Old ways and digital

The determination to digitally transform does not stop at political will, but has been institutionalized into a draft law, replacing the 2006 Law on Information Technology, regulating new social relationships arising in the process of digital transformation, including digital government, digital economy, and digital society. It is expected that this law will be considered and promulgated by the National Assembly at the upcoming October session.

In particular, the public sector, often seen as “slow to respond” to the need for change, has an important position in the draft. The Digital Transformation Law has outlined a specific roadmap to create a truly serving digital government .

Identifying digital transformation as a leading strategic breakthrough, with people and businesses at the center, the subject and driving force of this process, the draft clearly states that state agencies are responsible for developing public services in the digital environment based on the needs and experiences of people and businesses; prioritizing electronic transactions, easy access, multi-channel and multi-device support, minimizing the number of steps and operations to complete transactions. Policies, programs, projects, and digital public services must have the participation of end users (through public consultation, online surveys, testing and independent evaluation). State agencies are responsible for operating a real-time user feedback system and integrating public service quality assessment data for continuous improvement.

Article 13 of the draft also specifies that all activities of state agencies are prioritized to be carried out in the digital environment, following the principle of “digital is the default, paper is the exception”; ensuring that services are designed and deployed with a completely digital mindset from the beginning, reducing administrative burdens and increasing processing speed. Not only that, state agencies must organize the construction, maintenance and development of digital data to ensure safety and security, creating a solid foundation for the administration and operation of public services in the digital environment.

This enables evidence-based decision-making, improved operational efficiency and better public service delivery. State agencies are also responsible for publicizing data for digital transformation in accordance with data laws. This principle promotes transparency and data accessibility, enabling citizens and businesses to use information to make informed decisions and participate in the development process…

A comprehensive and progressive legal corridor is about to open, but the biggest question remains: Will the civil service, people and businesses be able to "transform" in time to keep up with and realize the expectations of the law? Will the team of civil servants and public employees be ready to abandon the old way of working, which is familiar with paperwork and manual processes, to switch to a more transparent and efficient digital working environment?

On the other hand, the law gives citizens new powers in the digital environment, such as the right to know and intervene in the automated decisions of AI algorithms that affect them. But do people have enough digital capacity to understand and exercise these rights, or do they just use them passively? On the business side, the controlled experimentation mechanism is a great “door” for innovation. However, do businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, have the courage to step through that door, or are they still struggling with old arbitrary business habits?

A law, no matter how perfect, will only remain on paper if it lacks the necessary and sufficient conditions to be put into practice. To achieve the goal of promulgating the Law on Digital Transformation, it is necessary to focus on three main pillars: investing in people; building and strengthening digital trust and strongly promoting a culture of daring to try and innovate. The controlled testing mechanism needs to be specified with clear guidelines and open processes to encourage a culture of daring to do, increasing the chances of success for new models.

ANH THU

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/le-loi-cu-va-so-hoa-post810705.html