GOVERNMENT

SERVICES FORUM
2nd Edition: A Dialogue on the Future of Government Services
Summary of the roundtable held at the Goldman School of Public Policy,
University of California at Berkeley, USA

– April 2020

Cohosted by Suppor ted by

FOREWORD
Governments across the world are being mandated to solve increasingly complex societal
problems. They are also, in many cases, being asked to deliver more with less, as budgets
tighten. In parallel, they are required to understand new patterns of citizen behaviour and
manage ‘customers’ with increasingly high expectations. At the same time, they must
familiarise themselves with emerging digital technologies that offer tremendous potential
to deliver improved services to citizens and enhance quality of life.

In many ways, the challenges facing governments today are more complex than ever
before. What is increasingly clear in this dynamic environment is that simply pursuing
‘business as usual’ is not an option.

In February 2019, we began a dialogue on the future of government services at the World
Government Summit. This was held in Dubai and saw leaders from nine different countries
come together at the inaugural Government Services Forum held under the patronage of
the Emirates Government Service Excellence Program. To take this conversation further,
we gathered again this year in February for the second edition of the Forum.

Hosted at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California in Berkeley,
this edition of the Forum convened 16 experts from government, academia and the private
sector, from in and around the Silicon Valley. Organised as a roundtable discussion, the
Forum offered panel members an opportunity to share experiences, connect with each
other and debate several important topics including:

ȿ Challenges and opportunities facing governments trying to understand their citizens

and communities as we head towards 2030

ȿ Challenges facing governments in designing and implementing digital services

ȿ Key factors to consider as governments leverage emerging technologies

The participants engaged in a candid dialogue on the issues surrounding digital

transformation in government services, raised questions, explored calls to action and
provoked insights that promise to set the tone for many more such forums to come.

M O H A M M E D B I N TA L I A H
Assistant Director General for Government Services Sector at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Ministry
of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, UAE

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FOREWORD
Little did we know that when we convened in late February 2020 for “A Dialogue on the
Future of Government Services” that this would be the last conference that many of us would
attend in-person for many months to come and that, suddenly, we would become completely
dependent up-on digital technologies. Yet that is what happened. The lessons we learned
from the second Government Services Forum are relevant to what we are all experiencing.

ȿ Online technologies provide exceptional opportunities for delivering services directly to

citizens.

ȿ But many of the fundamentals for using digital technologies, such as adequate band-
width, useable interfaces, error free service, and privacy protections, have not been fully
established.

ȿ There are limitations to what online technologies can do, and in-person human centered
interactions are often important, especially at the beginning of a service relationship where
the parties have to get to know one another—and certainly in those relationships that require
direct contact such as personal or health care.

ȿ And finally marginalized and poor communities, who often need services the most, suffer
from inadequate access to online technologies.

Many of us have learned in the past few months that we can do much of our business with
modern digital technology, but the experience is often exhausting. The lack of human contact
turns out to be draining and enervating. The technology is limited and confining. We have
learned that there are some things it simply cannot do: In a time of “shelter-in-place” the
limits of digital technology are in stark relief – it cannot deliver food, clothes, repairs, shelter,
personal care, or the human touch.

Yet, this moment can help us leap ahead in our ability to improve government services and
our understanding of the strengths and limitation of digital technology. We’ve been placed in a
situation where we’ve had to rethink everything. As the Nobel Prize winning political scientist
(and student of public administration), Herbert Simon noted, every manager has to rely upon
habits and routines to avoid the prohibitive costs of rethinking every action from scratch every
day. Habits save time and energy, but they also constrain us.

COVID-19 has changed all that: Every day government agencies must reinvent what they are
doing without the familiar landmarks of routines. Many of them are rethinking the way they
deliver services, and they are learning a lot about what can and cannot be done. The COVID-19
pandemic is certainly one of the great tragedies of human history, but tragedy can awaken
us and teach us new things that can improve the human condition. The Government Services
Forum provided the context for us to better understand what we need to do to make sure that
the second act of tragedy is opportunity and improvement. A society that delivers services
better, that recognizes the need to reach out to marginalized communities, and that is more
resilient and caring.

