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The digital revolution has not only changed industries, but it has also changed individuals’ expectations of government services. As the demand for digital public services grows, governments must reshape their skills and core competencies to suit the needs of digital natives while also maintaining inclusion for all citizens. Singapore, known for its global leadership in digital accessibility, is at the vanguard of this transformational journey. However, there are still areas where the country might enhance its ranking.
Chak Ming Fai, Adobe’s Director of Solution Consulting for Southeast Asia, stressed the significant impact of increased demand for digital public services. Citizens nowadays demand government services to be connected, responsive, and of the same high quality as those set by top technology businesses and the private sector. He added that essential components in establishing a citizen-centric approach include User-Centred Design, Seamless Interactions, Proactive Engagement, and Continuous Improvement.
“The citizen’s experience is a crucial factor in driving improved outcomes for both citizens and the government,” Chak Ming is convinced. “They expect improved outcomes in terms of accessibility, convenience, satisfaction, and empowerment through government services.”
Citizens increasingly expect more from their governments than ever before in the digital age. They want services that are smooth, personalised, and efficient, and that respond to their wants and interests. Governments can build a more responsive and inclusive environment by adopting a citizen-centric strategy, resulting in improved outcomes, higher citizen satisfaction, and closer relationships between residents and the government.
Chak Ming noted that governments handle the problem of meeting rising citizen expectations while adhering to fiscal limits and developing cross-government efficiencies. Governments are using a variety of ways to solve these difficulties, including increasing citizen involvement and service acceptance, fostering digital equity in public services, increasing workforce efficiency, and updating technology and operating models.
Adobe, as a government partner, plays a crucial role in meeting citizen expectations by delivering consistent and tailored experiences at scale. Their priority is to rethink the citizen experience, provide inclusive government services, modernise the public sector experience, and streamline processes to improve service speed.
In terms of customer experience, most states are now at the developing level, and none have yet built a consolidated customer portal. Leading states, on the other hand, distinguish themselves by customising the customer experience through top services, queries, and portals, as well as by digitising high-priority applications.
Chak Ming added that one important area for development is optimising web pages for mobile devices. Surprisingly, many state websites are intended for desktop use, even though the majority of citizens prefer to access government websites and information via mobile devices. As a result, mobile site performance is 44% slower on average than desktop site performance. Governments must emphasise website optimisation for mobile devices to promote a seamless and efficient user experience for constituents.
Another key aspect that must be addressed is digital social fairness. There are large discrepancies in ratings across all states, with more than half falling into the fledgling group. This highlights the importance of making significant progress in guaranteeing equal access to digital resources and opportunities for all citizens.
Prioritising the customer experience by incorporating elements such as high contrast, increased readability, larger text sizes, and text-only pages can improve website accessibility and comprehension. Likewise, providing a diverse selection of language options and services helps to make websites more user-friendly and inclusive for a diverse audience.
“Leading governments recognise the significant benefits of investing in the citizen experience. Governments can actively foster deeper relationships with their residents by adopting citizen-centric methods,” Chak Ming furthers.
This emphasis on public wants and preferences builds trust and a sense of inclusivity and collaboration. As a result, governments can promote better socioeconomic outcomes by matching their policies, services, and projects with the goals and well-being of their citizens.
