Taniya Ekanayake, Lead of Digital Government, Information Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA)

​​​​​​1. How do you use your role to ensure that technology and policy are truly inclusive?

As Lead for Digital Government at ICTA, inclusivity is central to every policy, system design, and digital intervention I steer.

My work requires close engagement with ministries, provincial bodies, regulators, and frontline officers, and I use this position to champion technology that works for everyone—regardless of location, literacy, or social background.

I ensure that policies and digital solutions undergo stakeholder testing, accessibility checks, and legal scrutiny to avoid excluding vulnerable groups.

In my role, inclusion is not an afterthought; it is treated as a policy requirement and a design principle.

2. What’s a moment in your career when you saw firsthand how technology or a new policy changed a citizen’s life for the better?

During the rollout of Digital Government Forms Sri Lanka, it was observed a citizen who had spent weeks travelling between offices for a simple government service request achieved within a seconds of time by staying at one place.

The digitised workflow allow them to complete the process within a single day. Such solutions were introduced during the Covid 19 pandemic and benefitted the Digital Transformation efforts as of today. 

For citizens this wasn’t just convenience—it meant financial security, freedom from repetitive travel, and a sense of respect from the system witnessing this transformation reaffirmed why digital transformation is meaningful: when designed well, it restores dignity and trust in public services.

3. What was the most impactful project you worked on this year, and how did you measure its success in building trust and serving the needs of the public?

The most impactful initiative this year was the Launch of Government Valuation System of Sri Lanka with the mobile application for field officers on valuation process.

This enables valuers to conduct assessments on-site using integrated digital tools on the integrated land management process in Sri Lanka.

Success was measured not only through technical deployment but through tangible improvements in public trust:

1. Reduced citizen complaints on delays and inconsistencies
2. Greater transparency through digitized documentation
3. Officer efficiency gains due to streamlined fieldwork

Shorter service delivery timelines, improving predictability for citizens.

The project demonstrated that trust is built when government processes become consistent, traceable, and transparent.

4. What was one unexpected lesson you learned this year about designing for real people? This can be about a specific project or a broader lesson about your work.

I learned that resistance to technology is rarely about the technology itself—it is about fear.

People resist tools when they feel judged, unsupported, or uncertain about how the change will affect their work.

When we focused on empathy, guidance, and co-design sessions, adoption improved dramatically.

The biggest lesson was that design is successful only when people feel confident enough to participate in the change.

5. We hear a lot about AI. What's a practical example of how AI can be used to make government services more inclusive and trustworthy?

AI has the power to simplify the public sector’s most complicated tasks.

One practical example is AI-assisted queue management solutions in citizen service centres—where AI analyses incoming queries and directs people to the correct service, in the correct language, with clear next steps.

This reduces frustration, prevents people from being sent from desk to desk, and ensures no one is excluded due to language proficiency or digital literacy.

When used responsibly, AI becomes a guide rather than a gatekeeper.

6. How are you preparing for the next wave of change in the public sector? What new skill, approach, or technology are you most excited to explore in the coming year?

I focus on building three things: digital governance, data ethics, and agile leadership.

The coming wave of GovTech reform requires leaders who can bridge policy, technology, and human behaviour.

I am particularly excited about exploring Explainable AI (XAI) and regulatory technologies (RegTech), which can help governments make data-driven decisions without losing public trust.

The future requires not just new tools, but new mindsets—and I am committed to cultivating both.

The next phase of digital transformation demands strong foundations in digital governance, ethics, and systems thinking.

These areas will redefine how governments operate, and I want to ensure Sri Lanka is ready with responsible, future-proof digital infrastructure.

7. What advice do you have for public sector innovators who want to build a career focused on serving all citizens?

In my view, it is needed to stay close to the problem—don’t design from the boardroom. Spend time with frontline officers and citizens; they understand the gaps better than any report.

Innovation in the public sector requires resilience. Progress is often incremental, but even small improvements can transform someone’s life.

Stay committed, remain curious, and build solutions with empathy as your anchor. innovation Transforming the government is rarely glamorous—it is slow, detailed, and sometimes frustrating.

But if your work improves even one person’s life, that impact is worth the entire journey.

8. Who inspires you to build a more inclusive and trustworthy public sector?

I am inspired by dedicated public officers across Sri Lanka who deliver their duties with integrity, often under challenging circumstances and limited resources.

Their commitment reminds me that good governance is built through consistent service, not headlines.

They motivate me to ensure that technology amplifies—not replaces—the human compassion at the heart of public service.

9. If you had an unlimited budget, what would your dream project be?

I would create a One-Gov Unified Citizen Experience Platform—a single, intelligent entry point for all government services in Sri Lanka.

This platform would integrate identity, payments, approvals, tracking, translation, and AI-based assistance so every citizen can access services with ease, clarity, and trust.

The vision is simple: no citizen should struggle to figure out how to get help from their own government.

10. Outside tech, what excites you the most?

I am deeply energised by art, culture, and travel. Exploring new places and experiencing local history and nature gives me perspective and balance.

Music, cooking, and creative pursuits also keep me grounded—they remind me that while technology shapes systems, it is humanity that shapes meaning.