The global economy and public services are rapidly migrating towards secure digital environments. According to the OECD, "The global digital economy is expected to reach $25 trillion within five years.” This staggering amount represents 25% of the global economy!
The benefits of a digital economy for citizens are numerous: increased access to information and employment, promotion of regional development, and more resilient public administrations. According to the OECD, Europe is leading the way, particularly the United Kingdom and Scandinavian countries.
According to the IDC report, "An Informed Approach to Digital Transformation: Critical Considerations for Canadian Government," in Canada and Quebec 92% of public agencies are considering, or have already started, their digital transition.
This is excellent news, but in the race to go digital, some important questions remain unanswered.
How long will this digital shift take, how quickly will citizens adapt to online services, and will the experience be consistent across all levels of government?
Too often, out of concern for security or for political reasons, public institutions have neglected the citizen experience when migrating their services online. The portals are numerous, usage is complex, and there is rarely consistency in the processes and user experience when navigating between systems.
For many citizens, the dissonance is significant. On the one hand, they can buy a plane ticket online in five minutes, why then is it so difficult to get a document signed for a government service? In addition, why invest heavily in construction when municipalities lack the technology to properly evaluate projects and issue permits efficiently?
Trust in our public services is tarnished. Yet, offering user-centred digital services in a secure environment that safeguards privacy can help restore this lost trust. People want a simple, consistent and secure user experience when accessed digital services. It is no coincidence that 56% of organizations are transforming their business models to offer a better online experience.
There is an urgent need to act. According to the same study by IDC, more than half of those surveyed (51%) believe that the technological debt of government agencies limits their ability to provide much-needed digital services. Furthermore, more than 31% of government agencies believe that technological debt is delaying work by 25% to 50%.
The main issues highlighted are integrating new technologies into old systems (44%) and technology planning (46%).
For nearly 30 years, organizations have been inventing trusted technological solutions that work on both modern and legacy systems. Canadian companies can provide governments and regulated sectors with trusted solutions—solutions that can help citizens obtain better services and facilitate the economic development of our country without leaving any demographics behind.
As directors of technology companies, we invite you to think collaboratively and adopt unified and secure Canadian-based solutions for the population.
Imagine a single secure digital session with convenient access to all public services, from healthcare to transportation and taxes. This would greatly relieve pressure on our public system and significantly reduce stress in people's lives.
Our international competitiveness and public trust are at stake.
It is time to take this step forward to preserve our international competitiveness and maintain public trust, which will be put to the test if we do not take action now.
This article was originally posted on The Hill Times, written by Portage CyberTech