Organisations are slow to advance in data and analytics

Citizens want governments to transform online services to be more like the private sector, according to a global study released by Adobe and WPP’s government and public sector practice. The research found that governments in the countries represented in the survey need to look beyond a presence online, and more on delivering experiences that are personal and relevant to the user, in line with the experiences widely delivered by private organisations.

While the need for modernisation of government services is recognised across countries, this study examines citizens’ perspectives on what impacts their interactions with government online. Some of the most popular specific improvements to government services requested were: prefilled tailored information; instant online communication for help; and being offered additional relevant information. “We know trust in government is generally low, and that positive digital experiences increase citizens’ trust,” said Jace Johnson, vice president, global government relations and public policy at Adobe.

To understand what drives a positive experience of online public services, researchers explored five dimensions of experience: citizen journey, mobile, design, relevance and relationship. Researchers found that citizens ranked the more advanced and emotive dimensions, including relevance, relationship and design, as “most important” to their overall satisfaction with online government services. Yet across countries, respondents said their governments are performing better on the more functional components of experience — citizen journey and mobile functionality.