Strengthening Singapore’s public sector data governance and compliance

Governments around the world are collecting and managing ever-increasing volumes of data, using it to deliver effective public services, make informed policy decisions, and foster innovation.

However, with this growing data landscape comes a heightened need for robust data governance and compliance practices.

Additionally, government Chief Information Officers today face the challenge of keeping pace with evolving citizen expectations and ensuring inclusive access to services, according to OpenText.

This is why a strong foundation in data governance is needed to ensure data is secure, reliable, and used effectively.

Challenges of data governance in the public sector

Public sector organisations in general face several challenges in data governance and compliance.

Data silos and fragmentation is one of them. Government organisations often operate with independent data systems, leading to siloed information that hinders data accessibility and exchange from a whole-of-government perspective.

This fragmentation can make it difficult to get a holistic view of citizen data and hampers efforts to deliver seamless and integrated services

The second major challenge is with the regulatory landscape. The public sector operates within a complex regulatory landscape, ranging from the Cybersecurity Act and government personal data protection policies in Singapore.

These regulations mandate strict guidelines for data collection, storage, and usage. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in hefty fines, reputational damage, and public distrust.

The other major challenge comes from data security risks. Public sector and citizen data are prime targets for cyberattacks. With the increasing sophistication of cyber threats, organisations must prioritise data security measures to protect sensitive citizen information.

How OpenText can help

OpenText offers a comprehensive suite of solutions that can help Singapore public sector organisations address these data governance challenges and achieve their compliance goals. These capabilities include:

• Data integration and management: By consolidating data from disparate sources into a central repository, this helps to break down data silos and improve data accessibility for public sector employees.
• Data governance framework: OpenText can assist organisations in establishing a robust data governance framework. This framework can define policies and procedures for data classification, access control, retention, and disposal.
• Data security and compliance: OpenText offers a range of security features to protect sensitive data, including encryption, access controls, and data loss prevention and protection (DLPP). These features can help organisations comply with data privacy regulations and safeguard citizen information.

OpenText recognizes importance of "designing the perfect digital service," by focusing on backend processes, including robust data governance.

OpenText's solutions can play a vital role in ensuring the backend infrastructure is secure and efficient, ultimately contributing to a seamless user experience for citizens.

Successful implementations

Several public sector organisations around the world have successfully implemented OpenText solutions to improve their data governance and compliance practices.

For example, a county administration in the United States adopted OpenText’s automated data governance solutions, to support a small IT team in managing 150 million data files.

The solutions improved data insight and regulation compliance through user-friendly actionable reporting, as well as clear data storage and backup savings through unstructured data management.

Effective data governance and citizen experience

As Singapore continues its journey towards a more intelligent and resilient nation, data governance and compliance will remain critical priorities.

Effective data governance and compliance is key for public sector organisations to harness the full potential of data and deliver exceptional citizen services.

OpenText is organising a summit open to public sector officials in Singapore on January 23, 2025.

The summit will feature executive speakers who are driving change and innovation in their organisations. The dynamic lineup includes esteemed guest speakers from banking and government organisations.

They will share valuable best practices and thought leadership to help drive growth in the evolving landscape of AI, covering key topics such as information management, customer experience, cybersecurity and data trust.

<Find out more & register here>