How public sector service delivery is transforming with SaaS solutions

While Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions offer cost savings, scalability, and improved accessibility, implementing new technology in the public sector is complicated as citizens expect an uninterrupted and high level of service quality.

At the same time, government agencies need to stay prepared to adjust to sudden changes, especially in the digital age with regular upgrades to their systems and processes.

Speakers in the opening plenary panel Unlocking the potential: why is the public sector turning to SaaS? at GovInsider Live – SaaS Day shared how government agencies can embrace the challenge and enhance their operations with the use of SaaS solutions.

SaaS solutions deliver software applications over the internet, with no physical connection to a single server or device. SaaS providers host, monitor, and control the software and its maintenance, enabling user organisations to access ready-to-use solutions and scale up based on specific needs. 

Easing resistance to digital transformation

As technology evolves, it changes the way we work.

The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) learned this when the pandemic arrived, at a time when the agency did not rely on cloud or SaaS solutions.

NCSS’ Director of Manpower and Leadership Development, Bruce Liew shared that shifting to remote work proved difficult as officials could not access the agency’s internal resources on their personal devices.

He explained that the key to adopting SaaS in the organisation was to “ease resistance” against new ways of doing things and keep pace with the surge of digitalisation.

In line with this vision, Liew contributed to conceptualising the Industry Digital Plan for Social Services to guide social service agencies evaluate their digital capabilities and identify areas for improvement.

Since then, the NCSS has equipped itself with technology schemes to operate more efficiently and drive the digitalisation of the social service sector.  

Tech-and-GO! for instance, is one of the initiatives designed to support agencies under NCSS to improve their productivity and service delivery with the use of technology.

With this programme, social service agencies can access pre-scoped IT solutions across different areas such as software integration and infrastructure design to expand their digital capabilities and stay agile when navigating their digital journey.

The SaaS solutions that NCSS encourages the use of include consultancy services to ensure the technology offered is implemented effectively according to the agency’s needs.

Identifying key use-cases

Identifying these needs is essential to assess how SaaS can improve work in the enterprise and reap the benefits that they offer, said Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) Senior Deputy Director (Transformation Office), Andy Hue.

He added that the MPA went through “a journey of scepticism” before they embraced SaaS.

The agency identified that their human resources (HR) processes could improve with SaaS solutions, given the volume of engagements with different partners and businesses in specific projects. These include the Maritime Transformation Programme (MTP) which seeks to innovate and grow maritime research and development capabilities.

The MPA onboarded Customer 360, a solution that pools the preferences, experiences, and needs of stakeholders. This allowed the MPA to facilitate engagement with businesses more efficiently as the platform captures all data needed for cross-communication.

SaaS has facilitated workflows and enabled the MPA to “go outside of the box” by digitalising some of its operations, Hue said.

Tackling the barrier to entry

As more agencies embrace digital transformation, it is important for digital services to remain accessible, said Open Government Product (OGP)’s Senior Engineering Manager, Kee Wei Lam.

OGP is the national experimental tech unit housed within GovTech Singapore, in charge of delivering whole-of-society digital solutions. The team adopted a SaaS approach to develop services in a more accessible manner, Lam noted.

The problem with some digital platforms is that they tend to be overly comprehensive, making it overwhelming for non-technical users who seek to access a service, he added.

For instance, to obtain public information, a government website should be easy to access for citizens across all digital skills levels. To ensure a minimum level of usability, the OGP designed Isomer.

Isomer is a tool to build standardised government websites, working as a template that anyone can adopt thanks to its user-friendly design and straightforward purpose.

Similar to how NCSS provides pre-scoped solutions, the solutions that OGP offers have passed through a pre-approval process, making it easier for organisations to adopt these products, Lam said.

Given the benefits and availability of SaaS solutions, Hue suggested that approaching SaaS with a “broader perspective” can help organisations determine the types of solutions they need, the duration, and the best implementation methods to make the best use of these options.