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The spread of digitalization has altered the world in terms of how people are communicating, living and behaving. While private–sector institutors are more agile in terms of adapting their business operations and meeting customer demands, the digital transformation presents a major challenge for public institutions. The new ‘digitally savvy’ citizens now have higher demands on public institutions to make information available online, which can be easily found and understood. As these demands increase, public sector institutions are under time pressure to meet these expectations and constituent demands, and at the same time improve efficiency and reduce costs.
How can public institutions accelerate their digital transformative journey?
Design systems while having customers in mind
A first step toward modernizing the platforms is to alter the systems based on how citizens interact with them rather than how they are organized within governmental institutions. While for a young entrepreneur, to open a business he/she is required to visit and collect documents in multiple institutions, such a modernized system would enable the reorganization of the system, so that all the documents can be retrieved in one place – faster and easier. Eventually, this requires a more holistic collaboration among institutions so that data and systems are shared accordingly. An example of such a platform is the Kosovo Founder Service “Biznesi Im”. The platform is hosed within the Kosovo Investment and Enterprise Agency (KIESA) and serves as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for Kosovo’s micro, small and medium enterprises. It grants them access to a variety of digital tools and services such as necessary business templates, manuals, self-assessment tools, business planning tools, etc.
Engage citizens at their convenience
As technology is advancing, so are customer preferences. When this is compared to long hours of waiting in line, it eventually boosts frustration. Also, there are tons of ways for shifting the whole operations online and not making citizens wait. For a simple application for ID, people do not necessarily need to wait in line, which can be easily facilitated by an app that serves the same purpose. Also, costs would be lowered, and time would be saved.
Work with the private sector
The private sector has always been one step ahead in terms of implementing new technologies. Businesses are already taking advantage of some of the most recent and disruptive technologies. Governments can leverage this advantage and consider the implementation of such successful and proven solutions into their processes.
Make Platforms Accessible to the Market Place
Public institutions are highly rich in terms of data and documents, but most of the time there is a lack of transparency. By making these data available and easily accessible, they will enable the private sector to utilize and leverage the data to deliver high-end and value-added products to citizens via different platforms.
Overall, through more governmental agility and strategic approach in terms of digitally transforming the processes as well as leveraging the already established solutions of private sector, the governments can modernize their systems and boost efficiency. More importantly, public institutions can improve their service delivery, openness and transparency to the public.
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