This post is an excerpt from GovLoop’s recent industry perspective, Enhancing Digital Experiences with Innovative Communication Tools.
Citizens today increasingly expect from government the same seamless, interactive services and user-centric experiences they receive from the private sector. As a result, government agencies must provide digital experiences that are compelling, personalized and secure at every touchpoint.
While government faces several challenges in enhancing digital services — including budget constraints, legacy technology and the need to comply with security regulation — these can be overcome. Applying a strategic methodology can help your agency become more customer-centric. Additionally, applying the right strategy will help your agency better use innovative communications tools to improve digital citizen experiences.
Here are five steps to transform citizen digital experiences:
1. Recognize the Value of Creativity
Most government employees know that creativity and innovation are integral to agency missions. But public servants may feel restricted by outdated IT policies, lengthy approval processes and a greater emphasis on efficiency rather than creativity.
The key to enhancing creativity in government is to turn these various constraints into opportunities. To do this, it is important to celebrate creativity as much as possible at all levels of government. Simply recognizing valuable team members with an award or congratulatory message can fuel the fire for future innovation at your agency.
2. Transform Constituent Service Experiences
Citizens know exactly what content and channel is best for them at any given moment, and they expect services to suit those preferences.
Agencies can transform their constituent service experiences by making personalization a top priority. With all the digital touchpoints available to individuals, there should be little need for citizens to search for relevant content. Instead, when citizens access websites and other digital media, they should get prompts with content that is relevant to their user profile based on a set of historical attributes and data that your agency has captured.
Adobe can help your agency transform its constituent experiences by prioritizing personalization through modernizing forms, automating systems and providing video management.
3. Become a Mobile Champion
As of 2016, 77 percent of American adults owned a smartphone and that number is growing rapidly. That is why it’s essential that government adopts mobile-friendly technology.
Mobile technology benefits citizens and allows government employees to collaborate, create content anywhere and capture inspiration in real time, fueling on-the-go creativity and faster citizen services. At the same time, mobile-friendly websites allow citizens to access personalized government services with the swipe of a finger.
Solutions such as Adobe Experience Manager help government quickly and easily maintain public-facing websites and applications tailored to citizens’ needs in addition to providing seamless mobile experiences.
4. Get Efficient
Next-generation communications tools create personal and rich content, and deliver it across any channel. Government can then transform the user experience by making transactions more engaging and efficient.
Cloud-based solutions can help by enabling you to streamline processes and stay connected with real-time tracking and interaction. Additionally, cloud allows for continuous innovation, ensuring that your agency stays at the cutting edge while minimizing costs and reducing the burden on IT staff.
Tools like Adobe Sign can be used on mobile devices, and cut down on the costs and hassle of manual signature processes, speeding transactions and approvals. Such cloud-based solutions also allow you to have more control over the entire citizen experience process by tracking tasks and services in digital formats.
5. Secure the Content
For government, information security is a mandate, not an option. However, simply protecting networks is not enough to guard your information. Securing personal information in the digital age requires a multilayered approach that addresses content management, digital rights management and continuous monitoring.
At the highest level, agencies need a comprehensive content management solution that includes strong authentication and authorization so administrators can manage users and access. Once a document is shared, digital rights management comes into play by providing control features that restrict access and usage of content. Lastly, continuous monitoring helps agencies watch for unusual behavior within the organization to identify any suspicious activity and prevent insider threats.
Read the full report here.
