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At the Western Australia OpenGov Leadership Forum held in Perth on
December 7, Mr. Giles Nunis, Chief Executive and Government Chief Information
Officer, Office of the WA Government Chief Information Officer, delivered the
keynote address on ‘Leading and Transforming the Way Public Services are
Designed, Supported and Delivered through the WA ICT Strategy 2016 – 2020’.
The Office of
Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO)
was established in July 2015, with the mandate of 1) developing a
whole-of-government ICT strategy; 2) collaborating with government agencies and
industry; 3) stabilising costs and increasing value for money; and 4)
minimising risk in the delivery of ICT across government. A whole-of-government
ICT strategy, Digital WA, was published by the
OGCIO in May 2016, seeking to position “the public sector as a whole to use the
opportunities provided by current and emerging technologies to deliver
efficient, reliable ICT services that support exceptional public services”.
Progress has been
made since the launch of the strategy. The myWA
Alpha site went live on 17 December 2016. The site makes
it easier for the community and businesses to find and access over 80 existing
WA government services online and search across all WA government
websites. It is the first step towards the longer term aim of a one stop
shop of government digital services. GovNext-ICT is transitioning WA Government from being
an owner and operator of ICT infrastructure towards being a consumer
of commercial compute, storage and network services. In January vendors
were appointed to ensure that Agencies will be able to purchase ICT infrastructure
services on demand, reducing procurement costs and delays. The suppliers
will each lead a consortia of local and, in some cases, national providers
to provide the services to the public sector.
Drivers for change
Governments around the world today are under immense pressure
to improve the way they deliver services to citizens. There has been plenty of
evidence published over the past few years that clearly identifies a need to
improve digital service delivery.
Mr. Nunis referred to a Deloitte Access Economics report on
Digital Government Transformation from 2015 which identified significant
potential for savings in government through digitalisation, with the average
cost of a face-to-face transaction being $16.90, compared to a cost of $0.40
per online transaction.
The State finances are in difficulty, and the problem cannot
be solved by using the same methods that led there. “In the difficult economic
times, we need to change, and digital services are a proven way of reducing
transactional and administrative costs in Government,” said Mr. Nunis.
But it is not just about cost reduction. This change is about
providing on-demand, contextual services, which are meaningful to those who are
using them.
A 2016 report from the WA Public Accounts Committee on ‘Doing
ICT better’ talked about mandatory compliance requirements via policies,
standards, or frameworks for government agencies. Surveys by Australia Post, the Digital
Transformation Agency (DTA), the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA),
the Australian Computer Society (ACS)– all show that 98 or 99% of people want
all government services available online.
A report
on ‘Delivering Services Online’ from the Western Australia Auditor General
last year noted that WA is not as advanced as some other Australian
jurisdictions in delivering common services online. It took a snapshot of how 5
agencies were dealing with the growing demand for services to be available
online and found that while some agencies had created an effective online
presence, others were working to catch up.
Mr. Nunis acknowledged that some other state jurisdictions in
Australia, and the Commonwealth Government are significantly in front of where
WA is right now, in terms of digital transformation. (Service NSW was
already delivering over
900 services from more than 40 New South Wales Government agencies in 2016.
Victoria is proceeding
towards the launch of Service Victoria. Access
Canberra brings together ACT Government shopfronts, call handling,
online services and regulatory functions in a single unified service.
South Australia’s Service SA provides access to a range of government
services, including a variety of registration and licensing, either online,
over the phone and in person. Smart Service Queensland and Service
Tasmania provide a primary point of contact for citizens to access State
Government services.At the national level, the Digital Transformation Agency is publishing standards and promoting the way forward.)
There are differences in the models, and each state is developing
and applying what is relevant to their particular situtation. WA has the opportunity
to learn from their journeys.
The final report of the Service Priority Review was released
last week, setting out a blueprint for reform and cultural change in Western
Australia’s public sector. It clearly indicates that digital transformation continues
to be at the top of the agenda. And there will be stronger focus on the area now
from the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
Paradigm shift
Mr. Nunis moved on from the drivers of change to the paradigm
shift. He said that as long as people continue to do the same things in the
same way, and making the same decisions, the shift is not going to occur. And
this is a problem across the public sector, not just in ICT. Government
processes have long been designed for compliance and risk avoidance and government
technology has been selected to match current processes and avoid risk. Government
agencies tend to work independently in silos.
Strong innovative leadership is required to push the
boundaries and drive the required shift.
A shift has to be achieved to new behaviours:
- Focus on the SERVICE, not the process (be customer centric)
- Focus on the INFORMATION, not the technology (be data
centric) - Focus on the COMMUNITY, not the agency (be client centric)
In line with this shift in focus, the business and ICT teams
must be more integrated, more than ever before. They must work together on
Service Design, avoiding a master/slave or “throw it over the fence”
relationship.
Today, information is more important than technology. Data or
information should be treated as a precious resource. And finally, whole-of-government should be the first
approach.