HENRY BRADY
Dean and Class of 1941 Monroe Deutsch Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Goldman School
of Public Policy University of California, Berkeley

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Introduction p10

Meeting the expectations of citizens p14

and communities as we head towards
2030

Challenges and opportunities in p22

designing digital services

Key factors to consider when p32

leveraging emerging technologies

Epilogue p40

Panel members p42

Acknowledgements p46

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8 9

Digital technologies
offer vast opportunities
for government sector
organisations to
transform the way they
work, and deliver better
outcomes for citizens and
communities.
Digital technologies are revolutionising the way people
live, work and interact, and undoubtedly, have the
potential to transform governments services to deliver
better outcomes for citizens and communities. In many
cases however, governments suffer from a ‘digital
disconnect’. This is the gap between the potential of
digital transformation and the poor track record of
public sector implementations which can be attributed
to several factors.
Many discussions today are centered around
technology as government entities try to determine
which digital solutions they should implement so as
not to be left behind or become irrelevant. Of equal
importance, as highlighted by the roundtable panelists
however, is the need for governments to consider and
work on the more ‘foundational’ elements needed to
deliver transformation, if they want to drive value and
change, and deliver real benefits to citizens and society.
The roundtable discussion was held over three
sessions. The first session, ‘Citizen 2030: How Should
Governments Prepare?’ explored the implications of
changing citizen expectations on government services.
The second session, ‘Government Digital Services:
What’s Working, What’s Not?’ discussed the challenges
governments face in delivering citizen-centric services.
The final session, ‘Emerging Technology and Data Use
Implications: What Rules Do We Need?’ witnessed
panelists talking about the future of government
services in a data-driven digital world.
10
This report looks to provide an overview of the topics
discussed at the Forum. It also seeks to highlight the
actions governments may wish to consider going
forward as they look to design and deliver improved
government services to the citizens and communities
they serve.
Viewpoints shared by panel members are included
throughout this report. However, as the Forum
followed Chatham House rules, quotes recorded in
this document have not been attributed to specific
individuals.
– EY point of view
For those that can manage the
transformation effectively, the rewards
will be considerable.
It will help governments more effectively
tackle complex policy challenges,
provide better services, and improve
public value. It also has the potential to
help restore people’s trust in government
and contribute to a stronger society.
It can also help raise a country’s
international standing.
Adopt a ‘citizen first’ mindset to design and deliver
government services
Embrace emerging technologies whilst considering the
many other factors that are essential when designing
and delivering a digital service – e.g., equity, diversity,
innovation, inclusion, data and ethics
Encourage collaboration and co-creation to support
decision making, inform policies, prioritise budgets, and
design services
Establish a data strategy beyond a single government
entity
Embrace innovative procurement mechanisms that
support agile and iterative working, and focus on achieving
outcomes
Equip leaders with the skills and tools needed to operate
effectively in a digital age
Develop a compelling employee value proposition and
consider talent acquisition to be a strategic function to
attract top digital talent
Create a culture that supports working iteratively and
taking risks
Build governance processes to improve the quality of data
Build trust with citizens and communities, and ensure
representation
Key messages
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Meeting the
expectations
of citizens and
communities as we
head towards 2030

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What are some of the challenges and

opportunities facing governments as they try
to understand as well as meet the constantly
evolving expectations of citizens and
communities, as we move towards the next
decade?
Traditionally, public sector organisations have tended to build
services around their own internal structures and procedures
rather than focusing on the needs and convenience of end
users. As we move forward, it is widely recognised that
this needs to change. A ‘customer centric’ or ‘citizen-first’
approach must be adopted if government entities are
to deliver more proactive services, in a faster and more
seamless manner – in line with customers’ increasingly high
expectations.
Panelists agreed on this common vision for the future,
but they also identified eight key challenges that must be
overcome.
01/ CHANGING NEEDS &
– EY point of view
EXPECTATIONS OF CITIZENS
‘Customers’ are changing. From Baby Boomers to
‘Customers’ are changing. From Baby Boomers to
Governments need to encourage an Millennials to Gen Z, communities are made up of
innovation-oriented and entrepreneurial multiple generations that have very different needs
culture, which permits experimentation and expectations. As digital natives come into the
and risk-taking. Staff throughout the workplace, for example, they expect public services
to be as personalised and responsive as the services
organization should be empowered to they receive in their everyday life from private sector
challenge the status quo and suggest organisations such as Netflix and Amazon. They also
new ideas. have a strong desire to work with newer technologies
and operate in a digital-first environment.
In parallel, agencies need to instill in
“To support dialogue and engagement with
employees the motivation to perform
citizens and different stakeholder groups, the UAE
better and continue to strive for launched a unique service centre of the future
excellence in delivering better outcomes called Services 1. The primary objective of this
for citizens. Incentives, such as reward centre is to engage with customers directly, co-
and recognition programs, are useful in create services with them, prototype new service
creating that nudge. bundles and test innovative service solutions
before scaling them up.”

