How governments can use mobile strategies

August 5, 2015

There are many advantages to governments adopting a mobile strategy: Improved delivery of government information, products and services, higher citizen engagement, reduced expenses and an increase in workforce productivity. This blog looks at some examples of how governments can use mobile to improve the experience for end-users.

E-Governance

One of the most obvious ways that the government can streamline experiences for users is by developing mobile apps designed for various services or processes. These will make it easier for residents of an area to interact with Government agencies. For example, you could download the Car registration app that reminds you every year when your registration is due and helps you file everything on your phone via the app. This saves citizen's time, because they no longer have to go to an actual institution to file their paperwork. It also saves Government money on employees and reduces the amount of paper usage. Imagine you could download an app to electronically file all your papers including taxes, home ownership taxes and many more with annual reminders right on your phone.

Healthcare

Imagine you are sick and you have the ability to text your doctor to ask him or her what to do? There are already mHealth apps and initiatives popping up around the world where users can send and receive texts from their doctors about health records and to ask any questions they may have. This is especially exciting for developing countries where there may not be easy access to healthcare at all times.

Reporting Local Issues

Citizens can already report local issues and concerns in their neighbourhood in some countries via the See Click Fix app. When they see something they want the local government to fix, they simply take a picture and report the problem. This is one way that governments can increase efficiency in determining local issues - by turning the citizens into the reporters. This can also be done for crime, road improvements and so on.

Education

Educational apps are not a new initiative yet it is something that is changing and improving all the time. The concept of being home schooled is now becoming a reality for children all over the world, as mobile phones supply them with the tools to read, share, learn and acquire knowledge without the need of a school or classroom. Teachers can also jump on video conferencing services, such as Skype and GoToMeeting, removing the need to children to actually go to school. This again is especially exciting for countries that lack the infrastructure for schools.

Voting

Voting is important, we all know that, yet the process of voting is very inefficient in most countries. Typically voters have to go to a polling booth and in developing countries it can be a challenge for people to reach these polling booths. By developing a mobile app that enables users to vote right from their phone will encourage more users to engage in politics and, again will increase efficiency. Voters can vote from the comfort of their home and a computer can count the votes as opposed to employees doing it manually, a process that is open to risk and error.

What other ways do you anticipate that the government can apply mobile strategies to improve experiences and streamline processes? Share your ideas with us.

Written by
Alexander Rauser
Alexander Rauser

CEO

Alexander Rauser is the author of Boardroom Guide to Digital Accountability and Digital Strategy: A Guide to Digital Business Transformation, and creator of the DSX Program, a digital strategy and transformation program for Enterprises.

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