Shermain Cheong Shing Yi, Manager (Membership), People's Association, Singapore

1) What does public service mean to you? Can you share more about your role in the public sector?

Public service is fundamentally about understanding the communities we serve and finding better ways to support them.

My work centres on creating visualisations that help colleagues interpret data and identify opportunities for engagement and areas of improvement.

I also develop automation solutions that streamline manual and repetitive processes, freeing up time for more meaningful work that benefits both my colleagues and our divisional work. 

Beyond my job, I participate in cross-department collaborations. During PA’s internal hackathon, our team developed an AI chatbot that centralises procurement knowledge.

Ground colleagues can ask specific questions and receive immediate, tailored answers instead of manually searching multiple sources.

This solution empowers them to make more informed decisions quickly, freeing up time to focus on other core tasks. 

2) Tell us about a project you championed. What impact did it have on the community?

I championed the development and implementation of a visualisation dashboard, enabling authorised PA colleagues to gain quick insights into program participation and attendee profiles.

This tool significantly enhances our ability to evaluate program effectiveness and ensures our outreach and engagement efforts resonate with intended target audiences. 

My role spanned from the design stage to implementation, including developing training materials and conducting hands-on sessions.

I maintain an ongoing feedback loop, providing support and continuously refining the dashboard to meet evolving needs, ensuring colleagues confidently derive meaningful insights. 

The impact has been transformative. Colleagues can quickly assess event outreach effectiveness and identify successful programmes that meet the needs and interests of their residents.

This fosters data-driven decisions that lead to improved programming, better resource utilisation and ensures we remain relevant and impactful in serving our communities. 

3) As a young professional, how has your unique background or perspective allowed you to identify a solution that others in your organisation might have overlooked?

As someone who has grown up in the technology era, I naturally look for ways to streamline processes that others might accept as standard practice.

When colleagues approached me about their manual and repetitive processes, I initially explored FormSG Multi Respondent forms as a potential solution.

However, after discovering its limitations, we worked with vendors to explore UiPath automation tools and ultimately launched the solution, which resulted in substantial time savings. 

My digital-native perspective and willingness to try new tools help me systematically evaluate different technological solutions, though finding the perfect fit remains an ongoing challenge that requires continuous exploration and adaptation as new AI tools are ever-evolving. 

4) What is your personal strategy for staying motivated when managing heavy workloads and tight deadlines?

I have learnt to see bureaucracy as part of the job, not a hindrance but a safeguard. I therefore balance the more structured aspects with opportunities for creativity and innovation.

I also draw energy from collaborative experiences like our hackathon, where I see how much we can achieve across different departments.

These interactions remind me that even within structured environments, there is room for meaningful connection and creative problem-solving. 

5) If you had just one area to invest in to accelerate transformation in the public sector (regulation, technology, talent, etc.), which one would you choose and why?

I would choose technology.

It is the fundamental enabler that amplifies our capacity, having the potential to streamline workflows, provide real-time insights, and take over repetitive, labour-intensive tasks, creating capacity for work that requires deeper judgement and human connection, such as engagement with residents and community partners.  

The benefits are cascading - better data collection on community needs, automated regulatory compliance, and more efficient processes, allowing us to serve residents better - though sound human judgement remains irreplaceable, as decisions involving nuance, values and people must still be guided by us. 

6) What is your greatest ambition as you grow in your public service career?

My greatest ambition is to develop the skills and knowledge that will allow me to contribute meaningfully to the evolving challenges our communities face, whether that's through better processes, innovative solutions, or simply being a colleague that my team can rely on.

I am excited about the journey of continuous learning - understanding the interconnectedness of our work and keeping abreast of emerging technologies to enhance our work, like participating in an AI bootcamp which exemplifies my commitment to growth and exploration. 

7) What is a “universal value” that connects everyone in your department – from interns to directors – and how do you use that to drive collaboration?

The universal value that connects everyone in our department is a culture of sharing. 

We openly share information about new technology, tools, and insights, pool resources to tackle challenges together, creating an environment where collaboration occurs naturally across all levels. 

8) What is the best piece of advice you’ve got for the next generation of public servants?

Embrace every opportunity to learn with and from colleagues and step outside your comfort zone.

My most valuable experiences have come from collaborative projects, working alongside people with different expertise both within and outside my department.

This builds meaningful connections and broadens my perspective on how our various roles and responsibilities can work towards our shared purpose. 

9) What is a myth you wish to debunk about young public servants?

A common myth is that young public servants are impatient with established processes and want to change everything immediately. 

Our comfort with technology is not about replacing human connection but using tools to enhance our ability to serve communities more effectively. 

In reality, we are genuinely curious about understanding why systems exist before suggesting improvements. We bring fresh perspectives not because we dismiss experience, but because we are eager to learn and build upon it.

Our comfort with technology is not about replacing human connection but using tools to enhance our ability to serve communities more effectively.

We value the wisdom of experienced colleagues and see innovation as an enabler of collaboration, not a generational divide. 

10) Write a letter to your future self in 2035. Please keep it within 200 words.

Dear Future Self, 

I hope you have maintained that genuine curiosity about the communities we serve and continued creating visualisations and automation solutions that make meaningful differences, one bit at a time.

By now, the technologies we are exploring today have probably evolved beyond our current imagination. 

I hope you remembered those collaborative hackathons and cross-departmental projects that showed more can be achieved when working together with fellow team members.

That culture of sharing we valued should still guide your work, whether mentoring new colleagues or learning from seasoned ones. 

Most importantly, I hope you have stayed true to your belief that technology enhances rather than replaces human connection.

Your visualisations should still empower colleagues to make better sense of their work and automation solutions have freed up time for more meaningful tasks. 

The challenges facing our communities in 2035 are likely different, but I trust you have continued that journey of continuous learning, stepping outside your comfort zone with a Can-Do attitude to try new technology and tools. 
 
Keep building meaningful partnerships across all levels. Remember that innovation remains a collaborative effort and success is more rewarding when accomplished with your team members.   

With curiosity and optimism,  

Your 2026 self