This would be the beginning of a new way to find information
and access digital services that are delivered across the 450 government websites
supported and maintained by the WA Government today. To be able to search and
find information across all government agencies and also to potentially
transact is going to be the beginning of that particular journey.
The vision
– Future of Digital Services in WA
Mr. Nunis laid out a three-stage vision for the future of
digital services in WA.
In the short Term
(2017-18), agencies should start to identify and document their current
services – digital or manual (KPI process showed many don’t know all their
current services).
The new wa.gov.au can act as a central find-and-refer site, making
easier for the public to find and use online services already being provided by
the Government. Information has to be treated as a service (rather than static
web pages) and it must be made more accessible to search engines and digital
assistants like Siri.
In the mid Term (2018
– 2020), agencies should connect their existing digital services to common
platforms. Things like digital identity, payment gateways, online forms, etc.
should be developed and optimised for use across the public sector, to reduce
duplication of processes.
For instance, common identity can be used to login to
multiple services from wa.gov.au. Each agency will still be in control of their
own data and security, but they will allow accounts to connect in.
The common platforms will enable a consistent user interface.
In the medium term, multi-agency services could be trialled as single “user
journeys” – eg. “Starting a business”. It should be about meeting the needs of
the user, and not about the roles played by the different agencies in
fulfilling those needs.
Agencies can also plan for digitisation of manual services
and figure out what will require service redesign or process redesign, by questioning
‘why we do what we do’, and how.
For the long term,
Mr. Nunis said, “Beyond 2020, I expect digital services to be accessible through
one user account with one interface and majority of government services
streaming through this channel.”
There will be a seamless user experience regardless of the
department that’s delivering the services. Multi-agency services will be experienced
by users as a single service.
Multi-channel options will be available supported by common digital platforms
– everything should be available digitally, but not everything must be done
digitally.
It might seem ambitious to try to achieve that in the next 2
or 3 years, but sometimes the boundaries have to be pushed as much as
possible.
How to achieve the
vision – Culture and capability
To successfully achieve the vision, it is necessary to
undertake cultural transformation. The Service Priority Review has a strong
focus on cultural change. Government ICT needs to be less resistant to change
and willing to take more risks.
The machinery of WA Government is undergoing changes. In
response, government ICT needs to be more agile.
There is far
more in common between agencies in terms of ICT and service needs than
differences. And these changes can be used an opportunity to look at the technology
and business practices and consolidate the environment.
Mr. Nunis said that ICT must be an enabler, and not a barrier.
ICT has to be seen as the “Let’s make it happen” people, not the “That can’t
happen” people.
The focus for ICT should be on services, and not on systems.
Every system should be there to support one or more services. Furthermore, ICT
teams should consider themselves providers and not suppliers. They must support
the users in getting what they need, even if they get it from somewhere else.
ICT has to
be seen as adding value to business decisions. For doing so, ICT people must
understand user journeys and expectations, understand what value means to the
customer. They have to provide options, understand cost and political drivers.
ICT people need to be able to tell a story, avoiding jargon
and acronyms, to communicate the benefits to non-tech business people. It is
not something which can be left up to an engagement team. ICT people need to work out how they can
become a trusted partner for business.
Mr. Nunis said that it is a difficult road ahead and it is a
journey which is more about people than the technology. He concluded his speech
saying, “This is what I think the challenge for government is. While we
maintain uninterrupted operations, and ensure that we continue to deliver our
current services to the community, we need to make a radical shift and that
shift should happen now, towards a data-driven customer centric service model, which
uses interoperable common platforms across multiple government departments and
that is predictive and of value of the taxpayer.”
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Singapore and Indonesia reaffirmed their strong and long-standing economic ties; and to explore opportunities in the development of Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara, both nations welcomed the Letters of Intent submitted by Singapore-based businesses from a variety of sectors, including construction, telecommunication and finance. This collaboration in renewable energy and the digital economy was expanded.
Singapore’s Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean and Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investments Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Renewable Energy Cooperation.
Both countries will facilitate investments in the development of renewable energy manufacturing industries, such as solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Indonesia, as well as cross-border electricity trading projects between Indonesia and Singapore, under the terms of the MOU.
Recognising the synergies shared by Singapore’s and Indonesia’s tech ecosystems, Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto also signed the MOU on the Singapore-Indonesia Tech:X Programme.
The MOU will establish the Tech:X Programme, which enables young tech professionals from Singapore and Indonesia to work in each other’s countries, strengthens ties between the two nations’ tech ecosystems, and enables young tech professionals to pursue expanding opportunities in the digital economy.
“Through the Tech:X Program, we hope that young tech talent from both countries will be able to learn from one another, gain exposure, and expand the capabilities of both countries’ tech workforces,” Minister Gan says.
Ministers Gan and Airlangga also witnessed the signing of nine partnership documents between Singapore and Indonesia companies on 15 March 2023, in conjunction with the Leaders’ Retreat. In addition to health tech and ed-tech, the partnerships are in the digital economy.
The annual G2G platform, as well as the Singapore-Indonesia Six Bilateral Economic Working Groups (6WG), facilitate close economic collaboration between Singapore and Indonesia.
