Chapter 7 - The DIALogue prototype - Access to expertise via the net

• Conclusions
• Recommendations

Conclusions

• Survey respondents generally welcomed the DIALogue facilities, but not as strongly as the DIAL index facility. Some expressed a willingness to pay for its use.
• It is too early to draw any conclusions from the use of the DIALogue prototype facility.
• The appointment of consultants during the legislative and law reform processes is common in most of the countries surveyed but is usually an ad-hoc process. It is difficult to see precisely how use of DIALogue would fit into these processes.
• Consideration should be given to reducing the number of communication methods in DIALogue, so as to avoid potential confusion in users concerning the breadth of communication of messages.
• Some form of the DIALogue Discussion List will be valuable as a feedback mechanism and forum concerning the other DIAL facilities.
• The administrative requirements of dealing with senior legal experts and government officials, and some potential legal risks, may mean that it is more appropriate that DIALogue be operated by the Bank than by the Project DIAL operators.
• If DIALogue is operated with the DIAL Index / DIAL Search facilities, it must be given a high priority, and the extent of resources this will require will depend to some extent on the complexity of the facility.

Recommendations

• In designing any follow-on RETA, the Bank should consider which aspects of DIALogue's operations are of most value, in light of usage experience which is not yet available.
• The Bank should consider reducing the complexity of the communications options in DIALogue.
• The Bank should consider operating some aspects of DIALogue in-house as part of the Bank's web facilities.
• Some facility similar to the DIALogue Discussion List should be developed to assist in the operation of the other DIAL facilities.