Smart Nation is characterised by ubiquitous connectivity amongst denizens living in a country, with unprecedented opportunities for innovation and improvement in every facet of daily life. ISS’s Director-Designate, Khoong Chan Meng, explores the evolving ICT landscape and reveals the essential elements that will make the transformation to Smart Nation possible.
Singapore has officially declared its aspiration to be a Smart Nation last year. What exactly does it mean to be a Smart Nation?
There is a raging debate on what the boundaries and characteristics of a Smart Nation ought to be. And it seems to have invited more questions, such as when a country is considered to be a Smart Nation and if there are different levels of smartness a nation can progress through, rather than reaching a clear definition.
However, most Information and Communications Technology (ICT) scholars and practitioners would probably agree that a country has become a Smart Nation when it has developed a reliable ICT infrastructure and supporting eco-system that is able to promote economic growth, strengthen social solidity and raise living standards for its inhabitants.
There are unlimited possibilities for the generation of new ideas and novel applications by Smart Nations as nation-states develop unique blends of ICT capabilities to support their national priorities in areas such as economy, ideology, culture and environment.
In Singapore’s context, for instance, the priority is on efficiency and quality of life. Singapore hopes to become a nation-state that is adept in tapping the full potential of ICT and media, and nurturing innovative talent and enterprises to develop practical applications that can improve urban living.
Other nations may choose to focus on different things. European countries, for example, are investing in sustainability and environmental conservation. Many modern green technology and renewable energy solutions are reaching the markets due to their efforts. China, on the other hand, favours urban development and economic growth. Yet others may go into tourism or making education more accessible to its populace.
How can we then tell if a country is on track to becoming a Smart Nation?
Possessing good ICT infrastructure, local talent and supporting eco-system is a requisite for a Smart Nation but it does not immediately make a nation smart. The “smartness” comes from the innovative ways technology, government policy, business community and the public are being brought together to create an improved and sustainable living environment.
There are several factors we can look at to determine if a country is on track to becoming a Smart Nation.
Firstly, it has to be hyper-connected. A seamless communication among the people and the systems, as well as between the people and the systems. South Korea is a good example, with the high level of connectivity fuelling both its mobile usage and industry development.
Next, it is hyper-informed, with people accessing all the information they need easily and quickly. Such a capability would facilitate tourism, education and business environment.
Being hyper-efficient is another attribute. Singapore is the quintessential example with its constant rating as one of the most efficient and business-friendly countries in the world. In the same time it takes for you to receive one of many licenses to start a business in some countries, you might have already fulfilled your first customer order in Singapore.
Some countries may focus on the social side of “smart” by creating a safe, healthy and inclusive environment where people from diverse backgrounds can come together harmoniously to share their lives.
Others may have sustainability on their agenda and look to using technology to improve the environment and quality of living.
In all cases, the government must have a good understanding of the needs of its residents and the ability to meet their expectations.
What kind of benefits can we expect from a Smart Nation, especially for its denizens?
A Smart Nation has the ability to engage multiple industries and stakeholders to drive people-centric innovation and efficiency across the country, and in areas spanning from urban development to healthcare, education, energy, security and public services.
It is able to develop capabilities that address today’s complex challenges, such as attending to diverse needs of different communities, delivering efficient public services, and maintaining high living standards.
Regardless of the form a Smart Nation would eventually take, its aspiration will always be to create a society that is more resilient, nimble and adaptable to change. On this aspect alone, the economic payback, social capital and political mileage will be tremendous.
This is already happening in many nations that pursue an active ICT agenda, even if the efforts do not fall under the flagship of Smart Nation.
What are some of the common challenges these Smart Nations are facing and how can these be overcome?
Smart Nation involves the constant application of new technology for modern lifestyles – navigating uncharted waters most of the time. Challenges are a norm and will present themselves at every stage of the implementation, from policy making to creating business case for the ICT services and project execution.