The 6WG platform addresses economic collaboration in the following areas: Batam, Bintan, Karimun, and other Special Economic Zones: Investments, Manpower, Agribusiness, Transportation, and Tourism.
Singapore and Indonesia have close commercial and investment ties. With bilateral trade totalling S$76.4 billion in 2022, Indonesia is Singapore’s sixth-largest trading partner. Since 2014, Singapore has been Indonesia’s top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), with Singapore’s investments in Indonesia totalling US$17.5 billion by 2022.
OpenGov Asia earlier reported that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Joko Widodo recently met at the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat. This was the sixth Leaders’ Retreat for Prime Minister Lee and President Joko Widodo and the first to be held in Singapore since the COVID-19 pandemic.
During President Joko Widodo’s two terms in office, the relationship between the two countries had significantly improved, according to both leaders. This laid the groundwork for them to collaborate in new ways that are profound, multifaceted, forward-looking, and beneficial to both countries.
The ratification of all three agreements under the Expanded Framework was celebrated by the Leaders. These included the Agreement on the Realignment of the Boundary between the Jakarta Flight Information Region (FIR) and the Singapore FIR, the Extradition Treaty, and the Defense Cooperation Agreement.
The Leaders anticipated the next step of obtaining International Civil Aviation Organisation approval for the new arrangements under the FIR Agreement so that both countries could implement all three agreements at a mutually agreed upon date. The resolution of these enduring issues demonstrates the maturity and resilience of bilateral relations.
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OpenGov Asia has recognised GovTech for the public sector’s evolving digital use. The agency has streamlined government operations and broken new ground with its Virtual Intelligent Chat Assistant (VICA). The project is part of GovTech’s ongoing efforts to develop and deploy chatbots to fill gaps in government services and enhance the lives of citizens.
VICA is the most recent citizen assistant platform from GovTech, utilising Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create more efficient and beneficial chatbots for government agencies to manage and for end users. The ‘Ask Jamie’ Virtual Assistant will eventually be replaced by VICA.
The engine-neutral platform employs cutting-edge tech to enhance performance and precision. VICA utilises natural language processing engines, machine learning and AI to enhance virtual and phone interactions between Singapore government institutions and residents or businesses.
This platform not only learns and interprets conversations but also offers businesses the ability to design and train chatbots, features that Ask Jamie did not provide. The automated processes provided by VICA make it easier for agencies to onboard and “train” their chatbots.
This accomplishment earned GovTech the prestigious OpenGov Asia Recognition of Excellence Award, which will be presented at the 8th Annual Singapore OpenGov Leadership Forum 2023.
Chatbot advancement to improve citizen experience
In addition to providing a simple FAQ, VICA improves transactional services in numerous other ways. Streamlining transactions provides greater convenience and access to government services and information, as well as quicker and more direct responses to user inquiries.
Taxi drivers and hawker stall owners, for instance, can use the IRAS chatbot to request assistance with tax filing. The Municipal Services Office’s OneService Chatbot, Kaki, which allows residents to easily report municipal issues via WhatsApp and Telegram, is also powered by VICA.
VICA-powered chatbots provide the public with timely updates, such as the Gov.sg chatbot, which provides COVID-19 updates and disseminates important government announcements in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil.
Using NLP technology has allowed VICA-powered chatbots to better understand and interpret human language, particularly in the context of Singaporean English, thereby improving overall user experience. It is possible to create more structured conversational flows by defining intents, entities and context management – the building blocks that provide directions to chatbots and allow them to meet the needs of users.
VICA provides detailed analytics and insights into the performance of the chatbot as well as user conversations. With this information, the team can identify areas for improvement to enhance performance and accuracy.
Technology is constantly evolving, and the team is continuously on the lookout for and learning about new AI trends. Hence, VICA has been experimenting with a Generative AI programme that can understand written prompts and respond with helpful assistance in real-time since mid-2022.
VICA’s development involves the gradual integration of cutting-edge technology that meets the requirements of the entire government. These technological upgrades will include a unified chat frontend to ensure consistent branding across all government ministries and agencies – Singpass Integration, Live Chat Escalation, and support for various chat platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.
As part of the closed beta programme with internal testers, the VICA team has been utilising these technologies to improve the quality and efficacy of the chatbots with citizens.
Developers also want to reduce the time and effort that their agency partners have to invest in training and maintaining their chatbots. While the team has always been receptive to new technologies, they take a measured approach, through progressive internal testing phases with the selected partner agencies before launching to the public.
The strategy is to determine how technological advancements can benefit not only the agency partners but also citizen users.
VICA intends to surpass FAQ-style chatbots with near-human conversation capabilities in the long run. It intends to combine services and transactional capabilities so that chatbots can assist users with their inquiries and complete transactions.
