From Bureaucracy to Citizen-Centricity: How the Citizen-Journey Should Inform the Digital Transformation of Public Services

Abstract

Organisations, including public service organisations, are increasingly adopting a digital transformation strategy, and deploying digital capabilities to enhance customer experience. However, digital initiatives in public services often focus more on the technology with relatively less regard to the citizen for whom the services are designed. To address this lacuna, this study contextualises the digital transformation of public services by focusing on the citizen. This study is based on data collected in the conduct of two projects involving public services within an EU member state. Based on the analysis of the citizen-journey in availing of public services, five common pain-points are identified – information inconsistencies, intricate website navigation, bureaucratic jargon, disconnected multichannel touchpoints, and a lack of real-time online support. To alleviate the pain-points, we offer five insights based on academic insights and international benchmarking.