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> Going forward, connected citizens are going to
expect government services at their fingertips at
every hour of the day and night. Importantly however,
governments fundamentally need to understand the
depth, complexities and diversity of citizen needs
and expectations across generations. Only then will
governments be able to meet the increasingly diverse
service expectations that their customers now have,
and deliver better citizen outcomes. As discussed
by the panel, conducting ethnographic research is
becoming increasingly important and a key enabler
that can help government entities to truly understand
the needs and expectations of citizens.
02/ REPRESENTATION
Governments don’t always have a full communication
structure in place that enables the effective engagement
of key stakeholder groups across society. This may
lead to some stakeholder groups not being represented
in government dialogues. This may also mean that
different perspectives and viewpoints are not always
heard and subsequently considered when designing a
policy and/or service, which could potentially lead to
unintended consequences.
> Citizens have a major part to play as a source of
fresh ideas to reinvigorate the public sector. As such,
despite digital channels replacing more traditional
channels (mail, phone, etc.) in this era, it’s important
that different stakeholder groups within society
partake in government sponsored dialogue. This
particularly holds true where a stakeholder group is
likely to be impacted by a particular policy and/or
service being implemented, and where the policy and/
or service is less transactional and more strategic
in nature.
“It’s critical to engage with the public in a
systematic and deliberate way, so that key
stakeholder groups are actively represented. This
is particularly important when defining metrics
and creating a policy and/or service. It is this
active engagement and a full communication
structure that is representative of a high
performing government.”
03/ FRAMING THE PROBLEM
STATEMENT
Often, government entities are requested to solve
complex problems that haven’t been clearly defined.
18
“In the UAE, the government engages in a
number of workshops and working groups,
on a regular basis, and has put in place the
Government Accelerator Programme to solve
particular challenges in a time-boxed manner.
Most recently, the government engaged in a
dialogue with customers, including around 100
start-ups and established businesses, to better
understand how starting a business in the UAE
can be made easier. This led us to uncover that
opening a bank account was actually one of the
most challenging steps in the journey – a factor
unrelated to a government service. Nevertheless,
with this insight, we were able to bring
together the right stakeholder groups, including
customers, banks and different government
agencies, to find a solution.”
“Continued engagement with customers is
key. It helps us understand how citizens view
government services and their expectations
from government services in the future. More
importantly however, dialogue with customers
typically leads you to uncover the real problem
– a problem you may not have considered
previously.”
> If governments are to truly tackle and solve the
increasingly complex issues they are faced with, it’s
critical that the problem statement is well defined at
the outset i.e., before an entity embarks on defining
the metrics a policy or service should deliver, or the
solution itself. This will require multiple constituents
from society and different organisations such as
public, private, and non-profit entities to come
together, to participate in meaningful dialogue. The
way in which a problem is defined and framed is key.
04/ RATE OF LEARNING
Learning is, undoubtedly, key to improvement. Yet, the
rate at which governments learn can be slow. Whilst
this challenge can be attributed to numerous factors,
it’s imperative that governments solve this challenge,
if they are to remain relevant and deliver improved
outcomes for citizens.
“Governments in some cases spend 12 months
developing and approving a new policy and then
don’t know whether a policy has been successful
or impactful until a couple of years later.”
> Going forward, wherever possible, work should be
performed more iteratively and in beta, instead of
‘rolling out code’. This will help ensure that a policy
and/or service that is developed is ‘fit for purpose’
and addresses the core challenges that a citizen or
a community faces.
05/ SILOED WORKING
Government departments often operate in siloes,
resulting in a fragmented view of a problem. Only in
rare cases do they come together to co-create success
measures and a policy or service. Further, in cases
where government entities do work together, they in
many cases use different data sets. This in-turn leads to
conflicting pieces of information, making it challenging
for different agencies to reach consensus on either a
problem statement or the way forward.
> In an age of digital disruption and where problems
are more complex than ever before, governments
are no longer able to deliver the social and economic
outcomes that citizens expect by acting in isolation.
Governments need to be proactive in harnessing
the resources of the wider ecosystem, and must
collaborate and co-create. This includes gathering
diverse perspectives from citizens and frontline
employees that stand to be impacted by a particular
policy/service, and bringing together different
organisations (private, non-profit and academic),
from across sectors.
“There are insufficient real-life examples within
the Public Sector around the co-creation of
success measures.”
“…In many cases, individuals with great
intentions and deep subject matter expertise,
define success metrics around what a policy or
service should deliver. These are, however, not
the individuals that are on the ground.”
06/ SKILLS AND MINDSET
Expectations from leaders in government have
changed, and a need to upskill government employees
to think and operate differently has been identified. Only
then can governments truly understand and meet the
future expectations of citizens.
> Skills that are becoming increasingly important
as governments are called upon to solve problems
that are more complex than ever before, include
skills such as data literacy, creative problem solving
and communication. These are today viewed as
foundational skills that are key to success. At the same
time, leaders must also be curious and ready for the
constant rate of change of technology, be more willing
to experiment, and be more agile in their delivery
approach. Going forward, there is a fundamental
requirement to cultivate such mindset and skills, as
well as to instill the concept of continuous learning
within the public domain.
“We’re not going to fix the problems of tomorrow
with the skills of today or yesterday, and there is
a fundamental need for people to communicate
across their own sphere of expertise and
capability.”
“The ability to produce data has outpaced most
government leader’s ability to process data. We
must equip leaders with data literacy skills.”
07/ DATA
Getting agreement to use data, data sharing, data
democratization, and issues concerning data quality
continue to plague many organisations. This includes
government entities as they attempt to derive
meaningful insights from data to improve service
delivery.
> Going forward, there is a need to transition towards
measuring information and not just raw data points,
so that meaningful insights can be derived. The latter
can subsequently inform the design and delivery of
policies and services. In parallel, increased effort
should be placed on maximizing the value of open
data by sharing information across departments and
agencies.
08/ FAILURE & RISK AVERSION
Leaders in government have fiscal responsibilities,
increasingly tight budgets and are frequently
represented in the media. This has forced some
government officials to be more conservative and risk
averse in nature, and less willing to experiment. These
factors however are key to innovation and the creation
of better policies/services to citizens and communities.
“There exist real constraints in how publicly a
Government official is allowed to fail.”
> Going forward, there is a need to develop a culture
which is more accepting of failure, experimentation
and working iteratively, and that views learning as a
continuous process. There is also a need to empower
and encourage staff to take risks and innovate. To
drive the required behaviour change, governments
may need to remunerate, reward and recognise
individuals in a different way. Without creating this
shift, there is a view that innovation may continue to
be hampered and that government entities may not
fully deliver on citizen demands and expectations.
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Conduct ethnographic research to understand the