Given the potential risks and shortcomings associated with the development of intelligent development of platforms, it is vital to have an ethics framework in place. This will allow developers to plan for and be aware of the pitfalls and limitations of AI, which include:
- Accuracy: Models can give false responses that sound convincing
- Bias: Inherent biases may exist in the training dataset, which can be difficult to pre-empt due to the lack of information. This could then manifest in the model’s responses;
- Harmful content: To create a safe and healthy environment for users’ interaction with chat apps, chat moderation is important to monitor and regulate user input messages against inappropriate and offensive content;
- Data governance: When interacting with chatbots, users may inadvertently volunteer personal and confidential data through the chatbot’s prompts.
It is essential to encourage interactions with them and provide feedback to ensure that chatbots are performing as intended and to improve their overall performance.
Despite the functionality and enormous potential of generative AI, VICA has placed a high priority on governing its use to ensure that such technology is employed in an ethical manner benefitting both end users and society.
To mitigate the risk of unintended prejudices and ensure adherence to data governance rules, it is crucial to adopt an intentional strategy for the collection and transformation of raw data into useful and insightful outputs. Such a strategy can help ensure that the data is handled fairly and responsibly and that any potential risks are addressed pre-emptively or proactively. Moreover, this approach ensures that the resulting outputs are accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
About the team
The organisation recognises the importance of aligning team members towards a shared vision and objective, regardless of their diverse backgrounds. With a diverse team, each member can bring their unique perspectives and expertise to the table. Working collaboratively, the team can leverage these diverse perspectives to generate innovative problem-solving strategies.
The VICA team fosters an atmosphere of open communication and encourages feedback, creating a cooperative environment where team members feel heard and valued. This establishes a safe place where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas.
They frequently organise team-building activities outside of work to foster camaraderie, build stronger relationships and create a more cohesive team dynamic. They believe this approach can lead to more innovative solutions and better decision-making.
Defining clear objectives and goals is crucial for the success of the VICA team. Every team member understands that they are working towards a common objective, providing a sense of purpose and direction.
Clear missions and defined tasks allow the team to stay on track and ensure that their efforts are moving the project forward in the right manner. This approach helps ensure that everyone is aligned and focused on achieving the same goals, which ultimately contributes to the success of the project.
The VICA team has implemented a robust project management framework that outlines the roles and responsibilities of team members at each project stage. They adhere to budget planning procedures to manage costs effectively. This framework helps ensure that everyone is clear on their responsibilities and contributes effectively to the project’s success within the specified budget.
The VICA team has adopted an agile approach that emphasises adaptability, speed and continuous quality improvement. The team uses retrospectives to evaluate what works well and what doesn’t, identifying opportunities for future improvement. This enables the team to quickly make adjustments and continuously improve the project’s quality, resulting in a more successful outcome.
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Proyek VICA (Virtual Intelligence Chat Assistant) adalah platform layanan chatbot yang bisa digunakan sebagai dasar pengembangan berbagai layanan chatbot di berbagai instansi pemerintahan Singapura. Platform ini ditenagai dengan Kecerdasan Buatan (Artificial Intelligence/ AI) dan pembelajaran mesin (Machine Learning/ ML) agar chatbot yang dikembangkan oleh berbagai instansi pemerintahan bisa memberikan respons yang lebih ‘manusiawi’ kepada warga dan berbagai perusahaan di Singapura.
Layanan platform chatbot VICA dikembangkan oleh GovTech, yaitu Badan Teknologi Pemerintah (Government Technology) yang mendorong transformasi digital ke berbagai instansi pemerintah di Singapura. GovTech mengembangkan VICA sebagai perbaikan dari layanan chatbot sebelumnya; Ask Jamie.
Untuk membantu VICA memberikan jawaban yang lebih natural dan akurat, GovTech memanfaatkan teknologi NLP (natural language processing) terbaru dengan platform mesin-agnostik. Menerapkan kecerdasan buatan dan pembelajaran mesin membuat VICA mampu mempelajari dan menafsirkan percakapan dan meningkatkan interaksi ketika ‘diajak bicara’ secara virtual maupun lewat telepon. Sebagai sebuah platform, VICA juga digunakan oleh berbagai instansi pemerintah lain untuk melatih chatbot yang mereka kembangkan. Fitur ini sebelumnya tak ada di platform chatbot Ask Jamie.
VICA merupakan bagian dari upaya GovTech untuk membangun dan menggunakan chatbot guna menjembatani pemerintah dengan warga dan swasta. Kepiawaian dan inovasi GovTech ini mendapat atensi dari OpenGov Asia untuk mendapatkan penghargaan OpenGov Asia Recognition of Excellence Award yang akan diberikan pada Singapore OpenGov Leadership Forum 2023 tahunan ke-8.
Chatbot pintar
Dalam wawancara dengan CEO dan Pemimpin Redaksi OpenGov Asia, tim pengembang VICA menyebut mereka telah meningkatkan berbagai fitur untuk memperbaiki cara chatbot anyar ini dalam melayani pengguna. VICA bisa memberi jawaban lebih cepat dan sesuai konteks sehingga ia tak hanya menjawab pertanyaan berdasarkan jawaban yang sering ditanyakan atau sesuai template semata. Hal ini membuat pengguna merasa lebih nyaman ketika berinteraksi dengan VICA.
