Digital transformation is changing the world at a unstoppable speed in the Public Administration universe as well has inevitably been carried away by this revolution.
However, to be abreast with the times dictated by the new digital era, it does not suffice to utilize passively the new ICT tools that are available but a digital culture has to be acquired by recreating organizational models as well as equipping the staff with qualified elements able to guide this in-depth transformation.
How can the digitization level of public bodies be hastened?
At the present time, public bodies can only be brought up-to-date by becoming more elastic as well as keeping in line with an ongoing technological evolution, above all enhancing relations with clients and citizens.
According to a report carried out by the Deloitte University Press there are five key points that determine the digital advancement of a PA.
- A clear and well defined strategy aimed at transforming the organizational processes and models.
- Leadership endowed with an adequate capacity to lead the administration in the task of digital transformation.
- Investing in staff by updating and and constantly building up the capacities and knowledge of their staff related to the digital world.
- Focus on citizens investing in work and resources to enhance relations with them.
- Promoting digital culture favouring internal transformation to boost working together and a flexible attitude towards risk factors.
These guidelines, on an internal level, result as well in an investment in digitization that may be defined as the engine that moves the democratic life of a Country: the activities of law making Hemicycles and Assembly Halls.
The automation of parliamentary works, in fact, became a necessary element for the organization of an administration on the basis of the requirements of the new digital era.
Using tools such as the electronic voting system, streaming town council sessions or video minutes recording, perfectly meet the requirements related to creating organizational models again based on the according to the principles of efficiency and a major participation on behalf of citizens.
According to a survey carried out by the Deloitte University, during this significant phase of technological, cultural renewal, it is further fundamental to make our own and use all the main state-of-the-art technologies which are altering our ways of working, purchasing and communicating, emphasized as follows:
- Social, to enable people to communicate on social platforms in real time;
- Mobile, to be connected to any place at any time;
- Analytics, to be able to use available data to perform sophisticated analyses;
- Cloud, since the Cloud is changing the manner in which people exploit technology
- Cyber security, to ensure the security of communications and data conservation.
Consequently, a modern PA is one which is able to exploit new technologies to automate processes, cut down costs and reach targeted citizens so as to involve them in the role of active participants in the democratic life of the country.
