Tech is good to have but empathy and understanding are must haves

One of the most significant transformations in the public sector over the past decade has been the shift from technology being a supporting tool to becoming the core infrastructure used to deliver public services. 

Governments around the world have moved from providing what were the early precursors of public sector digitalisation, like the ability to fill-up forms online, to using technology to reimagine service delivery to reach every citizen. 

GovInsider has written about how, over the past decade, the public sector, once considered a laggard in digitalisation, has become a leader in technology innovation.  

As we move into 2026, this has brought sweeping changes in the public sector, with most services being available online or via mobile apps. 

Estonia, for example, holds the distinction of digitalising 100 per cent of government services. Singapore is not far behind. 

Getting the priorities correct 

A “digital first” approach in public policy often prioritises administrative efficiency and the gee-whiz aspect of the technology, rather than the actual lived experiences of the citizens. 

Often the focus is on the cost savings and reduced workloads for governments, rather than the cognitive load and anxiety that digital tools cause to vulnerable members of society, like the elderly, poor and less tech savvy. 

This is a major criticism made by public policy experts, even as artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI (GenAI), and, increasingly, Agentic AI tools take over government policy delivery mechanisms. 

Fortunately, this is a problem that is well understood by most people who implement public sector policy around the world.  

And they are doing their best to ensure that technology is just an enabler, with the focus staying on seamless service delivery that reaches the most vulnerable sections of society.  

“To ensure technology works, there is a need to listen deeply and continuously; it matters far more than designing quickly,” says Singapore’s Institute of Mental Health IT Director Angela Lim. 

In her interview for GovInsider’s Meet the Women in GovTech 2025 (WIGT 2025) annual report, Lim, who is also the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of NHG Health, adds that “if the ground [end-users] cannot use it [technology] easily, it is not truly inclusive, regardless of how advanced it is”.  

WIGT 2025 report highlights importance of designing for users 

The WIGT 2025 special report features 113 public sector women leaders from more than 32 countries and representing diverse government sectors and functions ranging from healthcare, infrastructure, finance, cybersecurity and others. 

While each respondent grapples with problems specific to their area of expertise, as well as country, the consensus is that real innovation lies in developing systems and processes that do not leave anyone behind. 

Armenia’s Information Systems Agency’s Head of UX & Digital Service Delivery, Arusyak Martirosyan, observes that even the most thorough research will never capture every reality.  

No matter how carefully you map the most common scenarios, there will always be people whose circumstances, health, background, or life situations don’t fit the “standard” flow, she notes.

While covering the majority is an important first step, true inclusiveness begins “when you intentionally look for exceptions”, says Martirosyan, adding: “Overlooked personas, edge cases and specific barriers is what allows digital services to move from being efficient to being genuinely humane, adaptable and fair”. 

Adding context to this observation, Nigeria’s Public Digital’s Principal Consultant, Blessing Ajimoti, adds that how you build and design a service can directly determine access to fundamental human needs. 

“Designing for real people means understanding the human and social context behind every digital solution. In many cases, the barriers are not technical but cultural, linguistic, or economic, [and] I learned that humility and empathy are as essential as innovation,” says Ajimoti. 

Empathy is not a one-time exercise 

Even though working in a different continent and sector, NHG Health’s Lim echoes Ajimoti: “Empathy is not a one-time exercise; it’s an ongoing commitment to co-create solutions that fit real lives, not ideal workflows”. 

What does empathy mean in the public sector context? 

For many public sector employees working with technology, success is often not measured in terms of the most sophisticated code or algorithm, but rather in the actual benefits that it brings to the end-user. 

Singapore HealthTech agency, Synapxe’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) Gin Wong, shares a conversation she had with an elderly patient, which “truly affirms the purpose of her [Wong] work”. 

She notes that the patient struggles with mobility issues, and so regular clinic visits are tiring and often stressful. 

Using Singapore’s HealthHub application, the patient can now check her lab results, view her appointment dates and various other functions remotely without going to the clinic. 

Wong recalls the patient telling her: “I feel less scared now. Everything I need is on my phone. I do not have to worry that I will forget something important.” 

The patient is happy not because of the technology itself (very sophisticated algorithms are at work behind the user interface of HealthHub), but because of the confidence it gives her and the fact that she feels more empowered and in control of her health, says Wong. 

Japan’s Digital Agency’s Head of Intelligence Research and Design Community Manager, Chikako Masuda, sums this up by noting that people adopt technology when it solves a clear daily problem reliably and not because it is “tech”. 

Do people really need this? 

So, when designing new products and services, what should public sector innovators look for? 

GovTech Bhutan’s Space Systems Engineer, Pooja Lepcha, feels that before adding any feature or service, public sector engineers need to ask themselves: “Do people truly need this, and will it make a difference in their lives?" 

Innovation, Lepcha notes, is not about racing to adopt new technologies; it’s about understanding where these tools can genuinely help people. 

Working on the other side of the globe from Lepcha, Buenos Aires City Government, PIT Policy Lab’s Legal Advisor & GovTech Consultant, Gisela Montes, concurs. 

Montes shares that while technology is a big advantage, innovation can come from simply changing how you work, rethinking time-consuming daily tasks, or improving small processes.  

“These kinds of changes can make a real difference,” she adds.  

Users interact with the environment not the product 

Canada’s Public Services and Procurement’s Digital Innovation & Service Excellence Lead, Natasha Côté-Khan, notes that users don’t just interact with a product or a form; they interact with the entire environment and ecosystem around it.  

“If one piece is unclear or outdated, the whole experience falls apart,” Côté-Khan says. 

El Salvador’s General Secretariat of the Central American Integration System, Information Systems Specialist, Yessenia Pennélope Henriquez, shares that within many communities, especially those that have been marginalised, there's understandable scepticism about new government systems or technology platforms. 

“This scepticism isn't irrational. It's based on experience. If we ignore it or dismiss it, we won't build trust. But if we acknowledge it and design with strong privacy protections, transparent data practices, and genuine accountability, we can start to change that dynamic,” she notes.  

Her advice: “Listen before you build, question your assumptions constantly, and design with people, not for them. That's where real innovation happens”.  

Ultimately, the process of ensuring adoption requires perseverance and acknowledgement that people understand things differently, adds South Africa DCDT’s Chief Director – Emerging Technologies and Digital Innovations, Digital Society and Economy, Jeanette Morwane. 

The consensus among all the 113 women leaders featured is that technology is a powerful enabler.  

However, they also concur that the true measure of success lies in using it wisely to develop solutions that emphasise equity, empathy, and practical utility for all citizens. 

GovInsider is proud to have featured these incredible women leaders!