Sebagai sebuah platform, VICA juga digunakan untuk mengembangkan chatbot instansi pemerintah lain. Contohnya adalah chatbot IRAS yang digunakan wiraswasta seperti supir taksi atau pemilik kios jajanan untuk meminta bantuan dalam pengajuan pajak. Kaki, chatbot layanan terpadu dari Kantor Layanan Kota bisa yang akan menampung laporan dan keluhan warga soal masalah kota lewat WhatsApp dan Telegram.
Selain itu, platform chatbot VICA juga bisa memberikan informasi terbaru secara real-time kepada warga. Contohnya, chatbot Gov.sg yang memberikan pembaruan status COVID-19 dan pengumuman pemerintah dalam bahasa Inggris, Mandarin, Melayu, dan Tamil.
Agar interaksi dengan VICA lebih ramah pengguna, tim memanfaatkan teknologi NLP untuk bisa memahami dan menginterpretasikan bahasa manusia. Namun, bahasa utama yang paling baik diinterpretasikan VICA saat ini adalah bahasa Inggris Singapura.
“Dengan memahami maksud pertanyaan, siapa yang menanyakan, dan konteks pertanyaan, ini akan jadi bahan arahan bagi chatbot untuk memberikan jawaban yang memuaskan kebutuhan pengguna, sehingga alur percakapan bisa lebih terstruktur,” jelas tim VICA.
Agar performa VICA makin bagus, tim juga melengkapi platform ini dengan analisis data. Hasil analisis itu memberikan gambaran terperinci tentang kinerja chatbot serta bagaimana kinerjanya atas percakapan pengguna. Hal ini membuat tim VICA bisa mengidentifikasi hal yang bisa diperbaiki untuk meningkatkan akurasi VICA.
Ketika memanfaatkan AI, terdapat kekhawatiran masalah etika dari kecerdasan buatan yang digunakan. Sebab, pada beberapa kasus, AI kerap memberi jawaban yang menyesatkan atau tidak sesuai etika. Tim VICA menyadari hal dan sepakat kalau model AI bisa memberikan respons yang salah namun terdengar meyakinkan.
Jawaban yang keluar dari model AI juga bisa terkontaminasi oleh bias. Bias bawaan ini mungkin terjadi imbas dari kumpulan data yang digunakan untuk melatih model AI itu. Namun hal ini bisa jadi sulit dicegah karena kekurangan informasi yang dimasukkan dalam data latihan AI tersebut. Bias dan jawaban menyesatkan tadi kemudian nampak dalam respons AI atas pertanyaan pengguna.
Untuk menjaga pembicaraan yang sehat, model AI juga perlu menyaring konten yang ditanyakan pengguna. “Moderasi obrolan diperlukan untuk memantau dan menyaring pesan yang dimasukkan pengguna untuk mengatur respons AI terhadap konten yang tidak pantas dan menyinggung.”
Etika lain yang dipertimbangkan tim pengembang VICA adalah soal tata kelola data. Saat berinteraksi dengan chatbot, pengguna mungkin secara tidak sengaja memberikan data pribadi dan rahasia secara sukarela akibat perintah chatbot.
“Terlepas dari fungsi dan potensi AI generatif yang sangat besar, kami memastikan teknologi ini digunakan dengan cara yang etis dan menguntungkan pengguna dan masyarakat,” tegas tim VICA.
Untuk mengurangi berbagai risiko disinformasi, misinformasi, bias, dan masalah etis lain, tim memastikan efisiensi dan kegunaan tiap informasi yang dikumpulkan dan ditransformasi sebagai bahan data mentah pelatihan model AI yang mereka kembangkan. Hal ini juga dilakukan agar mereka mematuhi aturan tata kelola data yang berlaku. Selain itu, mereka pun senantiasa memeriksa umpan balik pengguna agar chatbot yang dikembangkan berfungsi semestinya.
Ketika ditanya soal pengembangan VICA ke depan, sejak pertengahan 2022, tim pengembang telah mulai bereksperimen dengan program AI Generatif. Program ini bisa memahami petunjuk tertulis dan merespons dengan bantuan yang bermanfaat secara real-time.
Dalam jangka Panjang, VICA akan terus disempurnakan dengan teknologi terkini yang paling sesuai dengan kebutuhan Whole-Of-Government. Mereka akan mengembangkan antarmuka obrolan terpadu sehingga branding pada chatbot pemerintah lebih seragam di semua kementerian dan lembaga. Selain itu, mereka juga berencana melakukan integrasi VICA dengan Singpass, memperbanyak fitur Live Chat, serta integrasi dengan platform chat seperti Whatsapp dan Telegram.
