Implementation of GovTech systems promises to simplify government operations and processes. In order to do so, it must be able to overcome three main obstacles that stand between the development of GovTech tools and adoption and trust on the part of users.
Universal Accessibility
In developing more advanced technologies, government agencies and their technology partners will need to avoid designing tools that can’t be used or accessed by their citizens. GovTech tools used internally by agencies must also be accessible to employees who may not be centrally located and who may have lower levels of connectivity.
Because not everyone has access to the devices and connectivity services required to use advanced digital tools, advancing GovTech too far or too rapidly may be counterproductive and leave people behind.
User Expectations
As more of human life happens online, expectations for digital interactions (even those with government) continue to evolve. From grocery shopping to healthcare visits, people have become accustomed to doing everything online. While this tears down a lot of barriers that used to exist between users and their trust of online services, it also sets a higher bar for how effective those digital interactions should be. GovTech will need to deliver systems that help both citizens and government workers efficiently achieve their desired objective.
Balance Between UX and Security
People can pick and choose from a host of online services depending on their needs and the user experience (UX). They can choose one pizza delivery app over another, or shop at one site over another based on convenience. However, citizens and government employees don’t often have a choice when it comes to interacting with government services and tools.
While GovTech needs to create a pleasant UX for digital-based services, it also needs those interactions to be secure. People already perceive more risk in handing over their private information to public entities than they do to private ones. This makes it even more important for GovTech to build and honor user trust by protecting their data.
In public sector systems, concerns over security have usually been given priority over providing a seamless UX. But as GovTech begins to leverage more modern technology and security tools, they have an opportunity to achieve balance between UX and security.