TAPAS: A Pattern-Based Approach to Assessing Government Transparency

TL;DR

TAPAS is a data-driven system that assesses government transparency by identifying behavioral anti-patterns in document management, enabling continuous, resource-efficient monitoring and insights.

Contribution

The paper introduces TAPAS, a novel methodology using behavioral pattern analysis to evaluate transparency, addressing limitations of existing resource-intensive assessment methods.

Findings

Identified eight transparency anti-patterns in government document management.

Demonstrated TAPAS's applicability at a Dutch ministry over two decades.

Enabled continuous, resource-efficient transparency monitoring.

Abstract

Government transparency, widely recognized as a cornerstone of open government, depends on robust information management practices. Yet effective assessment of information management remains challenging, as existing methods fail to consider the actual working behavior of civil servants and are resource-intensive. Using a design science research approach, we present the Transparency Anti-Pattern Assessment System (TAPAS) -- a novel, data-driven methodology designed to evaluate government transparency through the identification of behavioral patterns that impede transparency. We demonstrate TAPAS's real-world applicability at a Dutch ministry, analyzing their electronic document management system data from the past two decades. We identify eight transparency anti-patterns grouped into four categories: Incomplete Documentation, Limited Accessibility, Unclear Information, and Delayed Documentation. We show that TAPAS enables continuous monitoring and provides actionable insights without requiring significant resource investments.