depth and diversity of citizen needs and expectations

Engage with citizens in a systematic and deliberate

way to ensure that key stakeholder groups are actively
represented

Understand the diverse perspectives of citizens as

well as frontline employees who will be impacted by
a policy/service

Frame the problem statement at the outset, before

designing success measures or a policy/service itself

Work iteratively instead of ‘rolling out code’ and adopt

new ways of working e.g., through design thinking

Collaborate and co-create by proactively sharing and

harnessing resources available in the wider ecosystem

Build mechanisms to instill a culture of continuous

learning and develop skills needed to thrive in the
digital age

Share data across government entities

Empower staff to take risks, and enable a culture that

– EY point of view is more accepting of failure and experimentation
Continuous engagement is key. In recognising this, innovative governments are using
design thinking and customer experience labs which see different stakeholders
coming together to develop digital solutions that make each citizen touchpoints better,
faster and more efficient at every point of contact. Some governments such as the
UAE have however taken things a step further - To ensure cross-departmental and
cross-government collaboration, and to avoid over-investment in siloed solutions,
the UAE government has taken a forward-looking approach towards updating the
government’s entire structure and way of working by launching the world’s first Ministry
of Possibilities – a virtual department run by all Cabinet members.

Going forward, transformation efforts within government undoubtedly require the

combined resources and talents of different parts of society – including businesses,
technology startups, academia, civil society organizations and citizens themselves, –

Calls to Action
working together in unison to change things. This essentially means that governments
are increasingly required to do more, to build and nurture a vibrant, innovative,
competitive and diverse ecosystem that can co-create public value.

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Challenges and
opportunities in
designing digital
services

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As governments continue to upgrade their

digital offering, what are some of the main
challenges and opportunities that confront
them?
The digital revolution is generating new opportunities for
governments to transform how they work and the services they
deliver to citizens, and new technologies offer tremendous
potential for governments to accelerate this transformation.
However, digital transformation is not just about new
technologies. In many cases, digital transformation requires
an overhaul of organizational structures, governance, work
processes, culture and mindset.
Highlighted below are seven key factors that should be
considered when designing and implementing digital
services.

– EY point of view

A decade from now, 90% of the world’s population will have internet access, and
5G networks will connect an estimated 125 billion IoT sensors and devices in our
homes, cars, offices and streets1. This will turn us into powerful data generators,
gathering information about our daily activities and sharing it with connected devices.
For example, data from our wearable devices will go to our medical provider which
may then automatically generate a doctor’s appointment. Data from our autonomous
vehicle will go to sensors that use it to control traffic flow. And data on our children’s
progress will go to learning management systems that decide what to present to
them next.

In other words, data will allow governments to improve all the services they offer –
both in real time and in the future. And because they will also make data available to
the private sector, it will help create innovative products and services for citizens, too.
This data rich system will be hugely beneficial, but it’ll also bring risks.

1. Four ways 5G connectivity will make cities smarter. EY. https://www.ey.com/en_gl/government-public-sector/four-ways-5g-connectivity-will-make-cities-smarter

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01/ TRUST
According to the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer2,
trust in government is lower than in any other
global institution. It stands at 47%, as compared
to 56% for businesses and NGOs, and 47% for
Media. Echoing this statistic, panel members at
the Forum acknowledged that a dramatic decline in
trust exists. This can be attributed to a number of
factors including a lack of effective communication
with citizens, the impact of emerging technologies
and associated challenges such as data protection
and data privacy, a lack of trust in algorithms, and
poor user interfaces which negatively impact a
citizen’s experience.
> To build trust going forward, government
entities should look to communicate early and
be transparent about the goals they’re trying to
achieve. They should look to communicate: ‘here
are the benefits, here are the potential risks and
here’s what we want to learn as we move forward’.
This approach is particularly important when
rolling out digital functionality in a government
environment. Involving and engaging stakeholders
in the journey, as well as having an ethnographic
understanding of citizens being impacted, is
becoming increasingly critical. At the same time,
governments must showcase that they have
adequate cybersecurity measures and data privacy
guidelines in place.
– EY point of view
Trust has always been integral to the
relationship between citizens and
governments. But in a connected world,
it will matter more than ever. Trust is
about having the right infrastructure –
physical, digital and regulatory.
02/ DATA
Governments have an ethical, legal and moral
responsibility to the people that they represent and
that use their systems when engaging with their digital
services. Their responsibility is to protect citizens’ safety
online. Individuals, however, have become particularly
distrusting of how organisations use personal data.
In recent times, this concern has been aggravated as
a result of much publicized data breaches that have
happened with major companies including a few
internet giants. As an outcome, members of the public
2. 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer: Global Report. https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2019-02/2019_Edelman_Trust_Barometer_Global_Report.pdf
26
have been increasingly inclined to question the extent
to which adequate cybersecurity measures are in place
within government entities. Public servants, similarly,
have expressed concerns around data privacy and the
repercussions associated with the potential misuse
or loss of personal data, leading some to question if
offering personalised services, enabled by the provision
of personal data, puts government entities at risk
regardless of the potential is holds.
> Going forward, governments must change the
way they think about certain kinds of data, and in
particular, personal data. It’s imperative that citizens
trust government entities to protect, share and use
personal data in a secure, sensitive and ethical
way. Government entities must therefore have the
necessary firewalls and cybersecurity measures in
place. In addition to managing personal data more
effectively, governments must use data in the right
way to deliver more value-added and personalised
services that can improve a citizen’s quality of life
and deliver better outcomes.
03/ USER EXPERIENCE
Smartphone statistics suggest that an average person
spends 2 hours 51 minutes per day on their mobile
device3 and that there are 3.5 billion smartphone
users worldwide4. Yet, many government services
remain optimised for web-interfaces and laptops, and
not mobile devices. Moreover, in contrast to private
sector organisations, a high proportion of government-
based websites “look like they’re 20-30 years old and
are challenging to navigate”, negatively impacting the
user experience. In addition to this challenge...
“...government leaders in many instances don’t
have a technical background or an overview of
their own web analytics, and have limited insight
into how the public is actually engaging with
them.”
> It is widely recognised that optimising services
for mobile devices and ensuring that an exceptional
user experience is delivered through all channels,
is something government entities must get right.
Conducting web analytics to better understand at
what stage people stop using the site or one of their
services, is equally important. In parallel, whilst
designing a digital service, government entities must
continue to consider accessibility and must start
looking at new technologies to deliver an improved
user experience e.g., automated voice services to
support those that don’t have a computer.
Citizen expectations have undoubtedly increased, and
citizens are more cognizant of their experience at
each step of their interaction with public services. To
enable citizens to live secure, purposeful and healthy
lives, governments must, above all, put citizens at
the heart of their thinking and policy-making by
adopting an outside-in approach. This requires
listening to citizens, engaging and empowering
them, and proactively designing and managing citizen
experiences that will meet their current and future
needs. Going forward, government entities must build
a ‘citizen first’ mindset and culture first.
04/ INCLUSION
When designing a digital service, it can be challenging
to reach out to certain stakeholder groups and
communities. This gets more pronounced in instances
where required stakeholder groups aren’t easily
accessible online through digital means and/or don’t
typically engage with government entities.
> When governments are designing and implementing
a digital service, particularly where this digital
service is trying to address a particularly complex
issue, it’s important that government entities build a
human relationship with relevant stakeholder groups
first, to build trust and gain information. Ensuring
inclusiveness may, therefore, require government
representatives to spend more time on the ground
than on digital platforms. In parallel, governments
should invest in infrastructure in more remote
and disadvantaged areas to mitigate the risk that
digitization could widen inequality.
– EY point of view
The center of government has a key role
to play in creating the right conditions for
the development of an inclusive digital
economy. Governments must engage
and incentivize private businesses to
help deliver the necessary infrastructure,
train a digitally literate workforce, and
enable secure access to digital services.
Developing a high-speed, reliable and
robust digital infrastructure is key.
Advanced telecom networks including
forthcoming 5G networks and data
centers are the foundation of the
digital economy and require continuous
investment.
3. 29+ Smartphone Usage Statistics: Around the World in 2020. October 2019. Leftronic.com
4. Number of smartphone users worldwide from 2016 to 2021. February 2020. Statista
Infrastructure improvements must
address urban-rural and economic
divides, and promote digital inclusion
across both. Introducing digital user
identity and authentication will enable
citizens to gain seamless access to
services.
05/ DIGITAL LITERACY
Many talk about what governments can do in a
digital first delivery model and the potential benefits
governments, citizens and communities could reap.
Some have, however, raised the concern that the public
often doesn’t have the level of digital or information
literacy required to be able to effectively sort through
different types of information e.g., misinformation.
> As data becomes more readily available, focus
should be placed on ensuring that individuals across
society think critically, and not cynically about
information. To tackle this issue, some countries
are starting to teach digital / information literacy in
school, while others are embedding this into courses.
06/ SKILLS
As the widespread demand for competencies required
to deliver an innovate digital service offering fuels
intense competition, governments find themselves on
the backfoot in the race for talent. In most cases, the
gap between demand and supply keeps increasing for
digitally savvy and young talent which are critical for
delivering the ‘government of the future’. In addition
to these challenges that relate to the attraction of top
digital talent, existing government officials often don’t
have enough understanding of emerging technologies
and the legal and ethical implications associated
with these. This makes it difficult for them to feel
comfortable investing in technology needed to deliver
innovative digital services going forward.
> Governments must transform their approach to
talent acquisition by speaking to the audience they
want to attract – the young and the digitally savvy.
The value proposition for recruiting today’s top talent
should also emphasize skill development and purpose
at work. Gone are the days of long-term tenure and
retirement benefits. In this market, the employer-
employee relationship is impermanent and is instead,
focused on an alliance between both parties for a
common purpose. For the public sector specifically,
this means that the talent acquisition strategy
should focus on mutual value creation rather than
long-standing loyalty. Governments must also make
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talent acquisition a strategic priority. This may lead

government entities to revisit their approach to hiring,
engage with potentially new sourcing channels, and
use analytics to more effectively assess the demand
for certain skills.
07/ PROCUREMENT
Procurement processes are in many cases lengthy
and cumbersome, resulting in technology being
obsolete or newer versions of technology being
available by the time a technology has been purchased
and implemented. Historically, many government
entities have also procured for features rather than
outcomes. The procurement challenge also relates to
the way in which the budgeting process takes place in
government. Many government budgets are allocated
on a year-to-year basis and are not friendly to an agile,
iterative procurement cycle. Additionally, budgets are
typically earmarked for particular purposes and go
away at the end of the year.
“In my 20 years in government, I’ve had
to procure many times and it is slow and
cumbersome. But, there have been reasons
for this. We want to be fair, we want to make
sure the process is inclusive and that it doesn’t
discriminate against any one group. The
procurement process is difficult by nature. To
make it more streamlined, we shouldn’t overlook
why it has been challenging. One idea that has
gained traction as we try and solve this challenge,
is the notion that RFPs should be based on
outcomes rather than design criteria.”

> Government entities need to be more like private

companies in terms of having less governance and
more agility when it comes to deploying digital
solutions. As a result, they should consider “working
more iteratively when improving digital platforms
rather than trying to revamp the whole system with
an end goal of reaching the ideal state”. From a
procurement perspective, government entities have
started issuing challenge-based RFPs instead of
RFPs that purely list functionality to be met, allowing
vendors to be part of the solutioning process from
the very beginning. From a budgeting perspective,
governments may also want to explore experimental
funding approaches such as innovation labs,
incubators and partnerships with start-ups.

– EY point of view

One response to this challenge is to create “digital marketplaces” and to adopt

new procurement practices to help departments find more innovative solutions to
support their transformation efforts. These cross-government digital procurement
frameworks offer several benefits to governments. They diversify the digital supplier
base by reducing reliance on larger contractors and extend access to a wider range of
companies. They enable governments to negotiate better contract terms and improve
value for money. And, they foster more innovative solutions from non-traditional
suppliers, including SMEs and startups.

For SMEs, e-procurement systems reduce barriers to entry and create attractive new
opportunities for companies not previously engaged in government contract work.
They also play an important role in reducing corruption and improving transparency
and accountability.

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Build the right physical, digital and regulatory

infrastructure to establish and maintain trust

Treat personal data with utmost care and determine

how data can best be used to improve services and
deliver better outcomes

Adopt an outside-in and ‘citizen-first’ mindset and

culture when designing digital services

Form a working group on human-centric design that

can work on establishing common guidelines

Enable inclusion by ensuring that impacting

stakeholder groups are represented and by investing
in infrastructure in disadvantaged areas, to mitigate
the risk that digitization could widen inequality

Build digital literacy among citizens as data becomes

more readily available and governments adapt to digital
models

Develop a compelling employee value proposition and

consider talent acquisition a strategic function

Explore and adopt new procurement practices

Calls to Action
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Key factors to
consider when
leveraging emerging
technologies

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As new technologies come to the forefront,

what key considerations should be kept in
mind?
At no point in recent history have we experienced such
rapid and systematic technology change. The pace only
promises to accelerate. The next wave of disruption will
affect our lives in ways we can barely imagine today. In
response, governments must rethink their approach to public
engagement, policymaking and service delivery through
these new technologies. AI alone can undoubtedly, have a
transformative impact on the public sector.

Despite increasing efforts to harness emerging and disruptive

technologies to improve the effectiveness of public services,
most governments are lagging behind the corporate
world in bringing to life the power of digital. Nevertheless,
governments are embracing the use of data and AI and other
transforming technologies in a much bigger way now than
ever before.

Understanding the safeguards needed and how governments

should approach technologies given the responsibility they
have to their citizens and communities, is therefore key.

“Down the line, there are complex ethical conversations

that definitely need to take place. In the meantime, there
are a tremendous amount of AI applications that could
really help bridge a gap. Otherwise, we will constantly be
falling short of meeting the demands”

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01/ DATA QUALITY
From step counts to internet browsing patterns, we
leave behind a trail of voluminous data everyday as
we conduct our lives in an increasingly digital world.
Research says that 90% of the total data in the world
was generated5 in the last two years alone. Most
organisations, however, have a very rudimentary
understanding of their data assets (i.e., the data they
hold and the infrastructure that holds that data)6. This
is of significant concern, given that data is considered
to be the fuel that powers modern AI solutions.
Aside from data privacy and data sharing issues,
data quality and its impact on algorithms remains
a critical concern to both public and private sector
organisations, and has in many cases engendered
distrust. As some panelists remarked, the point of data
entry is often the problem, and misaligned incentives
often don’t support the build of quality data from the
beginning. The challenge around data quality is often
further compounded by the fact that many government
entities don’t have data governance processes in place.
Organisations that do not possess the capabilities to
understand and manage their data effectively cannot
take advantage of AI.
“The problem for me is that we have so much
poor data that if we’re trying to create algorithms
out of junk data, we have to be mindful that our
results might be reflective of this data – ‘garbage
in, garbage out.”
> Getting a set of design principles right is an
important first step. Design principles may include
the following:
- Consider algorithms as a way to augment rather
than replace human decision making
- Ensure that data belongs to the user and creator,
and that it can still be tracked back to him as it moves
through the value chain
- Ensure that algorithms are fair and explainable,
and based on representative data so that a level of
transparency exists
Equally important is the consideration for the context
in which these design principles will be used, as is
designing with ethics in mind.
“Getting these design principles right feels like
a starting point and I think this conversation
has been lacking. Policy makers often don’t
necessarily have the technical understanding to
engage in such a conversation. The public on the
other hand doesn’t actually see it coming. There
need to be more conversations around this.”
5. Forbes (2018). How much data do we create everyday? The mind-blowing stats everyone should read.
6. World Economic Forum. 5 challenges for government adoption of AI.
7. World Economic Forum. June 2018. AI has huge potential – but it won’t solve all our problems.
36
02/ AI AS ‘MAGIC’ Establish data governance mechanisms
From transportation solutions to video streaming
applications, AI permeates almost every aspect of Define a set of design principles that can help govern
our daily lives, and is increasingly used by government
entities to drive efficiencies and deliver better citizen data
outcomes. Nevertheless, widespread adoption of AI
has been slower in the government than in the private Prioritise and develop a clear roadmap to indicate
sector.
where AI should be deployed
As highlighted by a panel member, there is no shortage
of sensationalist news about AI and it’s potential for
good. While AI has opened up a wealth of promising
opportunities, there is a view held by some that AI is
often oversold. AI solutionism – ‘the attitude that, given
enough data, machine learning algorithms can solve
all of humanity’s problems’1, is a mindset that has
steadily evolved with little consideration for some of the
challenges that continue to exist around the use of AI.
> As we move forward and given the many challenges
that still hold true with AI, it’s important that
governments start prioritising where they should
deploy AI e.g., in areas that are not high risk, and
areas not concerned with life or death. Perhaps
governments could start with deploying AI to support
transactional processes. Besides reducing risk, this
may also reduce the amount of manual and repetitive
work. This could subsequently result in higher levels
of productivity and satisfaction among employees, and
help attract and retain key talent, ultimately improving
citizens’ experience with government services.
“In parallel, it’s important that policies are in
place to govern emerging technologies. This
is key to shaping the development and use of
technology, and maximizing the benefits while
minimizing the risks of these technologies as
they’re deployed.
In January 2019 the UAE established the RegLab.
Working in close partnership with government
agencies as well as the private sector and
academia, the Regulation Lab looks to introduce
new or develop existing legislation to help
regulate advanced technology products and
applications. It also allows a policy to be tested
in a controlled environment before a policy is
ratified and rolled out.”
Calls to Action
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Epilogue

Many in the world talk of a connected future. A world in which we are online,
almost constantly. In truth, this reality has already arrived. Connected citizens
already make up the majority of the world’s population and in a decade from now,
90% of us will have internet access8. All these connected citizens, increasingly
expecting government services to be at their fingertips at every hour of the day
and night, have a profound impact on the way governments operate and provide
services. Governments that don’t get ahead of the curve will struggle to retain
the trust of their citizens or attract new investments. They will fail to deliver on
citizens’ high expectations or to enhance the quality of life for all.
As highlighted throughout this report and contrary to popular belief, whilst
technology plays a central role in delivering innovative digital services, government
entities must rethink their approach to public engagement, build trust, build and
attract top digital skills, adopt new procurement mechanisms and be quicker to
team up with an ecosystem of partners. In parallel, governments must adopt a
‘citizen-first’ approach to achieve more citizen centric services and improved
outcomes, whilst at the same time balancing the need to protect their entities
from cyber threats while supporting innovation.
In summary, governments must tackle the ‘digital disconnect’ that often exists
by reimagining what the future looks like and by aligning technology, processes,
people, delivery models, culture, and citizen- supplier relationships around the
organisation’s core purpose.
There is no room to stand still. Governments must accept that the transformation
journey will be an ongoing one, requiring open minds and evolving perspectives.
While the challenges may seem daunting, the rewards are tremendous.

8. George Atalla, EY. (2020). Your government needs to change now. And it needs to change faster than ever before.

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panelists

Mohammed Bin Taliah Henry Brady Michael Brownrigg Elizabeth Goodman

Assistant Director General for Government Services Dean and Class of 1941 Monroe Deutsch Professor of City Council Member, City of Burlingame Director of Design, A1M
Sector at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Ministry of Political Science and Public Policy Goldman School of
Cabinet Affairs and the Future, UAE Public Policy University of California, Berkeley

Michelle Littlefield Christina Arizpuro Catherine Carlton Marc Hebert

Data & Analytics Manager, City & County of San Industry Executive Advisor, Public Sector SAP City Council Member, City of Menlo Park Director Innovation Office, Human Services Agency San
Francisco Francisco

Pete Peterson Dan Chenok Alex Holmes Dr. Peter Pirnejad

Dean, Braun Family Dean’s Chair, Senior Fellow at Executive Director, IBM Center for The Business of Global Business Development - Worldwide Public Sector Senior Director Global Public Sector, Oracle
Davenport Institute, School of Public Policy, Pepperdine Government at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
University

Jason Rissman Jonathan Simkin Jane Wiseman

moderator
Jonathan Reichental
Managing Director, OpenIDEO—IDEO Co-founder and CEO, Swiftly CEO, Institute for Excellence in Government and Fellow at CEO, Human Future
Harvard Kennedy School

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To conclude the roundtable discussion, panelists were requested to highlight

key words that describe what they think is important today and going forward.
Here’s a highlight of what came up:

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Acknowledgements

This report has been prepared by a team (including Firas Qoussous, Husam
Almasri, Kapil Raghuraman, Emily Naylor and Rita Saad) from EY, the knowledge
partner for the Government Services Forum. Inputs were drawn from the
roundtable discussion between the panelists as named earlier, EY research as
well as contributions made by Chetan Choudhury, Salim Al Shaami, Khalifa Bin
Hendi and and Prashant (PK) Gulati from the Prime Minister’s Office in the UAE,
and Jonathan Reichental, the moderator for the Forum. For more information
on the Forum, please contact Chetan Choudhury at info@gx.ae.
The Government Services Forum was launched by the Emirates Government
Service Excellence Program (EGSEP) at the UAE Prime Minister’s Office in 2019
with the inaugural edition being held at the World Government Summit in Dubai,
UAE. To find out more about the Government Services Forum, please visit the
Government Experience portal at gx.ae, a global platform, established to share
knowledge, enable interaction and activate ideas on government services.
Read more about the first Government Services Forum here:
https://bit.ly/1stGXForum
The Emirates Government Services Excellence Program was launched in 2011,
in line with the vision of the UAE to be one of the best countries in the world
by the year 2021. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai launched the
program in order to raise the efficiency of government services to a seven-star
level, by focusing on customer centricity and enhancing government efficiency.
This report can be found online at:
https://bit.ly/2ndGXForum

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Read more about government services

and contribute your ideas at https://gx.ae/

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