• e-government (how many services on line etc.)
• citizens (how many people on line, for which purpose, etc.)
• companies (how many companies doing e-commerce etc.),
• broadband supply (how many people CAN have access to broadband etc)

Four Working Groups analyse each domain.
Each WG examines, using a common approach defined by this component leader, previous and current benchmarking initiatives and regional indicators in each domain. Following this, an internal discussion is organised and feedback from other partners, policy-makers and other stake-holders is collected. This leads to the first draft definition of common methdology and indicators on each domain, which is the first benchmarking toolkit.
In particular, all partners participate to the definition of common indicators. Each region takes parte to two working groups on two policy domains. Aquitaine is in charge of ensuring that the project takes full account of other EU projects.

Methodology and operational definition must be approved by all partner regions and are applied for carrying out surveys in the partner regions, for each working group.
In particular, each partner region implements 2 surveys during the first year.
Results are evaluated by the working group and a new, final definition of indicators and methodology for each domain is produced.
Surveys are then repeated and results are evaluated to assess differences and stimulate discussion on why and how some regions perform better than others.
In particular:
1) All partner regions except Aquitaine use the methodology for carrying out their surveys expected within the project
2) At least 10 more regions or bodies in Europe agree upon the operational definition of indicators within the time-frame of the project
3) At least 5 regions or bodies in Europe agree to use indicators within the time-frame of the project
The draft and final version of the methodology and indicator per each domain is packaged in the Toolkit for benchmarking e-regions, which is distributed to other EU regions via European networks in order to collect feedback and promote take-up.
Most partners (Emilia-Romagna, Piemonte, Valencia, Baleares, Wales, Aquitaine, Yorkshire) are the Information Society observatories in their regions.

With the regional benchmarking tool-kit:
1) It is possible to assess Information Society development across regions and across time
2) It is possible to compare the data with other benchmarking projects and initiatives.

Download Understand Project Benchmarking toolkit: