 |
| UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Vietnam Patrick Haverman__Photo: UNDP |
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative in Vietnam Patrick Haverman has emphasized the importance of making e-services more accessible and usable by citizens at a thematic discussion in Hanoi.
Patrick Haverman made the statement at the thematic discussion titled “First Review of Accessibility and User-friendliness of 63 Provincial E-Service Portals in 2023” which was co-hosted by the UNDP in Vietnam and the Institute for Policy Studies and Media Development (IPS) on July 11.
 |
| Chairperson of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association Nguyen Minh Hong__Photo: UNDP |
Addressing the event, Chairperson of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association Nguyen Minh Hong acknowledged the Government’s prioritization of e-government services (EGS) in building a digital government.
He recommended that the Government, with the National Digital Transformation Committee as the focal point, focus on two key areas: enhancing the provision function for the 25 most essential e-services and improving user experience through more user-friendly and easier-to-use interfaces.
Achieving these goals will help Vietnam increase its score and accomplish the goal of reaching the top 50 countries in the UN e-Government ranking, Hong noted.
The research group from the UNDP in Vietnam and IPS identified five key issues regarding the user-friendliness of provincial e-service portals (ESPs).
These include inadequate features for implementing end-to-end ESPs, suboptimal processes of carrying out administrative procedures on the electronic platforms, challenges in connecting data, user accounts, and interfaces between central and local ESP systems; difficult access to ESPs for visually impaired and ethnic minority people; and insufficient commitment to protecting personal data and ensuring information security.
The report, which was released by the National Digital Transformation Committee in August 2022, offers two sets of recommendations to enhance the user-friendly and easy-to-use interface of ESPs and improve policies on EGS development.
Notably, the report recommended making EGS more accessible for people with disabilities by utilizing automatic scanning tools to review, detect, and improve accessibility for those using screen readers.
Additionally, the report recommended involving groups of people with disabilities in evaluating the user experience of ESPs.
It is also crucial to enhance data connectivity between the National ESP and provincial ESPs and promulgate technical standards for connecting and interoperating e-service delivery systems.-(VLLF)
