Digital public infrastructure (DPI) is a critical enabler of the digital transformation of countries by helping them to improve the delivery of public service at scale. Our guests, David Soutar and Matthew McNaughton of the SlashRoots Foundation, discuss, among other things: what is DPI and why it is important; how DPI can be designed to be inclusive and ensure equitable access for all citizens; what Caribbean countries can learn from India’s experience in implementing its digital ID system and unified payments interface; and how Caribbean nations can collaborate to create regional DPI initiatives that benefit all.

 

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Over the past 10 years or so, organisations and societies worldwide have been on a journey of digital transformation to become more efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of their internal and external customers. For countries, the concept of In an era where digitalisation is reshaping every aspect of our lives, from how we work to how we interact with governments and businesses, the concept of digital public infrastructure (DPI) emerges as a critical cornerstone for societal progress. DPI represents the technological backbone that enables governments to provide essential services and fosters innovation, inclusion, and efficiency in the public sector.

Although some of us might not have heard the term “digital public infrastructure” or DPI before, we tend to be more familiar with some of the foundational elements of DPI, since many governments are in the process of implementing them, such as digital identification systems, electronic (e-)government services, digital payment platforms and cybersecurity, to name a few. With this infrastructure successfully in place, countries would be in a better position to harness the transformative power of technology to enhance service delivery, promote innovation, foster inclusion, and strengthen democratic governance. However, realising those benefits requires careful consideration and action, which will be discussed in this podcast episode.

 

Introducing our guests

David Soutar

David Soutar is a Co-founder and Principal of the SlashRoots Foundation supporting strategy, research, and implementation. Much of his expertise falls into the realms of research and design, to help bring complex, multi-stakeholder governance, and development programs to reality.

A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, David holds a BFA in Graphic Design and an MSc in Computer Science from the University of the West Indies (UWI). He has over 20 years of experience in graphic design, animation, interactive design and user experience. David serves on various committees, working groups and boards for various civil society organisations and non-profits.

As an Academic, David has lectured in the area of Design and Visual Communication at the  Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, the University of Technology and San Francisco State University. Currently he is a Lecturer of Digital Media at the Caribbean School of Media and Communications at the University of the West Indies. David’s research interests include human-centred design, digital literacy, usability and user experience design.

Matthew McNaughton

Matthew McNaughton is a digital development practitioner from Kingston, Jamaica. He is a Principal of the SlashRoots Foundation, a social impact organisation that uses digital practices to improve the design and delivery of public services and development programs in the Caribbean, and a Director for Inclusion, Safeguards and Civil Society Engagement at the Co-Develop Fund. Matthew develops strategies and leads projects that focus on practical applications of digital technology, service design, and citizen participation in governance.

Throughout his career, Matthew has led, supported and scaled multiple national programmes and international initiatives. At UNICEF, as the Global Technology For Development Specialist, he played a leadership role in coordinating UNICEF’s use of digital platforms in its COVID-19 pandemic response and oversaw a digital messaging ecosystem that delivered more than 490 million messages annually, connecting children, mothers and caregivers with life-saving information and public services. At the World Bank, he led a number of open government and citizen feedback programs in Nigeria. These engagements ranged from the Edo State Open Government Initiative, Africa’s first subnational open government program, to the ICT for Social Accountability program, a novel approach to incorporating real-time citizen feedback via mobile phones to improve healthcare quality.

He serves on multiple boards, including Jamaica’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) Multi-Stakeholder Forum, the Board of Directors for the Caribbean Open Institute, the Code For All Initiative, and the steering committee of the Civil Society Digital ID Coalition.

Matthew held Edward S. Mason and Ash Democracy Fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he earned his Master’s in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the College of Wooster. When he isn’t thinking about how digital can improve public services, he’s likely following the latest Liverpool Football Club news. “YNWA”

 

Insights into our conversations

Without a doubt, there are several benefits to be realised if countries can successfully implement DPI, but a key challenge that David and Matthew discuss extensively during our conversation is ensuring that the DPI is available and accessible to all members of society. Generally, many of our national or public systems or platforms are designed to cater to the majority but there are several communities, such as persons with disabilities, those who live in highly rural areas, and those in lower-income groups, whose needs – to allow them to access those systems like any other citizen – are not accommodated or otherwise included.  

Our discussion also tackled whether the use of DPI should be made mandatory, such as in the case of a digital identification system, and examples out of India were highlighted, which led to us speaking about the perceived value of DPIs by citizens. The matter of value, and consequently, how countries can foster greater adoption and use of DPIs when they are implemented, was also addressed, as the central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) that have been launched in the Caribbean region still have not yet critical mass in terms of the number of users and transactions. There was thus lots to discuss and unpack.

Below are key questions that drove the conversation with Matthew and David.

  1. What do we mean when we say “digital public infrastructure”? And why is it important that we focus on it?
  2. Are there any successful examples of DPI in the Caribbean?
  3. How can DPI be designed to be inclusive and ensure equitable access for all citizens, regardless of socioeconomic background or location?
  4. How can DPI foster innovation and encourage the development of new digital services in the Caribbean?
  5. What are some of the unique challenges Caribbean countries face when it comes to developing and implementing DPI?
  6. How can Caribbean nations collaborate to create regional DPI initiatives that benefit all
  7. What might be emerging trends in DPI that we should be aware of and prepared for?
  8. How can Caribbean nations ensure that their DPI is adaptable and can keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology?

 

We would love to hear your thoughts!

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Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

 

 

Images credit: SlashRoots Foundation; Gino Crescoli (Pixabay); Pete Linforth (Pixabay); Gerd Altmann (Pixabay)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing Support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez