Not everybody uses computers. Not everybody has internet access.
Shouldn't paper forms still be available as a last resort?
I'm okay with "online first" but not "online only".
No, not really. The edge cases are easily resolved by helping out those who cannot use the standard method. A friend, a random stranger or a clerk would gladly fill an online form when someone is having troubles.
Upkeep of a parallel infrastructure is hard and expensive.
If it’s not THAT rare it instantly becomes a service that is provided by a shop close to the place where the papers were supposed to be filled.
I’ve seen that in Bulgaria where clerks would fill online or paper forms for you in exchange of a small fee and in Turkey there’s a bookstore close to official buildings that will help you with all kind of form. There used to be people with typewriters hassling around public offices that would fill forms for you too.
Nowadays in Turkey the online government services are very good(you can do everything online, including everything from health services to subscription cancellations), so these seized to exist and if there’s some who cannot use the online stuff, a local shop or the clerks in a public office would help them out.
Assuming that someone who has likely never touched a computer before can operate at or above that level seems like a fast track towards ensuring that they remain marginalized and even further isolated from social services. That, in turn, has long term expenses that, I'd expect, dwarf the costs of a few hardcopies and a data-entry clerk.
In my case, family fills up the online forms for the elderly. I know that they are not stupid, my father is an Engeneer with masters degree, used to program with punch cards and he still uses Autocad but he is having trouble with online forms. When needed, he sends me a link and I fill up forms for him occasionally. I have other relatives too who are simply not comfortable with computers and we will help them out when needed.
When that's not possible, a clerk will help them out. People tend to be nice to old people, even if they are grumpy.
When I have to agree to a "Terms of Service" on a third party website to get my drive license and these Terms have a mandatory arbitration clause and leave this private entity with the ability to ban me for any reason, I will understandably be upset.
All government forms must be accessibly to all. If internet is required to use government forms, internet access must not be cut off to anyone without due process of law. The same goes to electricity and the ability to use electronic devices.
If the main computing devices available are Google Chromebooks, Apple iPads, and Microsoft Tablets, the user's ability to log in can be restricted at the drop of a pin by a faceless corporate entity. While it may still be possible to access the internet on some of these devices without agreeing to the TOS, this can change. If the government certificate expires, then the device will need to be updated. Updates almost always require a TOS agreement.
No private corporations should be able to ban people from using government forms without due process of law.
So yes, I am okay with online only, but only in a world where all software can be used by all users for any purpose without threat of revocation from extra-judicial private overlords.
More accessible than requiring someone to go to a City Hall basement!
I’m not saying “no” to paper, I’m just talking about the reality that having a computer in at least one part of the process is mandatory.
And just do data entry on the few paper forms that make it past this and don’t think about it.
This is contingent on being able to have an alternate renderer that spits out pdf based on the form definition that should be dead simple.
I work in an org with lots of forms. People were weird that they wouldn’t accept a screen that said “Prepend approved on 3/18 at 1055” and would do weird things like print out the screen and ask for signatures or say funny stuff like “the law requires a paper signature.” So the pdf killer equivalent added a “view form” button that just displayed the old form, filled in from the same record with “Digitally signed by prepend on 3/18 at 1055” in the signature box. Seems stupid but worked wonders. Some people would print that out and save it, but that doesn’t slow anyone down but the printer.
There are a significant number of people who use their phone as the primary or even sole method of internet access. And that's not just low income people but also young adults. When you start counting homeless people who primarily use the library (if open), you have another problem.
I've worked in various "digital divide" issues for almost 10 years. Online first is okay but we can't wipe out the offline approaches without leaving large swathes of people without any feasible options.
Innovate but make sure you're considering your constituents' needs.
1. Make it online only
2. Let people use computers for free at city hall and libraries
3. Have folks around who can help if they get stuck
A quick browse of boston.gov shows at least all forms I could immediately find have an in-person alternative listed on the website.
Sure, they'll have to fill the form themselves, but it is already online. So it is one (main) workflow regardless of who does it.