'Vietnam has always considered digital data a crucial component that needs to be prioritized for development.'

Over more than 20 years of e -government development with many changes, digital data has always been a crucial component that has been prioritized in its development. In digital transformation and the development of digital government, the role of data is even more evident and important.

Approaches to data have changed in the era of digital transformation.

The seminar "Unlocking the Potential of Digital Data - From Vision to Implementation" took place on the morning of October 7th in Hanoi. This event was part of a series of activities for the Vietnam Digital Awards 2023, sponsored by the Ministry of Information and Communications and chaired by the Vietnam Digital Communication Association (VDCA).

With the participation of Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam , Chairman of VDCA Nguyen Minh Hong, and Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Radio and Electronics Association Doan Quang Hoan, the seminar was a forum for experts to share policies on data exploitation, as well as practical experiences in building data ecosystems and ensuring data security for organizations and businesses.

Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Digital Communication Association, Vu Kiem Van, emphasized that contributing to the national digital transformation is one of the Association's key tasks. (Photo: Dang Khoa) Affirming that contributing to the nationaldigital transformation is a key task of the Vietnam Digital Communication Association, Mr. Vu Kiem Van, Vice President and Secretary General, stated: The seminar was designed to contribute to raising awareness and developing data-driven thinking skills for those implementing digital government and digital businesses; to find solutions to the problems and challenges that organizations and businesses are facing, and to promote a faster and more effective digital transformation process.

Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Nguyen Trong Khanh, Head of the Digital Infrastructure and Data Department, National Digital Transformation Agency, Ministry of Information and Communications, said that Vietnam has been developing e-government since 2000. After 20 years, in 2020, Vietnam began to transition to the digital transformation phase, marked by the promulgation of the National Digital Transformation Program, clearly defining three pillars: digital government, digital economy , and digital society.

Representatives from the National Digital Transformation Agency provide information on Vietnam's digital data development process. (Photo: Dang Khoa)

Over 23 years of development and numerous changes, digital data has always been a crucial and essential component that has received significant attention in its development. In digital transformation, the role of digital data is increasingly recognized as more prominent and important. This is demonstrated by Vietnam's designation of 2023 as the National Digital Data Year, following a year of concerted efforts to vigorously promote digital transformation across all sectors, at all levels, nationwide, and comprehensively.

Reviewing the levels of data maturity from the early stages of e-government to the present, Mr. Nguyen Trong Khanh said: “Currently, we have moved from the stage of applying IT or computerization to the stage of digital transformation. Along with the rapid changes in technology, many new digital technologies have emerged, and the perceptions and approaches to data in digital transformation have also changed significantly.”

From the perspective of the agency directly responsible for carrying out the tasks of the National Committee on Digital Transformation, representatives from the Department of Digital Transformation pointed out 18 notable changes in thinking and approach to digital data as Vietnam transitions from the stage of applying IT and computerization to digital transformation.

Specifically, key changes in data when transitioning from IT applications to digital transformation include: shifting from data as a means to data as raw material, product, or commodity; shifting from data's role as storage and retrieval to data that changes how we think, work, and create value; shifting the focus from data building to data exploitation; and moving from individual databases to cloud data...

A national data strategy needs to be developed.

Discussing policies for exploiting data value, Mr. Nguyen Quang Dong, Director of the Institute for Policy and Development Research in Communications, emphasized the need to build a national data strategy. Along with that, it is necessary to clearly define the model and role of ministries, sectors, and localities in building and exploiting data, improve policies on data classification, establish mechanisms for data exploitation, and create a list of priority data.

Regarding the recommendation on the need for a data classification policy, Mr. Nguyen Quang Dong emphasized: "Accurate data classification is crucial for information security, cost savings, and efficient operation of government agencies."

Mr. Nguyen Quang Dong, Director of the Institute for Policy and Development Research in Media, speaks at the seminar on October 7th. (Photo: Dang Khoa)

Sharing his perspective on the foundational data architecture of organizations and businesses, Mr. Le Nguyen Truong Giang, Director of the Institute for Digital Transformation Strategy, outlined six major challenges that organizations face in the digital transformation process. These include: How to make all components, structures, processes, and operational activities of the organization systematic, holistic, synchronized, and synergistic; and how to make data-driven decisions through the effective application of digital technologies and data.

"Organizations that want to make data-driven decisions need a foundational data architecture," noted Mr. Le Nguyen Truong Giang.

Based on his experience advising and implementing technology solutions for numerous organizations, Mr. Hoang Trong Ton, Director of Solutions & Products at SVTech, recommends that organizations start with small steps to demonstrate effectiveness. “ However, it is still essential to design and build a standard data platform from the outset. To effectively utilize data, good data management is necessary; to analyze data to support decision-making, the data source must be of high quality,” Mr. Hoang Trong Ton advised.

Vietnamnet.vn