Measuring Digital Maturity and Government Impact [Hosted by PwC Middle East]

Unlocking Digital Government Success: From Maturity to Measurable Impact

Partner Joseph Abboud of PwC opened the masterclass, emphasizing the critical shift from merely measuring digital maturity to assessing the tangible impact of government digital initiatives. He introduced Director Farha ALKuwari from MCIT, Director Sanna Amin, and Manager Zahir from PwC. The session highlighted the UN DESA e-government survey, which revealed a 23% decrease in the digital services adoption lag, with 80% of 193 countries providing citizen access. An audience poll identified key success metrics like citizen satisfaction, accessible services, inclusion, and overall value, underscoring a focus on citizen-centered outcomes and efficiency.

Governments measure success through various lenses, including service experience (digital uptake, mobile usability) and data-driven decision-making for evidence-based policies. Estonia’s e-residency program, saving 2% of its GDP, exemplifies efficiency. Director Sanna Amin stressed that true success requires technology to translate into measurable end-user impact and broader macroeconomic benefits, aligning with national objectives. Nations employ diverse measurement frameworks, from traditional KPIs to Outcomes and Key Results (OKRs) adopted by Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority, which incorporate qualitative elements and drive actionable improvements.

Qatar actively integrates global best practices into its digital strategy, exemplified by its National Government Excellence Model (2023) and MCIT’s Digital Inclusion Index (2024) for enhancing accessibility and affordability. Global organizations like the OECD and Gartner provide essential guidance, advocating for principles such as open data, proactive and predictive services, and seamless cross-entity collaboration. Qatar incorporates these international benchmarks, including the EGDI and GovTech Maturity Index, to refine its digital government landscape and achieve ambitious goals like 90% service digitization, building bottom-up roadmaps.

Manager Zahir critically assessed existing international indices, noting their tendency to prioritize service availability over actual value or citizen satisfaction. He highlighted Estonia’s remarkable achievement of saving 1400 years of time through digital automation, largely facilitated by its X-Road system. The private sector has similarly evolved its metrics, shifting from basic transaction counts to measuring customer onboarding speed, service wait times, and retention rates, often leveraging innovations like AI agents for enhanced efficiency and user experience, demonstrating a proactive approach to measuring the entire beneficiary journey.

Governments can significantly benefit from adopting rapid iteration and user-centric design principles, common in startup culture. Conversely, startups aiming to collaborate with government must prioritize robust governance, risk management, and stringent data protection measures. This collaborative model, likened to agile “jet skis” working with robust “ships,” offers immense potential for innovation within established public sector infrastructure, fostering mutual learning and progress. Director Farha ALKuwari emphasized Qatar’s focus on citizen value, inter-government collaboration, and transparency via platforms like Sharak. The GCC region, with Saudi Arabia ranking 6th in EGDI and Qatar 5th globally in infrastructure, demonstrates advanced digital progress, actively competing and collaborating through initiatives like the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), while ensuring ethical considerations with emerging technologies like AI.