Abstract – The present study focuses on Swedish public authorities’ e-governed design of assistance and support preparedness vis-à-vis small and medium sized enterprises (SME) in a service directive context. 

Purpose – The paper aims to examine Swedish agencies’ design of assistance and support preparedness vis-à-vis SMEs in a service directive context. 

Approach – The topic is examined through interviews and investigations. Based on the analysis, it is being concretised from a theoretical angle, to which extent the examined authorities have involved the end-user. 

Findings – This study shows that public authorities use system-oriented approaches in designing e-government services. 

Practical implications – One suggestion is that authorities familiarize themselves with methods such as “design thinking” and apply them in their efforts in order to learn how to overcome every feeling of disembodiment and depersonalization that technology has created between government agency and customers. 

Social implications – The topic examined is a matter of interest for all EU-countries government agencies. The results from this study can be generalized in terms public authorities ”do the right thing in a wrong way”. 

Originality –In order to highlight the topic from a theoretical angle, an outline divided in system-oriented and market-oriented approaches have emerged as an outcome of the theoretical considerations. To the knowledge of the author, there are no previous studies that have identified above-mentioned categories separated by the degree of end-user involvement in designing services. 

The present study focuses on Swedish public authorities’ e-governed design of assistance and support preparedness vis-à-vis small and medium sized enterprises (SME) in a service directive context. This topic is examined through interviews with authority experts on their design process, and investigations on how SMEs perceive authorities’ design of assistance and support preparedness vis-à-vis the end-user in a service directive context. As a minimum directive, i.e. establishing minimum standards in terms of a national e-portal, a so called ”point-of –single-contact” is imperative, customer involvement in designing e-government solutions for support preparedness is optional. This study shows that Swedish agency experts designed appropriate solutions to ease the lives of the self-employed and minimise administrative burdens. Obviously, the authorities involved the end-user at different levels without being able to concretise their methods, as no distinct service design method had been applied save for the end-user’s own experience. The present study also shows that the end-user has a positive view of e-government services, and finds that such services expedite processing times; however, the authorities’ additional services — information and notification —  are deficient. Overall, these deficiencies mean that SMEs’ contact with authorities has been made more difficult rather than simpler. Moreover, a comparative analysis between authority experts on their design process and SMEs’ statements on their perceived experience is implemented in this article. Based on the analysis, it is being concretised from a theoretical angle, to which extent the examined authorities have involved the end-user.