Societies today face an immense set of challenges. Trust in government is near an all-time low. Traditional one-size-fits-all service models are being criticized for failing to meet the needs of the vulnerable and disenfranchised within our community, such as youth, people with disabilities, and the underprivileged. Urban centers are struggling to balance the strains of population influxes and aging infrastructure, while rural areas are challenged to maintain adequate services amid dwindling resources. In addition, the protection of citizens\u2019 data has become headline news as breaches and data misuse increasingly impact daily lives.<\/p>\n
Solving these challenges requires leading with empathy and increasing government\u2019s capacity for personalization and creativity. By enabling government employees to be more available, empathetic, and empowered to help, technology can play a key role in supporting solutions to these issues.<\/p>\n
As governments strive to build twenty-first century inclusive societies, there are four key imperatives to focus on: (1) personalizing citizen experience, (2) improving government productivity, (3) fostering innovation and transparency, and (4) protecting digital identities.<\/p>\n
Personalizing citizen experience<\/strong> And these investments can create further benefits for members of society who may have had trouble accessing many services before. Text-to-speech, translation, computer vision, closed captioning, and natural language processing can create engaging, immersive experiences for everyone, including the elderly and people with disabilities.<\/p>\n Improving government productivity<\/strong> Fostering innovation and transparency<\/strong>
\nCitizens are increasingly encountering personalized, omni-channel experiences in their daily interactions with businesses and demanding similar experiences from their governments. Today, it\u2019s possible to use technology efficiently to personalize and improve experiences for all citizens\u2014anytime, anywhere. For example, AI, when coupled with the experience and knowledge of the government workforce, can proactively extend information and transform traditional services by helping them bend to the natural surroundings and preferences of each citizen.<\/p>\n
\nGovernments themselves are often a microcosm of the overall community, with workers of all skill levels and backgrounds, coming together in mission-driven organizations to improve citizens\u2019 lives. Governments can tap into this diversity and increase operational efficiencies and creativity across their workforce by using collaboration tools; leveraging secure, cloud-based platforms and intelligent technologies; increasing mobile work options; and streamlining traditional processes. All these innovations can help improve work while keeping government\u2019s primary asset\u2014its people\u2014at the center, thereby creating a happier, more engaged workforce that delivers organizational or mission outcomes.<\/p>\n
\nGovernment has a role to play in creating open, common platforms where government, private, and nonprofit entities can easily access data and collaborate on innovative solutions. Rich opportunities exist for open data partnerships, especially in the areas of transportation, education, commerce, and the environment. The possibilities for public\u2013private innovation in citizen services are practically limitless, and there are exciting opportunities for governments to collaborate and learn from one another as well, thus dramatically multiplying the impact of new, digitally-enabled services and experiences.<\/p>\n