Issue 63: Pulling the Future Forward
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about how digital governance can transform countries – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
Pulling the Future Forward
Government services might not seem like the most exciting topic for a newsletter. Given everything else happening on the planet, why should we focus our energy on how the government gets work done? The answer is simple: The more efficient your government is, the more time you have to focus on getting things done even if it’s just a lazy walk with your dog around the block. Streamlined government services improve efficiency across society. Just think of Scandinavian countries, where the quality of life is among the highest in the world and government services are seamless.
Elegant governance: When it comes to efficiency in the delivery of government services, the future is digital. Imagine if Google provided all your government services. Need to pay a traffic fine? It would be a simple process on your smartphone. Just bought a car and you need to register it? You could scan a barcode just like setting up a new Chromebook. These digital-first measures seem straightforward and simple but they require governments that learn fast and think outside the box.
Delightful engagement: Some countries like Estonia have mastered digital governance. The UAE is following a similar path. In a recent article for apolitical, Chetan Choudhury outlined several critical themes emerging in digital government. Choudhury is a government advisor for the UAE and has vital insight into the digital transformation happening at home. One of his most important takeaways is that for a smart transition to take place governments have to put the user first and consider how to make interactions simple and delightful.
Critical pivot: Digital transformations don’t happen overnight. As Choudhury noted, governments need to learn fast, upskill employees to think differently about governance, and transform a traditional risk-averse culture into one eager for innovation. When that happens, inclusive digitization efforts can use the best technological developments to deliver great services. We might think this work is boring but it underpins any smart society and is a building block of the best knowledge economies in the world. Next time you pay a water bill online, consider the shift that needs to happen to facilitate that transaction.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
This week, we’re asking you about elegant design. What are your favorite examples of great digital design? Get in touch across our social media channels @xische with your thoughts, feelings, and answers. Or drop us a line and just say hello.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The revolution that takes place in your head, nobody will ever see that.”
– Gil Scott-Heron
COVID19 STORIES
We are passionate about telling human stories. Now more than ever, those stories involve you. Covid19 Stories is a showcase of words, photos, and videos of our global community designed to celebrate shared experiences from this time of isolation. Powered by Empowering through, this exhibition is a dynamic and living testament to the historic moment we’re living through. Visit Covid19 Stories to share your story today.
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
Bias in algorithms: How has it come to pass that algorithms handle so many decisions in our lives? Given our deep reliance on the internet, we should ponder the rise of those secret formulas that can accurately predict medical diagnoses or recommend what to watch next on Netflix. With so many experiences guided by algorithms, the role of bias in this technology is arguably one of the most challenging questions of our time. In this archived piece, we explored the challenges algorithms present for society so we can better refine them.
WFH forever? Over the last two months, the technology world has warmly embraced remote work. From Google to Facebook, the major tech giants are encouraging their staff to stay home permanently. What if countries adopted a similar mindset? This week, we considered how Gulf nations can borrow a page from Silicon Valley’s handbook and shift to more remote work. Thinking outside the box in these subtle ways is key to finding opportunities in the Covid-19 marketplace.
A MESSAGE FROM DIGITAI
Artificial Intelligence can work for you. The pace of AI innovation is undeniable. With so many options to choose from, how can you be sure that you are making AI work for your needs? Discover what we’re doing at Digit Ai, a Xische company, to accelerate organisational capacity building that leverages AI and machine learning. Find solutions that make business sense and embrace the power of AI.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Are you human? What is the backstory of the CAPTCHA? Those squiggly letters we enter to prove we’re human on the internet took shape all the way back in 2000. A young PhD student in computer science named Luis von Ahn came up with the idea after learning that one of Yahoo’s biggest challenges was fighting spam. NPR’s How I Build This took a deep dive into the company that’s now worth an eye-watering $1.5 billion.
Treasure hunt: It sounds like the plot of Nicolas Cage action movie from the late 1990s. An eccentric millionaire hides a treasure worth a million dollars somewhere in the mountains of Colorado. Well, it’s a true story and this week someone found the treasure. Read the whole tale of Forrest Fenn (sounds like a movie character, right?) at The Guardian. Sometimes reality is much stranger than fiction.
QUICK HITS
Dr Kath Sullivan became the first person to both walk in space and to descend to the deepest point in the ocean this week.
A Chinese battery company has developed a power pack that could power an electric car for more than a million miles. The dream is getting closer to a reality.
Would a digital ID for every person help the world recover from Covid-19?