Selain itu, tim VICA juga telah menjajaki teknologi kemampuan percakapan tingkat lanjut seperti yang digunakan oleh ChatGPT. Mereka tengah menelisik teknologi ini dalam program beta tertutup dan tengah melakukan pengujian internal untuk meningkatkan kualitas dan kenyamanan pemakaian chatbot. Langkah selanjutnya adalah menerapkan cara yang dapat mempermudah para mitra GovTech ketika mengadopsi platform VICA ketika mereka ingin membuat chatbot sendiri. Dengan VICA, mereka bisa mempersingkat waktu dan mengurangi kerumitan dalam melatih serta memelihara chatbot mereka.
“Kemajuan teknologi apa pun harus bisa memberikan pelayanan yang lebih baik bagi mitra instansi dan warga, itu sudah menjadi DNA kami,” tegas tim VICA
Cita-cita jangka panjang lain adalah membuat chatbot VICA bisa digunakan sebagai media transaksi. Jadi, chatbot ini tak sekedar bisa menjawab pertanyaan saja, tapi juga bisa terintegrasi dengan operasional layanan pemerintah. “Kami juga selalu terbuka untuk teknologi baru dan siap melakukan kalibrasi melalui fase pengujian internal, sebelum meluncurkan layanan itu kepada warga.”
Membangun tim inovatif
Tim VICA lantas membeberkan sejumlah cara yang mereka lakukan untuk memastikan inovasi berkelanjutan dan keberhasilan program.
“Dengan menetapkan tujuan dan sasaran yang jelas, setiap anggota tim akan terbantu untuk memahami bahwa mereka memiliki tujuan bersama yang jelas, sehingga setiap orang memahami tugas dan tanggung jawab masing-masing.”
Di tahap awal, tim membangun kerangka kerja manajemen proyek. Kerangka ini membantu peran dan tanggung jawab anggota tim untuk pembagian beban kerja yang sehat di setiap tahap proyek. Kerangka ini juga berguna untuk penentuan perencanaan anggaran agar biaya bisa dikelola secara efektif. Tim juga menciptakan suasana yang terbuka terhadap berbagai umpan balik, sehingga setiap anggota tim bisa dengan bebas dan merasa aman dan didengar ketika mengajukan pendapat.
Untuk mengukur dan mengevaluasi keefektifan kerja, tim VICA mengadopsi metodologi Agile. Metode ini dianggap lebih fleksibel, cepat, dan bisa membantu tim untuk meningkatkan kualitas kerja mereka. Sementara dalam proses pengembangan produk, mereka mendapat manfaat dari metode Scrum dan Kanban. Sebagai bahan evaluasi, tim juga mengandalkan retrospektif untuk mempelajari kembali apa yang berhasil dan apa yang tidak. Bahan ini lantas digunakan untuk perbaikan produk di masa mendatang.
Ketika berinteraksi dengan tim yang berbeda latar belakang, tim VICA memulai proyek dengan membangun rasa saling percaya dan menyelaraskan visi dan tujuan bersama. Sehingga, tiap anggota bisa memiliki cara masing-masing untuk berkontribusi dengan caranya yang unik. Dengan menyatukan semua pendapat berbeda ini, mereka dapat menciptakan dan menemukan solusi inovatif untuk berbagai masalah.
Sementara untuk menjaga kebersamaan dan kolaborasi yang efektif dalam tim, mereka memperbanyak waktu bersama lewat sesi curah pendapat (brainstorming), proyek bersama, hingga kegiatan team bonding. Mereka pun mengembangkan budaya untuk menghargai kontribusi dan menghormati pendapat setiap anggota tim. Inisiatif ini menjamin tiap pendapat didengar serta memberikan lingkungan yang aman bagi tiap anggota untuk berbagi pandangan yang berbeda.
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Associate Professor Ng Lay Guat of Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has created a mobile application capable of detecting abnormal urine flow. When implemented, the app may reduce clinic wait times by allowing patients to perform certain tests at home prior to their visit. Currently, in testing, the SGH urology team led by Associate Professor Ng is likely to launch the app within the year.
Patients being treated for urological conditions routinely submit to uroflowmetry, a standard test in which they urinate into an electronic machine. The collected data assists physicians in determining the treatment’s efficacy and whether any modifications are necessary. For the test to be accurate, the patient’s bladder must be full; otherwise, the result may be inconclusive.
The clinic can be a stressful environment for the patient, according to Dr Edwin Jonathan Aslim, Consultant, Department of Urology, SGH. Having other patients behind them in line for the same test can induce anxiety, so they perform the test quickly even if the bladder is not full.
He added that inaccurate test results require patients to retake the examination, which increases their waiting time by one to two hours, as the bladder must fill up again. Hence, patients might even have to return on a different day.
With the app, patients can retake the test at home without anxiety as often as they desire, providing doctors with a more accurate picture of their condition. Using the app will also enable nurses to devote more attention to patients who require it. With the standard method, nurses must transport the patient to the machine, empty the urine container, and replace it when the test is complete.
The team is collaborating with the Singapore University of Technology and Design to create an app that will measure the speed and volume of urination. It can also determine patterns, such as whether the urine flow is continuous or intermittent.
