Interview of Marta Arsovska Tomovska Former Minister & Executive Advisor for Digitalization
April 8, 2024
Here are my main takeaways as Dina from my conversation with Marta:
- Prioritizing customer and user experience over technology and processes is crucial in successful digital transformation initiatives, as evidenced by the stark contrast between digital companies and IT companies.
- It’s not merely about a government’s performance on international indexes; rather, it’s about prioritizing people and adopting a human-centric approach.
- Understanding the importance of buy-in and ownership across other government institutions is crucial to ensuring organic and sustainable innovation in government.
It's about prioritizing people and adopting a human-centric approach.
Interview Start
Dina:
How would you introduce yourself, Marta?
Marta:
Back in the 90s, I had the privilege of leading one of the pioneering internet providers in the Balkan region and serving as an executive in a prominent system integration company in Macedonia, with a primary focus on public sector clients. These experiences deeply immersed me in the public sector and empowered me to spearhead various e-government initiatives. These initiatives included implementing robust systems for healthcare, insurance, treasury, and tax administration—systems that are fundamental to the smooth operation of government.
After fifteen years in the private sector, I received a compelling invitation from the Prime Minister of Macedonia to join the government and drive digital transformation from within. Embracing this opportunity, I served as Deputy Minister and later as Minister for Information Society and Public Administration for about seven years, across four different mandates. Following a change in government, my journey led me to Serbia, where I was invited by the Prime Minister to contribute to the digital transformation of the country—a commitment I have dedicated myself to for the past five years. My involvement extends to the international arena, where I actively participate in various boards and global initiatives.
My passion lies in leveraging technology to make a meaningful impact. While in a corporate setting, your influence extends to the company, its products or services, and its clients, in government, a single project has the potential to positively impact thousands, if not millions, of lives. This is the driving force behind my work—to empower individuals to thrive, to enhance their quality of life, to reduce their interactions with government, and to pursue their passions more freely.
Moreover, I am deeply committed to helping individuals with disabilities, using technology to develop solutions that streamline their daily lives and promote their integration into society. If you were to inquire about my identity, I would say that I have a genuine love for people and a strong desire to assist them. I firmly believe that technology can significantly improve their quality of life.
Dina:
You mentioned that you want to help citizens have a better life and minimize their interaction with the government. How does this relate to the relationship between citizens and government?
Marta:
Citizens’ interactions with the government span a wide range, from birth registrations to accessing various services throughout their lives, including retirement. These interactions can often be cumbersome, requiring individuals to navigate queues and physical locations. Digital solutions play a pivotal role in simplifying these processes, allowing citizens to complete their tasks more efficiently. The latest trend of invisible services and seamless e-government is driven by the desire to seamlessly integrate digital experiences into citizens’ lives, enhancing the convenience, efficiency, and user-friendliness of government services. This trend involves the integration of government services across multiple channels and platforms, such as mobile apps and social media, to ensure accessibility and convenience. By leveraging digital channels, governments can offer services that are almost imperceptible, allowing citizens to access them anytime and anywhere using their preferred devices.
Dina:
Reflecting on your time in both governments, what stands out as your most impactful achievement?
Marta:
One of the achievements I hold in high regard within the digital transformation efforts I lead, is my focus on prioritizing people over technology. Even though I come from a technical background, I make a deliberate distinction between the IT and digital realms. It’s about creating more than just digital versions of analog services; it’s about leveraging digital technology to make these services more inclusive, efficient, and responsive to the needs of the public. In practice, this means that every decision, from the drawing board to the final rollout, is guided by the question of how it will affect the end-users. It involves a continuous process of engaging with these users, understanding their needs, frustrations, and aspirations, and then tailoring our digital solutions to meet those needs in the most accessible and user-friendly manner possible.
Dina:
What was the starting point for Serbia’s impressive digital transformation since 2017?
Marta:
Our digital transformation journey started by transitioning population records from paper to digital databases. We then moved on to implementing web-based interactions among different systems and services and set up a government service bus. The creation of the Office for IT and e-Government was a pivotal step, dedicated to developing a national portal and crafting services centered around the needs of users. Alongside these technological advances, we also engaged in widespread education and training of civil servants about the benefits and potential of digital transformation. This ambitious program spanned just four to five years and has yielded significant improvements, as reflected in various digital transformation indices. Serbia’s advancement in these rankings stands as a clear indicator of the effectiveness of our carefully crafted roadmap, strategic planning, and outstanding execution.
Dina:
What are your thoughts on adopting AI in the public sector?
Marta:
AI has the power to transform government operations, from automating routine tasks and enhancing citizen-government communication to addressing complex challenges such as predicting floods, detecting diseases early, personalizing healthcare, advancing smart agriculture, creating digital twins for utilities, and preserving our cultural heritage. These aren’t just ideas; they’re real initiatives we’re bringing to life in the Serbian government through the GovTech program.
Dina:
Could you elaborate more on the GovTech program?
Marta:
A key to the success of this program has been the extensive training of over 100,000 public servants in the latest disruptive technologies. This initiative was about more than just opening their eyes to new possibilities; it was about providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to actively engage in this transformative process. Our efforts have cultivated a dynamic innovation ecosystem where the public sector’s needs are addressed with advanced technological solutions from startups.
Spending two decades advocating for eGovernment and steering public institutions towards digital transformation, witnessing them now actively pursuing innovation on their own has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my professional journey. The GovTech program in Serbia stands out as a potentially leading model globally, thanks to its innovative strategy of generating a demand for disruptive technologies within the public sector and tapping into a robust startup ecosystem for solutions. This approach fosters organic innovation, setting a new benchmark for GovTech initiatives worldwide.
Dina:
What challenges come to mind when reflecting on your career or facing your day-to-day life?
Marta:
Based on my experience with various countries and governments, I’ve noticed that the success of digital transformation is largely dependent on the commitment from top leadership. Take Serbia as an example, where the Prime Minister made digital transformation a key priority to steer the economy towards knowledge-based growth. Her vision, coupled with a committed team and sufficient resources, made digital transformation an integral part of our daily agenda. It was crucial that this initiative was embraced organically across all ministries, rather than being simply mandated. Without real support, even the most well-intentioned system can fall short. Thus, cultivating an atmosphere of authentic engagement and support is key.
Dina:
Looking forward, what do you envision for the future of government in the evolving tech landscape?
Marta:
In this technological race, clear regulatory focus is critical, emphasizing public safety, privacy, ethics, and cybersecurity. Policies must address labor market transition due to automation and embrace disruptive technologies to enhance public services. Supporting private companies in digital transformation is imperative, given the stark choice between adaptation and obsolescence. Governments should establish innovation hubs and prioritize workforce training, especially in AI, which has immense potential to enhance productivity. However, governments must approach AI cautiously, considering its potential for rapid impact, akin to nuclear energy. This is a critical juncture demanding careful consideration, as is the strategic foresight. At this pivotal moment, strategic foresight becomes indispensable. It involves predicting and preparing for future challenges and opportunities, identifying emerging trends, and considering how various future scenarios might unfold. This forward-looking approach aids in making informed decisions today, ensuring that governments are better equipped to navigate future uncertainties.
Interview End
Key Messages extracted by Dina:
- Establish clear regulatory frameworks for technology, focusing on public safety, privacy, ethics, and cybersecurity.
- Develop policies to manage workforce reskilling and upskilling amidst automation.
- Actively adopt disruptive tech like AI to enhance public services, but approach AI with caution due to its potential for rapid and significant impact.
- Provide incentives for private companies to undergo digital transformation.
- Establish innovation hubs to drive collaboration and experimentation.
- Employ strategic foresight to anticipate future challenges and opportunities, identify emerging trends, and prepare for various future scenarios.
Interview done by
Dina Richani, is a consultant with a rich background of working with various governments and experience at renowned institutions like the United Nations and World Bank.
