Dr. Hamza Alakaleek

Last week, we asked: Is digital transformation measured by platform count or citizen experience? That wasn’t rhetorical, it was a call to reset priorities toward trust and value. Real progress doesn’t require a massive budget or a flagship strategy. It starts with a simple rule: transformation fails through branding but succeeds through immediate, tangible impact. If citizens experience is our benchmark, we must stop building systems and start solving struggles. True innovation is measured by what citizens feel instantly.

Jordan has invested significantly in digital infrastructure over the past decade. Government portals, mobile applications, and online services now span multiple sectors. Yet many citizens still encounter long forms, unclear requirements, and procedural steps that resemble traditional bureaucracy. The problem is rarely the absence of systems. More often, it is the absence of service redesign. Systems may function correctly, but they are often built around internal administrative logic instead of citizen journeys.

The first reform is conceptual. Instead of asking, What new system should we build? leaders should ask, Where exactly does the citizen struggle? In some cases, legal descriptions of services are copied directly onto websites in formal legislative language. While legally accurate, such wording can be difficult for non-specialists. The reform may require no new software. It requires editorial discipline, institutional courage, and a policy choice to prioritize plain language over procedural comfort.

The second priority is eliminating duplication. In several services, applicants must re-enter data that government entities already possess or upload documents already stored in official databases. This is not primarily a technical weakness. It reflects gaps in coordination and data-sharing policies. Gradually applying the once-only principle, can significantly reduce friction. Even limited integration between two agencies can remove repetitive steps that affect thousands of transactions monthly. Sometimes improvement depends less on large-scale transformation and more on clearly assigning responsibility for specific data connections.

A recent personal experience illustrates the gap between digitization and real transformation. I submitted an online request to cancel a fine through a government platform. The authority already held all relevant information: my name, national number, and case details. Nevertheless, the application was returned with instructions to attach a designated form. Upon review, the form contained no additional fields beyond the data already submitted electronically. Worse still, it was provided in a locked format that could not be edited digitally. It had to be printed, completed manually, scanned, and uploaded again. Citizens without access to a printer must visit a copy shop simply to reproduce information already stored in government systems. In practical terms, visiting the office would have been faster. A minor system adjustment could have generated and pre-filled the form automatically. Instead, a manual process was replicated in digital format without redesign. The result was added inconvenience rather than efficiency.

Transparency forms the third pillar. Citizens often express frustration not because requests are rejected, but because status updates are unclear. When applicants cannot determine whether their file is under review or awaiting additional documentation, uncertainty replaces confidence. A basic tracking feature or automated notification system can transform this experience. Such improvements are not technologically complex, yet they signal institutional respect. Artificial intelligence can also play a supportive role by categorizing inquiries, generating consistent responses, and identifying recurring bottlenecks in service journeys.

Citizens want clear requirements, realistic timelines, and accessible contact points. They expect responsible data management and smooth coordination among institutions. Meeting these expectations does not necessarily require new funding cycles. It requires defined ownership, measurable service standards, and leadership willing to simplify wherever possible.

Advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, offer valuable opportunities. However, their greatest impact in the public sector may lie in diagnosing friction rather than showcasing innovation. Analyzing where users abandon online forms or identifying frequently misunderstood instructions can guide precise adjustments with immediate effect. Data should serve simplification, not justify additional layers of complexity.

Low-cost, high-impact improvements are not alternatives to national digital strategies; they are their foundation. Long-term projects build infrastructure, but everyday refinements build trust. The essential question for public leaders is not, What is our next flagship platform? It is, What small change this week will measurably improve a citizen’s experience?

The most expensive decisions in digital transformation are not the systems deployed. They are the initiatives approved without clearly defining the impact they are meant to deliver for the citizens they serve.