An SGH analysis led by Assoc Prof Ng from 2017 to 2019 gathered data that was later employed to acquire a deep-learning algorithm that processes app data. In addition to measuring urine output, the app has other useful features, such as a voiding diary.
When released, the app will provide physicians with vital information, such as the fact that a sluggish flow in male patients with an enlarged prostate may indicate an obstruction. The app can measure urine volume in women with overactive bladder for use in keeping a voiding diary. Patients now measure and record the volume of their bowel movements manually.
Assoc Prof Ng anticipates that the app will eventually be utilised in the primary care setting, where patients with stable conditions can be monitored. The app will provide the polyclinic doctor or general practitioner with actual parameters, as opposed to relying on the patient’s subjective description.
In addition to these features, the app is a useful screening tool for the general public. If patients detect anything abnormal on their apps, they can consult a physician, who can then make an accurate diagnosis after conducting additional tests.
According to emerging digital health trends, more patients than ever are using their smartphones to track their general health, get health advice, and have video calls with doctors for prescriptions. Patients value the undeniable convenience that healthcare apps offer.
Patients can benefit from lower costs, immediate access to individualised care, and an increased sense of control over their health thanks to advances in mobile healthcare technology.
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Within a year of its commencement, the innovative education model FORTE (Financing of Return to Employment) has shown excellent early outcomes for both local career seekers and employers as the first groups of South Australian students transition from training to employment.
The FORTE pilot programme, which commenced in May 2022, is supported by the Department for Industry, Innovation, and Science. It provides high-quality training at no cost, aimed at equipping 150 South Australians with the necessary digital skills to work in the state’s rapidly growing hi-tech sectors.
Under the FORTE model, local training providers such as Generation Australia, General Assembly, _nology, and 42 Adelaide deliver the training, which is initially funded by private investors. Running for a duration of three years, the pilot programme has shown encouraging early indicators. Over 40% of recent FORTE graduates have already secured jobs at various tech companies.
The remaining graduates are currently actively seeking employment and attending interviews, with the FORTE team providing support to ensure they are matched with appropriate job opportunities within the next three to six months.
The South Australian Government will only make repayments under the FORTE model when a participant has demonstrated a successful employment outcome, meaning that they have secured work in their desired field, achieved higher income, and generated higher income tax as a result. By implementing this approach, the FORTE model ensures that the South Australian Government only funds labour force interventions that are effective.
According to the Founder & CEO of FORTE, talent is abundant throughout South Australia, and the programme aims to provide everyone with the opportunity to learn new in-demand skills, attain financial independence, and reach their full potential.
The FORTE model guarantees that the South Australian Government only invests in labour force interventions that have proven effectiveness. The CEO believes that there is an abundance of talent in South Australia and that the programme is designed to provide everyone with an opportunity to learn new in-demand skills, achieve financial independence, and reach their full potential.
The programme aims to help Adelaide become a leading tech hub in the Asia-Pacific region. A great tech talent pipeline is essential for this goal to be achieved. Thus far, the initiative has contributed to bridging the gender divide in the tech industry. Women who are re-entering the workforce, especially those who have taken a break to raise a family, are a valuable talent pipeline that FORTE aims to tap into.
The Forte Tech Program is a three-month full-time training programme aimed at improving the tech skills of participants. The programme also includes career development services to assist participants in securing employment opportunities in the tech industry. These services include introductions to potential employers, assistance in crafting resumes and profiles, and one-on-one coaching.
The programme is entirely remote, enabling participants to work from home while receiving top-quality training, hands-on project experience, and ongoing support. The training focuses on fields such as Data Analytics, Software Development, and Cloud Computing, which offer excellent salaries, and flexibility and are in high demand for the future. In addition, the training comes at no cost to participants.
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The Transport Minister, Michael Wood, launched the country’s first electric vehicle (EV) charging strategy, which includes plans to provide EV charging stations in almost every town in New Zealand. The strategy is titled Charging Our Future. According to Wood, the government’s vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand to have world-class EV charging infrastructure that is accessible, affordable, convenient, and reliable.
The strategy aims to offer journey charging hubs every 150-200 kilometres on main highways, a public charger for every 20-40 EVs in urban areas, and public charging at community facilities for all settlements with 2,000 or more people. Meeting the targets would see tens of thousands more EV chargers across the country, Wood said.
Emissions from the light vehicle fleet are the single largest source of transport emissions in New Zealand, partially due to having some of the most fuel-inefficient and emissions-intensive vehicles in the OECD. This is expensive and damaging to people’s health and the environment. “Switching to EVs would be like buying petrol for 40c/litre, which would make a big difference for household budgets,” he explained.
Last May, the government released Aotearoa New Zealand’s first emissions reduction plan. The plan explored how the country would meet the first emissions budget for 2022–25 and put it on track to meet future emissions budgets. As per the strategy, transport is one of New Zealand’s largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions and is responsible for 17% of national gross emissions and 39% of total domestic carbon dioxide emissions.
