APRIL 201819 CONSTRUCTING A DIGITAL SOCIETY The role of technology in our lives has seen a paradigm shift over the past decade. Internet-enabled mobile phones were once considered a luxury, but today they are at the heart of the current digital revolution. These devices enable people to operate businesses, manage finances, and stay connected to the world around them. This digital transformation makes it possible for governments to stay ahead of the curve and update their business processes to adapt to the changing expectations and needs of citizens. Could you tell us about the challenges that governments face in keeping up with the pace of technological developments and how are they addressing them?Unlike private enterprises, governments do not have competitors to instigate the need for a focus on technological development. This may be one of the reasons governments across the world have been on the back foot with regards to embracing the concept of a digital society. However, governments have realized the importance of establishing a robust digital infrastructure and are industriously working toward transforming their systems. A major roadblock--just as it is for private industries--is the daunting task of shifting from legacy systems to modern ones. These legacy systems have been serving many agencies for over 20 years, and while they are still functional, they cannot be reprogrammed to address the rapidly evolving dynamics of the digital world.Cloud technology is at present one of the most promising means of handling the complexities created by the proliferation of technology. To quickly respond to the changing needs of the digital space, cloud computing can be used to modify micro systems independently without having to disrupt an entire IT ecosystem. Apart from the ability to save costs, this flexibility is one of the greatest advantages of cloud computing. It enables governments and organizations to constantly update their platforms by developing applications that are essentially independent but integrated at the API level.What is the role that people play in the evolution of digital services and how are government organizations addressing the people's needs? People remain the key stakeholders both within and outside the government. Despite the evolution of automated systems and concepts such as artificial intelligence, at the end of the day, it is humans who make the key decisions that influence technological development. As a technical scientist and a leader, I understand the degree of interconnectedness between humans and technology. I believe that advancements in technology are only possible by empowering people to experiment with the capabilities of technology. Breakthroughs can only be achieved through collaboration and working on multiple approaches simultaneously and also by learning from failures. The key is to let your team AN INTERVIEW WITH OLE NIELSEN, DEPUTY CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, ACT GOVERNMENTCXO NSIGHTSOLE NIELSEN
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