Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information has launched the Smart Nation Builder. Designed as a roving showcase, the 12m truck is fitted with eight interactive game stations for members of the public to learn about our Smart Nation initiatives and digital government services. It is also a space for the public to share feedback on existing products and services and tell us which digital services they would like to see more of in areas such as healthcare, community services and education.
At the Smart Nation Builder, members of the public can also be the first to try prototypes of new digital products and help us improve the user interface, accessibility, and overall user experience for these upcoming products. The roving Smart Nation Builder will be travelling to the heartlands, community spaces, shopping malls and public libraries from the second half of 2022.
The Smart Nation Builder is one of three showcases by the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) to help our people experience and understand the benefits of technology. As Singapore moves towards greater digitalisation, more efforts must be made to make our digital services inclusive and accessible for everyone. The Smart Nation Builder will provide a continuing platform to take in citizens’ input and feedback for better digital government products.
The “Explore and Learn” station will showcase Smart Nation initiatives in three key areas – Community Services, Healthcare and Education. At the “Explore and Use” station, visitors will be introduced to government digital apps and how they help in our daily activities and transactions. They will also be invited to share feedback on how we can improve the apps. The station currently features the LifeSG app. It will be refreshed with other apps and digital services in future updates.
At the “Sharpening Ideas” station, participants will be introduced to a topic and asked to vote on their preferred option (e.g., their preferred method of accessing a government service). This provides insight into user behaviour and preferences, which helps inform the planning and design of digital services. At Photobooth, visitors can take a personalised photo and have it printed as a memento.
At the “Claw Machine” station, Points will be awarded as participants complete the various stations. Round off the visit by using the points to play at the claw game machine and win Smart Nation collectables. “Kids Wall” is an interactive collaborative game for young children, where they will have the chance to complete various tasks, such as building and maintaining a truck. This participatory experience will introduce the concept of Smart Nation to our young ones.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, Due to few natural resources, Singapore has to be creative to build its economy. Its use of innovative finance to rid the city of inadequate and unattractive housing and provide dignified public housing to the majority of its citizens has been hailed at many urban conferences as an example to other developing economies.
The Singapore government has never shied away from taking calculated risks in investing in the future. The nation has become one of the most developed and richest countries in the world by pursuing its smart nation strategy to protect its technology and growth prospects in the region.
Singapore needs to innovate and enhance its growth strategy to overcome our physical limitations and bring good jobs and opportunities to all Singaporeans. As part of Singapore’s roadmap to become a smart nation, the enhanced growth strategy for the digital economy will go hand-in-hand with the digital government strategies.
