology Services, Mr Alan Wong Chi-kong, said that the IF would enable seamless concatenation of information systems owned by different bureaux and departments and facilitate interoperability among systems within the Government, and between Government and external systems.

He said, "To drive the wider adoption of information technology in the connected world, we must break down the barriers among systems, organisations and people. Interoperability is the key."

"The IF is basically a collection of guidance documents and specifications and it will be based on open standards, such as Extensible Markup Language (XML), as far as possible," he said.

Mr Wong said that although the framework was primarily intended to be used by government bureaux and departments, the business community and members of the public however may wish to know something about it when they build or upgrade existing computer systems which may interact with government applications electronically.

The Government has recently formed an XML Co-ordination Group comprising users within the Government and experienced XML adoptors from the private sector to help drive the development of XML schema and repository in the Government.

This will facilitate the use of emerging technologies and standards including Web Services.

The Group will enable the sharing of best practices of doing e-business and will allow the creation of synergies within and amongst different sectors.

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