This toolkit, available on CD-ROM, was designed to help policy makers and senior executives in developing countries determine how and when to successfully start e-government projects. Topics covered by the toolkit include:

• e-readiness
• the preparation of an e-government action plan
• how to build human capacity, develop infrastructure and build partnerships
• legislation and regulatory frameworks
• recommendations on the creation of a national portal a single entry point for e-government elements
• guidance on how to develop performance indicators for the e-government plan and to assess the usability of government portals / websites

The toolkit also includes case studies of successful e-government initiatives and discusses "the challenges faced and the way they were addressed."

The toolkit was developed in response to the Plan of Action adopted at the World Summit on the Information Society. One proposal of that plan was the development of "national e-government initiatives and services, at all levels, adapted to the needs of citizens and business, to achieve a more efficient allocation of resources and public goods."