Take for example the ubiquity of information. While information is now easily accessible to most people, some segments of the society, such as the elderly and the physically disabled, may have difficulty accessing the same information. A Smart Nation project will have to consider what kind of information is needed and how to get it to the people who need it so that every member of the society has fair and equal access to the same information.
The skillset of the ICT project team will have to go beyond effective project management to include expertise that allows the team to engage the community in dialogues, think systemically, integrate solutions and processes, and understand cross-functional issues and social dynamics.
Continual education and communication are very important and should be done at every step of implementation to ensure every stakeholder is engaged and on-boarded.
There is also a need for collaborative leadership and an innovation culture that encourages experimentation. Not every project will be successful. Project teams will have to be agile in learning and adjusting their plans to changes in the external environment and technology.
What is your advice for a government who is interested to get started on Smart Nation?
Smart Nation is a journey in pursuit of public excellence. The government will have to constantly evolve the public service system to meet shifting technology, environment and public expectations.
You can see this quite clearly in the progress of Singapore’s e-Government initiative from an automated government in the 80’s to become an electronic government in the 90’s as public services became available online. That set the stage for an integrated government as silos are eradicated to reduce government bureaucracy, and an open government where more data are increasingly made available to the public for crowd sourcing in the development of useful applications.
As Singapore continues to invest in advanced ICT and smart technologies to improve government services and its interaction with the public, it has already set its course towards becoming a ubiquitous government that promises highly connected public services on mobile platforms and the privatisation of non-critical government services.
With almost everyone holding on to at least one mobile device in today’s modern cities, governments now have a ready and inexpensive way to reach out to the majority of the population quickly and conveniently. A good starting point for governments is to think about what they can do to leverage on this huge potential advantage.
From here, they can identify several critical imperatives based on the immediate needs of the society, economy and government. It can create a safe environment for projects to be piloted and studied before implementing the useful ones across the nation.
This is what is happening at the Jurong Lake District in Singapore. The mixed-use estate has a rich ecosystem that provides plenty of opportunities for innovative enterprises and government agencies to collaboratively build and test a diversity of smart solutions such as urban mobility, energy management, and public cleanliness. It provides a realistic environment for rapid deployment, learning and experimentation. Successful cases are productised and replicated in other districts, with the potential to export to other cities.
What are some of the success factors that CIOs should look out for to support the government’s effort in Smart Nation initiatives?
CIOs have the opportunity to lead Smart Nation projects and be responsible for providing strong visionary leadership, rallying resources and fostering collaboration among government organisations, industries and the community at large.
It’s important for the CIOs to dream about the desired future state of the Smart Nation as this will allow the team to develop scenarios and identify the corresponding technology and policy to realise this vision.
There’s also a need to develop a proper business case to define the scope and budget of smart projects, and to articulate the benefits and risks from the investment. The performance indicators should include a combination of qualitative outcomes, such as quality of life and cultural integration, and quantitative results, such as productivity improvements and responsiveness of services.
You will need lots of hands and brains to work on the projects. Work with local learning institutions and ICT industries to channel resources as well as build a strong eco-system to support the Smart Nation initiative. Consider crowd-sourcing and open collaboration as useful platforms for innovation and experimentation.
Above all, the team has to be decisive and comfortable in changing course from time to time. Adopting an agile framework in project management will help the project team stay nimble and ensure practicality of the solutions introduced at every stage of the project amidst emerging technology and social developments over time.
When will a Smart Nation know that it is successful in its efforts?
When interconnected people, information and things are truly ubiquitous, and technology becomes fully embedded as an integral part of all government, commercial and social activities, such that every process works every time and people can lead happy and fulfilling lives.
Khoong Chan Meng has more than 25 years of holistic international experience in the information and communication technology industry. He is appointed Director-Designate from October 2014, and will be appointed ISS Director in March 2015. He joined ISS in 2013 as Chief of the IT Strategy & Management Practice, and concurrently as Evangelist for e-Government Leadership.
Share your views or discover more about Smart Nation from Chan Meng at isskcm@nus.edu.sg.