The Emissions Reduction Plan includes the action to rapidly adopt low-emissions vehicles including by improving EV-charging infrastructure across Aotearoa to ensure that citizens have adequate access to charging facilities. Although EVs are not a solution, they are a crucial part of a decarbonised transport system, complementing increased opportunities for adults and children to safely walk, cycle, and use high-quality public transport, the strategy wrote. The country needs an EV charging plan to provide certainty to all parties about the role government will play in supporting EV charging infrastructure.
These new targets will facilitate infrastructure to support different trips and journeys that EV drivers make as well as ensure that rural and provincial New Zealand locations are accessible for residents and visitors with EVs. Wood noted that the success of the government’s clean car policies means there are more than 69,000 EVs on roads, over 80% more than at the end of 2021. This strategy will ensure New Zealand can sustain the uptake of EVs as it is witnessing more people make the switch.
The Ministry will work with local government and industry across transport, energy, and other sectors to deliver on these initiatives. “We also want to make sure we’re working alongside the public. I hope everyone will take the opportunity to feed into the draft strategy and the discussion document,” Wood stated.
The country’s capital, Wellington, previously announced it aims to replace all fossil-fuel-powered passenger vehicles with electric alternatives by 2030. Last year, the Wellington City Council added 24 electric vehicles (EVs) to its fleet. As OpenGov Asia reported, by mid-August, there were 40 EVs for staff to use for daily operations.
A study by the New Zealand Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) about Kiwi behaviour showed that on average, people don’t travel more than 20 to 50 kilometres a day. Introducing electric vehicles that are capable of a 250-300 kilometres range in one full charge will be the right match for most Council operations. As Wellington city is compact, there are many opportunities for people to change the way they travel throughout the city and have an impact on carbon emissions. More recently, the capital approved trialling a public e-bike share scheme, allowing residents and visitors to hire e-bikes to get around the city.
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The HKUST Business School conducted a comprehensive research study aimed at guiding policy and strategy development for Hong Kong’s regtech sector. The study highlights the pain points currently facing the industry and proposes measures that could strengthen its growth.
To create a more vibrant and innovation-friendly regtech ecosystem, regulators should consider leading in technology development, providing incentives for technology use, and issuing clear guidelines to facilitate technology adoption.
Regtech is a subsector of fintech that adds value to financial institutions and end-users of financial services by automating compliance processes and facilitating innovative customer services such as remote bank account opening. The Hong Kong Government recognises the significance of regtech as part of its fintech strategy and promotes its growth in the city.
To conduct the study, the research team collected insights from regtech solution providers and users, including senior management from banks, payment service providers, and asset management companies. The team used an online survey and focus group discussions to gather this information. Based on their findings, the team developed two reports that summarise their key observations and recommendations.
The research team identified the potential of regtech in automating financial institutions’ know-your-customer (KYC) processes and recommended establishing clear protocols for releasing government data for document verification purposes.
Additionally, the team proposed several solutions to address Hong Kong’s regtech talent shortage, including allocating more resources for on-the-job training, mandating IT courses for finance majors, and establishing an accredited regtech program that is widely recognised.
The Dean of HKUST Business School expressed that financial institutions are turning towards regtech to stay competitive and provide consistent value to customers amid a rapidly changing market with numerous regulatory requirements.
He hopes that this study will help policymakers, regulators, and industry participants to enhance the regtech capabilities of the city and accelerate industry growth. Additionally, the school plans to allocate more resources and focus on regtech research in the future.
The following are the recommendations provided by the HKUST Business School’s study on promoting regtech development in Hong Kong:
Creating a Friendly Regulatory Environment that Encourages Innovation:
- Establish clear guidelines with notes on interpretation and provide prompt feedback
- Provide incentives to the industry, startups, and academics to facilitate regtech innovation
Building a Connected, Inclusive, and Vibrant Regtech Ecosystem:
- Regulators to take lead in technology solutions to address pain points of the industry
- Build an inclusive regtech network through the facilitators
- Accreditation of regtech solution providers
Facilitating the Sharing of Data & Technology in the Regtech Community:
- Standardise the APIs for different banks to share data
- Provide shared databases and platforms to be accessed by different regtech stakeholders
- Allow successful sandbox projects to share solutions
Facilitating KYC Processes and Cross-Border Data Access:
- Establish protocols for verification of documents and identities (individuals and corporates)
- Collaborate with Mainland China to offer standardised procedures and data access
Solving Hong Kong’s Regtech Talent Shortage:
- Government and regulators to allocate more resources for on-the-job training
- Government to sponsor more internships, as firms may not have the resources to support student internships
- Government could provide living allowance to expatriates, or subsidise the companies that offer housing benefits to expatriates to increase their willingness to relocate to Hong Kong
- Higher education providers to include mandatory IT courses in the curriculum for finance majors
- Establish a widely accepted accredited program with regtech as a specialisation for graduates and practitioners to certify fintech and regtech talent
- Provide a clear path for the regtech profession and offer a more rewarding scheme and more interesting future prospects to attract students into the field.
The Policy Innovation and Coordination Office (PICO) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) funded the study.
